Use Photoshop Generative Fill to Boost Your Non-Destructive Editing Workflow

AI is new and fresh, right? Well… not really.

It’s more like the latest rescue tool your department has ordered: it may be lighter, faster, better, but the tactics you use to deploy it are relatively the same.

You’ve likely been using AI-like tools in Photoshop long before Adobe slapped the “Generative Fill” label on it. Think of these as the Photoshop Fire Department’s basic tools—reliable, but not quite the full-on equipment upgrade Generative Fill represents:

• Content-Aware Fill (Photoshop CS5 2010): Uses algorithmic pixel analysis to sample surrounding areas and seamlessly fill selections, mimicking the logic of AI-based context prediction—like how firefighters read smoke patterns to predict fire behavior.
• Select Subject / Select and Mask (Photoshop CC 2016): Leverage Adobe Sensei AI to identify and isolate subjects automatically, using deep learning to detect edges and complex shapes; the thermal imager on your Photoshop apparatus.
• Auto Color / Auto Tone (pre-CS era): Use machine learning to evaluate tonal balance and make intelligent corrections based on scene analysis rather than fixed formulas—like a trusted Captain making the right tactical call based on experience and conditions.

Photoshop’s Generative Fill may feel shiny and new—even intimidating—but it’s really just the latest, most powerful tool in your creative arsenal. When used properly, it doesn’t just put out fires in your workflow; it brings your creative vision to life without leaving collateral damage.

Generative Fill isn’t a new flame—it’s just Photoshop’s hottest new upgrade.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share how to use Generative Fill for non-destructive editing in Photoshop and how it can dramatically improve your workflows—based on my real-world experience processing hundreds of images and designs since the tool’s launch.

Let’s gear up and make entry!

🔥 TL;DR: How to Use Photoshop Generative Fill Without Burning Your Pixels

Mission Capabilities with Photoshop Generative Fill

• Expand backgrounds for text placement or breathing room
• Remove unwanted objects quickly
• Clean up problem areas with targeted AI prompts
• Maintain most of your non-destructive editing techniques

What is Generative Fill in Photoshop?

Generative Fill is an AI-powered feature in Photoshop (powered by Adobe Firefly) that creates new image content based on a user’s selection and text prompts. It analyzes your image, understands context, and generates new pixels that blend with your existing content—making it ideal for removing objects, extending backgrounds, or adding new elements entirely.

Unlike its forebearers, such as Content-Aware Fill, Generative Fill uses trained AI to produce new content rather than sampling only from the existing images in your file. You’ll find the Generative Fill panel appears when you select a layer, and it’ll put results on a separate layer–perfect for non-destructive editing.

Why Non-Destructive Generative Fill Matters

The biggest reason I love Generative Fill is because it’s a (mostly) great non-destructive editing technique. Other AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Midjourney, produce flat images that are akin to stock images, requiring additional work to blend into your design. Generative Fill pulls from its AI model and your image to maintain lighting, perspective, and style consistency that standalone AI generators often miss.

Photoshop’s AI can accomplish three major operations, which I find the most useful, that previously required hours of manual work:

• Expand an image beyond its original canvas–like a tactical hose extension, so your hose line can reach further.
• Remove unwanted objects–to achieve clean extraction without heavy rescue tools.
• Clean up problem areas in your image–rapid salvage operations for compromised shots.

All this is achieved quickly and easily using simple—or even no—prompts. The Generative Fill creates a new, masked layer with AI-generated content and provides three variations for you to choose from, ensuring it blends well into your image or design.

You might have to tweak your prompt and give it another go, but the outputs are typically fire! This means no less tedious Clone Stamp work or hours spent seamlessly blending gradients—a process that’s more grueling than a long overhaul after a structure fire.

For example, I would shoot a product on a seamless color background with a spot light on it. In post, I’d realize I needed more room on the edges. It might take one to two hours to expand my canvas and recreate my in-camera gradient. Now, it takes a matter of seconds, and I can move on with my design.

Let’s explore these three core applications in detail.

How to Expand Images Beyond Their Original Canvas with Generative Fill

There are times I need more space within an image for text, design elements, or just breathing room. However, I might have taken too tight a picture—like arriving at a scene with limited access points—and now I’m boxed in with nowhere to maneuver.

Generative Fill gives me the tactical advantage of extending my canvas in any direction, like calling in aerial support when ground access is restricted!

