I tested the new AI photo Clean Up on iOS 27 vs iOS 26 — and it’s shockingly better
I tested the new AI photo Clean Up on iOS 27 vs iOS 26 — and it’s shockingly better
Publish Date: 2026-06-15 05:00:00
Source Domain: www.tomsguide.com
I can’t believe it’s been nearly two years since Apple released its Clean Up tool as part of iOS 18.1. Apple users like myself have been waiting for something like Google’s Magic Eraser, and while Apple’s version certainly has the ability to erase unwanted subjects from the frame, it’s still a far cry from the performance I see from Samsung’s and Google’s versions.
With iOS 27, though, this Apple Intelligence feature gets a substantial boost that makes it much more reliable. Apple says that “users can remove distractions with better quality and more realistic infill, even when the scene is complex.”
After taking the same set of photos and running them through the Clean Up tool in the iOS 27 developers beta and iOS 26, I’m convinced by Apple’s remark about the improvements that come with its latest version of Clean Up. Here’s why.
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Travel mug in my hand
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(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
For this first test, I decided to go after something easy to remove — my Ember Travel Mug in my hand. Both versions of Clean Up manage to detect the edges of the mug after I made the selections as I glided my finger over it, but the iOS 27 version of Clean Up proves how it’s far more intelligent.
Sure, it takes significantly longer to produce the final image, but the result is realistic and something I could actually share. It’s pretty undeniable how iOS 27’s Clean Up tool processes the image with the help of Apple Intelligence and knows exactly how to fill it in. Meanwhile, the iOS 26 Clean Up tool completely distorts my hand.
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Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses
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(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
Stepping it up a notch, trying to remove my Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses from my face is much more…
