I tested iOS 27's new AI photo editing tools as a skeptic - and the results surprised me

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ZDNET's key takeaways

The iOS 27 developer beta offers three AI photo editing tools.

The improved Clean Up tool cleanly erases an item from a photo.

The Reframe and Extend tools can change the framing or view of a photo.

AI has increasingly seeped into popular photo editors, including Apple's Photos app. At WWDC on Monday, Apple unveiled several AI-powered updates for the app that aim to help you edit, refine, and alter your photos. The skills are accessible in the first iOS 27 developer app, now available for anyone with a supported iPhone and a developer account.

Also: The biggest announcements at Apple WWDC 2026

First up are improvements to the Clean Up tool. Introduced with iOS 18.1, Clean Up tries to cleanly remove unwanted people and objects from your photos, replacing the empty space with the surrounding area. In the past, Clean Up was a bit hit-or-miss. But with iOS 27, the tool is supposed to work more effectively and accurately.

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