Apple expands AI photo editing in iOS 27
The update adds processing controls to Clean Up and introduces AI-powered Extend and Reframe tools, but results may still vary.
Apple is upgrading the Photos app’s AI Clean Up feature in iOS 27, adding newer AI models, user-selected object removal and three processing options: Auto, Fast and High Quality.
Engadget reports that Auto selects a processing mode based on the complexity of an edit. Fast uses a smaller AI model for quicker retouching, while High Quality applies more advanced processing to complex images, with longer processing times and higher battery use.
Users can circle an object they want removed, rather than relying solely on Clean Up’s automatic recognition. The tool was introduced with the iOS 18 redesign of Photos and had previously lagged behind competing offerings, according to Engadget.
The update also adds Extend, which generates more of the image around the existing frame, and Reframe, which changes a photo’s perspective or angle. Both features use AI to fill in or alter parts of an image that were not captured originally.
Engadget cautions that results from Extend and Reframe can be inconsistent. Some edits may appear natural, while others can introduce unnatural content or objects and people that were not present in the original image.
The updated tools require Apple Intelligence and an iPhone 15 Pro or later. The supplied reporting includes no independent testing or Apple documentation confirming the extent of the performance improvements.
