Can Apple’s New AI Photo ‘Cleaner’ Tool Beat Google’s Magic Editor? For some users, yes

A good camera, photography skills and a worthy subject are only part of the equation for capturing the perfect photo. Some elements are beyond your control, such as objects or people in the background that you can’t move but that get in the way of your perfect shot. That’s where AI can help.

With its release on Monday iOS 18.1Apple has introduced an AI-powered “Cleanup” feature, available in the editing section of the Photos library. With this feature, you can remove unwanted elements of your photo and blend back the background seamlessly.

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Although this is a new and exciting feature for iOS users, Google already has a similar feature, Magic editoravailable for Pixel phones starting in 2023. Google recently expanded the offering to all Google Photos users — including iOS users.

So the question is: Is Apple’s partnership worth the wait? To find out, I tested both tools using photos — from my recent trip — where removing something improved my photos. Removal ranges from easy to more difficult, as seen from left to right.

Apple Cleanup Tool results

From a usage standpoint, I appreciated how easy it was to find the Cleanup tool; You don’t need to search anything or convert. Rather, when you click to edit a photo, the tool is an option on the bar. Then when you click on it, it automatically makes suggestions about what you should “clean up” and you can tap on it to get rid of it.

In any case, it does not specify what the object is. For example, it doesn’t see the mark in the first image, probably because it’s too dark in the bottom right corner. However, it happened in two other cases, even identifying both items in the third photo.

The results are stunning — I’m comfortable sharing edited versions of photos on social media. If you zoom in on the most challenging photo, you can see that the added rock is a bit rough compared to the rest, but still looks realistic and not jarring.

Google Photos Magic Eraser results

For iPhone users, the first step of using Magic Eraser may be inconvenient because you need to download the Google Photos app. The good news is that it’s free and offers other perks, such as photo storage and organization tools. I rely on the cloud storage provided by Google Photos because I take so many photos that my phone is always running out of space.

Once all of your photos are filled in, you can click the Edit button in the bottom bar, scroll over to Tools, then click Magic Eraser. The tool also has a feature that automatically selects what to delete, although it does not identify objects in the first and last photos.

The results of the two least challenging images were good, but the final image left much to be desired. Not only does it take a while to mark the person (since it never recognizes objects) but the result looks like a big blur.

Winner?

For iPhone users, the native experience of the Clean Up tool is not only more convenient but also delivers better results. This tool is more accessible, identifies objects better, and blends them into the background better.

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However, if you are an iPhone user you do not have access to it Apple is smartGoogle Photos is a great alternative because it produces comparable results and also has many additional benefits. Plus, downloading free apps is a lot easier on your wallet than shelling out money for a new iPhone.