Apple Intelligence, which was introduced at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), is still in development almost three months later. Currently, access to some of its features before a public release can only be obtained by downloading the latest iOS 18.1 developer beta and receiving an invitation from Apple.
Up until now, most of Apple Intelligence’s features available to individuals outside of Apple have been focused on writing and communication tools. However, with the recent release of the third iOS 18.1 beta, Apple has introduced a new feature related to the Photos app.
The new Clean Up tool, even in its beta stage, is showing great promise. When activated in the Photos app on iOS 18.1, it automatically identifies objects in an image that you may want to delete. It also allows for manual highlighting of unwanted objects by tapping, circling, or brushing over them with your finger. Additionally, users can zoom in on a photo to remove smaller objects. Once an object is highlighted, tapping it will prompt the Clean Up tool to delete it.
After removing the highlighted objects, users can save the updated photo in their library by selecting Done or choosing Reset to revert to the original image. An undo button is also available to reverse changes made one at a time.
Similar to other edits in the Photos app, users can revert to the original version at any time, even months after the initial change was made.
Having spent some time with Clean Up, I anticipate it becoming a popular feature on iPhone and iPad. In its current state, I have noticed that sometimes the filling around removed objects may not look perfect, but this is to be expected and will likely improve over time.
Clean Up is compatible with any image in your Photos library, including those taken with traditional cameras or other smartphones.
Apple is set to release parts of Apple Intelligence with the first public release of iOS 18.1, potentially as early as October. Prior to that, iOS 18 is expected to be released around the time of the launch of new iPhones next month.
