Remove objects from photos without Photoshop
You searched for how to remove objects from photos in Photoshop. But you probably don't want to learn Photoshop. You want the object gone. There's a direct path to that result that doesn't involve selection tools, content-aware fill settings, or a $23/month subscription.
What removing an object in Photoshop actually involves
Photoshop can remove objects from photos. It's been able to do this for years, and it works well in the hands of someone who knows the software. The issue is what it asks of you before it works:
- Selecting the object. You need the lasso tool, quick selection, or the object selection tool to mark out the area. Getting a clean edge around irregular shapes (a person's hair, a tree branch, a car with complex reflections) takes real effort.
- Running content-aware fill. Once selected, you open the content-aware fill workspace, choose a sampling area, and run fill. The first result is often close but not quite right.
- Cleaning up artifacts. The filled area usually needs work. Edges might not match the surrounding texture. You touch it up with the healing brush or clone stamp, blending manually until it looks natural.
- Knowing what to do when it goes wrong. If the fill produces an obvious artifact (a repeated pattern, a color mismatch) you need to know the right correction. That's experience that takes time to build.
For a single bystander on a plain background, the whole process might take five minutes for someone who knows Photoshop. For complex objects over detailed backgrounds, it can take twenty minutes or more. It costs $23/month at minimum, which is a reasonable price for people who use Photoshop for everything and a high price for people who only need object removal.
The same job without Photoshop
BOARD takes the same end result (object removed, background filled) and changes the workflow completely. Instead of asking you to select the object manually, BOARD detects objects automatically when you upload the photo. You click the thing you want removed. BOARD handles selection, fill, and cleanup in one step.
The tradeoff is control. Photoshop gives you precise control over every stage of the process. BOARD gives you speed and simplicity at the cost of that fine-grained control. For most object removal jobs (a sign, a parked car, a photobomber, a piece of trash on an otherwise clean shot) the automated result is good enough that the control you gave up doesn't matter.
Side-by-side: removing an object from a photo
Photoshop workflow
BOARD workflow
How to remove objects from photos without Photoshop
Go to app.brd.ing. No account, no credit card, no subscription to set up. Drop the photo in or tap to select from your files. Use the original where possible, not a screenshot or a compressed copy.
BOARD scans the photo and identifies objects: people, signs, vehicles, animals, and more. You'll see them highlighted as you hover. This takes a few seconds. You don't need to do anything during this step.
Click or tap the thing you want gone. BOARD shows an outline around the detected object. Confirm it has the right region selected before you proceed. If you're removing something with irregular edges (a person, a tree) BOARD handles the edge detection automatically.
Hit remove. BOARD fills the area and returns the result in a few seconds. Check it using the compare view. If the result is clean, download the full-resolution file. If there's a small artifact, run another pass.
When Photoshop is still the right tool
BOARD handles object removal well. But it doesn't replace Photoshop for everything. There are cases where you actually want the heavier tool:
- Complex compositing. Combining multiple images, adding elements from different photos, working with layers in a non-destructive way: these are Photoshop workflows. BOARD removes things; it doesn't add them.
- Professional retouching. Skin retouching, precise frequency separation, dodging and burning, detailed hair masking. This is still a manual craft. BOARD isn't built for fine beauty retouching.
- Batch processing with actions. If you need to process dozens or hundreds of images with consistent edits, Photoshop Actions and automation features are the right tool. BOARD is built for one-at-a-time work.
- Very complex backgrounds. When the object you're removing sits in front of an intricate pattern, repeating texture, or highly detailed scene, a skilled Photoshop user can produce a cleaner result by manually directing the clone stamp and healing brush. BOARD's automated approach sometimes struggles here.
A simple test: if you can describe what you want in one sentence ("remove the trash can from the corner of this photo") BOARD is probably the right tool. If the description gets complicated ("remove the person but keep their shadow, then replace the background with a studio backdrop") you need Photoshop or similar.
Frequently asked
Is BOARD a replacement for Photoshop?
For object removal specifically, BOARD is faster and simpler. For everything else Photoshop does (compositing, color grading, retouching, batch workflows) Photoshop is still the right tool. They solve different problems. Most people who use BOARD don't have Photoshop and don't need it for their use case.
How does BOARD compare to Photoshop content-aware fill?
Photoshop content-aware fill requires you to manually make a selection around the object first, then run fill, then usually clean up artifacts with clone stamp or healing brush. BOARD detects objects automatically and handles fill in one step. Results are comparable on simple backgrounds; Photoshop gives more control on complex ones.
Do I need any design skills to use BOARD?
No. The workflow is: upload, click what you want removed, run removal, download. No selection tools, no layer management, no manual brush work. If you can click on a thing, you can use BOARD.
What does it cost compared to Photoshop?
Photoshop starts at $23/month as part of Creative Cloud. BOARD gives 5 free edits with no account required, then charges around $0.50 per edit, or a subscription for high-volume use. For occasional object removal, BOARD is significantly cheaper. For users who need the full Photoshop feature set, $23/month may be worth it regardless.
Keep reading
Try it on the photo you're thinking about.
Upload it. Click what you want removed. See if the result works. Five edits free, no account.
Clean Up a Photo Free →