Expanding an image with Generative Fill is a straightforward operation that is probie-proof:

1. Stage your scene: Ensure only the layers you want the tool to consider are visible
2. Create your perimeter: Expand your canvas using the Crop tool or adjusting your canvas size (Image > Canvas Size)
3. Set your attack pattern: Using the Rectangle Marquee tool, select from the edge of the canvas to the area of your image you want to expand.
   • NOTE: Only select enough of your image’s area to allow Generative Fill to gather the intel it needs—think of it as providing context without overwhelming the system
4. Deploy the tool: Leave the Generative Fill prompt area blank and hit generate.
5. Assess and adapt: The AI tool will provide you with three options to choose from. Select which best expands your image, or have the tool try again. Repeat this process until you obtain an expansion that matches your design.

Pro Tip: Use multiple Rectangle Marquee selections to expand your image in all directions simultaneously—like coordinating multiple attack lines for maximum coverage.

I typically use this technique when expanding images with in-camera background gradients or textured patterns that are easily repeatable. Wood, concrete, and tile expand and blend like they were meant to be there from the start!

The tool has undergone significant improvements since its initial rollout in May 2023. Recently, I’ve used it to expand landscape shots and complex stock images from Envato Elements. Generative Fill handles these expansions like a seasoned veteran, matching color temperature and atmospheric conditions without breaking a sweat.

For landscape extensions, you may need to describe specific weather conditions or the time of day in your prompt instead of leaving it blank. A phrase like “continue cloudy mountain landscape with early morning light” gives Photoshop’s AI the situational awareness it needs to accurately expand your scene.

What makes this approach so powerful is that Generative Fill creates seamless extensions that perfectly match the original lighting and texture of your image. And because the generation happens on its own layer, you can fine-tune the blend with masks and adjustments without compromising your original pixels—your backup always stays intact.

Using Photoshop Generative Fill to Remove Unwanted Objects Non-Destructively

Removing unwanted elements from photos prior to Generative Fill felt like performing an extraction using hand tools—slow, meticulous, and evident you were even there. Generative Fill transforms this operation from a grueling overhaul into a rapid response call.

Here’s how to perform clean object removal without burning your original pixels—think surgical extraction that leaves no trace:

1. Identify your target: Select the layer that contains the object you want to remove.
2. Establish your perimeter: Select the unwanted object using your tool of choice.
   • I typically deploy the Lasso or Polygonal Lasso tool for irregular shapes
   • The Object Selection tool works like thermal imaging—excellent for clearly defined subjects.
3. Call for backup: In the Generative Fill prompt, simply type “remove” and let the AI do the heavy lifting.
4. Inspect and approve: Review the variations the tool provides and select the best option, or have it reattempt the removal if none meet your standards.

Pro Tip: Sometimes it’s tactical to select a larger area around your target—this gives you more material to work with on the layer mask. You can then fine-tune the blend using the healing brush or clone stamp on a new blank layer above the generated layer, like cleaning up after a successful operation.

As always, Generative Fill creates a new layer with a built-in mask above your selected layer, maintaining that non-destructive workflow that keeps your original image fireproofed and ready for any revisions.

I employ this technique regularly for photo touch-ups. Recently, I shot a community event our department participated in and captured a shot of one of our firefighters with a dalmatian that a local resident had brought to the event. The problem? A boring brown dumpster sitting right next to our pristine red truck, killing the classic firehouse vibe.

I simply followed the steps above, selected the dumpster, typed “remove” in the prompt, and POOF! It was gone. The AI filled in the area with a realistic pavement, tree, and shadows that perfectly matched the lighting and perspective of the shot. What would have been an hour of tedious clone stamping became a 30-second operation, and a classic firefighter photo was saved for the department’s social media.

Clean Up and Enhance Images with Photoshop Generative Fill: A Non-Destructive Approach

Sometimes images don’t need dramatic expansion or object removal—they just need a good cleanup operation. Maybe it’s distracting background elements, uneven lighting, or awkward negative space that’s compromising an otherwise solid shot.

Generative Fill shines here too, functioning like a rapid response unit for image enhancement:

1. Size up the scene: Identify the problem area and make a precise selection.
2. Deploy the right tool: Use Generative Fill with a specific prompt describing what should replace the problematic area.
3. Evaluate the results: Select the best option from the variations or request another attempt if necessary.
4. Fine-tune the operation: Use the mask and adjustment layers to better integrate the AI image into your original image.

Pro Tip: If you create multiple Generative Fill layers during your cleanup operation, select all relevant layers and convert them to a Smart Object once you’ve achieved the results you need. This keeps your layer panel organized and your workflow professional—like properly stowing gear after a call.

I love the control tools like the clone stamp and healing brush (which is essentially AI) provide. They’re like hand tools: essential for detailed work. However, when time is limited and you’re facing tedious cleanup tasks, Generative Fill becomes a game-changer.

