Apple's new AI photo editing tools mostly work, for better and worse
Apple is adding generative AI photo editing tools to the iPhone for the first time as part of the iOS 27 developer beta. The Verge tested three new features: a much-improved Clean Up tool for removing objects, an Extend tool that paints in extra space at the edges of a photo, and Spatial Reframing, which mimics moving the camera to recompose a shot. The reviewer found the tools mostly work, with Clean Up being the most reliable and Spatial Reframing being the most ambitious and most problematic.
Key Takeaways
- Fun new ways to have an existential crisis about photography.
Apple will offer new generative AI photo editing tools in iOS 27: Spatial Reframing, Extend, and a much-improved Clean Up.
- As far as AI photo editing goes, the new features in iOS 27 are pretty tame compared to what you can do on, say, Google's Pixel phones.
But for the iPhone, they represent a tipping point in what the native photos app allows you to do to your photos.
- Related Apple is embracing the fantasy of AI photo editing But first things first: Clean Up.
Instead of only using on-device models to remove objects and fill in details, it can now use more powerful models in the cloud.
- Stepping up to the next level of complexity and what-is-a-photo-ness, there's Extend.
- Previous Next 1 / 4 It doesn't seem as eager to make stuff up to put into your photos as, say, Samsung's early efforts .
Stats & Key Facts
- #Apple is adding generative AI photo editing tools to the iPhone for the first time as part of the iOS 27 developer beta.
- #Part Of WWDC 2026: All the news from Apple's developers conference see all updates Allison Johnson is a senior reviewer with over a decade of experience writing about consumer tech.
- #These new features are part of the iOS 27 developer beta right now, so bear in mind that Apple may continue making tweaks to them before they're released to the general public.
Fun new ways to have an existential crisis about photography. Apple will offer new generative AI photo editing tools in iOS 27: Spatial Reframing, Extend, and a much-improved Clean Up. Tech AI Apple Apple's new AI photo editing tools mostly work, for better and worse What is a photo, iOS 27 edition.
by Allison Johnson Jun 13, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC Link Share Gift iPhone owners are getting real, native AI photo editing for the first time. Part Of WWDC 2026: All the news from Apple's developers conference see all updates Allison Johnson is a senior reviewer with over a decade of experience writing about consumer tech. She has a special interest in mobile photography and telecom.
Previously, she worked at DPReview. The most popular camera in the world just got its first set of serious AI photo editing features, and I don't think any of us are ready. As far as AI photo editing goes, the new features in iOS 27 are pretty tame compared to what you can do on, say, Google's Pixel phones.
For more details please read the original article at The Verge AI.
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