Beyond background expansions and object removals, I’ve deployed this AI-powered approach to clean up wrinkles from clothing merchandise shots or wires used to create a floating prop effect, all in seconds, rather than spending an hour on simple maintenance operations.

The real strength of this approach is tactical compartmentalization. You can tackle multiple small issues in isolation, with separate layers for each fix. This gives you incredible flexibility when clients inevitably come back with revisions—you can adjust individual elements without disrupting the entire operation.

The Essential 5-Step Protocol for Non-Destructive Generative Fill

After integrating Generative Fill into my workflow since it was in beta, I’ve developed this reliable process that ensures consistent results while protecting your original assets.

Step 1: Select Your Target Layer and Set Visibility

Identify the specific layer containing the content you want to modify, as well as which layers should be visible.

Why This Matters: Generative Fill will affect the active layer and everything that is visible on your canvas. Think of this as establishing your staging area—you need to know exactly where you’re operating before you begin any intervention.

Step 2: Establish Your Selection Perimeter

Use precision tools to select only the areas requiring AI intervention

Deploy your selection tools strategically:

• Lasso Tool: Best for irregular shapes and organic elements.
• Polygonal Lasso Tool: Ideal for straight edges and architectural elements.
• Rectangle/Elliptical Marquee Tool: Perfect for geometric areas and background extensions.
• Object Selection Tool: Excellent for clearly defined subjects.

Pro Tip: Feather your selection edges (Select > Modify > Feather or Shift + F6) with a 1-3 pixel radius for smoother integration. Think of feathering as creating a buffer zone around your operation area.

Step 3: Execute Your Generative Fill Command

Give Photoshop’s AI tool the prompt it needs to achieve your desired edit. When you select a layer, the Generative Fill panel should pop up; if not, go to the Edit menu > Generative Fill to access the panel.

Prompt Strategy Based on Operation Type:

For Object Removal:

• Leave blank or type “remove” so the AI can analyze the surrounding context

For Background Extension:

• Leave blank for natural continuation.
• Add specifics for complex scenes: “continue cloudy mountain landscape with morning light.”

Step 4: Evaluate and Select Your Best Result

Review the initial three options Generative Fill offers and determine if any meet your needs. The three variations appear in the Properties panel. Have it run additional attempts and adjust your prompt if necessary.

My Recommended Evaluation Criteria:

• Edge quality: How well does the generation blend with existing content?
• Lighting consistency: Does the new content match your original lighting conditions?
• Color accuracy: Are the tones and saturation appropriate for your scene?
• Detail appropriateness: Is the level of detail consistent with your source material?

Step 5: Refine and Integrate Using Professional Techniques

Perfect the AI-generated content using traditional editing tools for seamless integration.

My Advanced Integration Techniques:

• Layer Mask Refinement: Use the Generative Fill layer mask to improve how the AI image blends into your scene.
• Adjustment Layers Application: Use the right adjustment layers clipped to your AI layer to improve the color matching.
• Healing Brush Touch-ups: On a new blank layer, use this brush to smooth transition edges and eliminate artifacts.
• Clone Stamp Precision Work: Apply to a new blank layer above the AI layer for detailed corrections without affecting your original image.

This is my process whenever I need to use Generative Fill. It’s a straightforward workflow that enables me to make the necessary edits and proceed to the next task efficiently, and has proven useful on hundreds of images and designs. The key is treating Generative Fill as a powerful assistant, not a replacement for professional judgment and traditional editing skills—at least not yet.

When to Use Generative Fill: Know The Right Tool For the Job

Understanding when to deploy Generative Fill is important because, while powerful and useful, you always want to use the right tool for the job. Here’s how the tools in your apparatus stack up:

When to choose Generative Fill over alternatives? Typically, I use it for complex edits over large areas (like background expansion) that would take hours to accomplish otherwise. For smaller, refined cleanup operations—like removing dust spots, scratches, or smudges on products—the Clone Stamp and Healing Brush are your precision hand tools.

FAQs About Photoshop Generative Fill

Photoshop Generative Fill Final Thoughts

AI in the editing process isn’t new—but it’s significantly more advanced than the basic tools we’ve been using for years. What makes Generative Fill powerful is its seamless integration with a non-destructive workflow. The tool creates new AI-powered layers, complete with their own layer masks, providing the perfect foundation to refine results using classic editing techniques or keep the generations exactly as delivered.

With proper canvas preparation, strategic prompting, and a non-destructive mindset, you can let the AI handle the heavy lifting without surrendering control of your creative firehouse. You’re still the captain calling the shots—Generative Fill is just your most advanced piece of equipment.

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