Snip for Mac · Guide
How to remove objects and people from photos on Mac
On a Mac with Apple Intelligence, the quickest built-in way is Clean Up in Photos: click, brush or circle what you want gone. On an Intel Mac, for image files outside your Photos library, or when you want finer control, use Snip — a photo eraser for Mac that works offline, right on your Mac. Balanced quality is free within 3 edits a day.
Remove objects with built-in Mac tools
Photos on Mac has two tools for this. Both edit photos in your Photos library, and Image → Revert to Original brings back the untouched photo.
Clean Up
Double-click a photo in Photos, click Edit, then click Clean Up (in macOS 27 it’s under Tools). Click, brush or circle what you want to remove. Photos may highlight distractions for you to click.
Retouch
For dust, spots and small blemishes. On Macs with Apple silicon it sits next to Erase in Clean Up; on Intel Macs, click Edit, then Adjust → Retouch, and brush over the mark.
Where the built-in tools stop
- Clean Up needs Apple Intelligence, so it isn’t there on Intel Macs — and Retouch is made for small marks, not people or cars.
- It works on photos in your Photos library: a file from Finder, a download or a client’s image has to be imported first.
- If you brush over a person’s face, Photos may blur it with a pixelated effect instead of removing it.
- There’s no quality setting and no step-by-step history, only undo and Revert to Original.
Remove objects with Snip
Snip is free to download. Erasing in Balanced quality is included in the free version with 3 edits a day — one edit is one photo, however many strokes you make. Best quality is part of PRO.
Open the photo
In Snip, choose Erase Objects and drop an image into the window, paste one with ⌘V or press ⌘O. PNG, JPEG, HEIC, TIFF, WebP and other common formats open directly — nothing to import into Photos first.
Paint over the object
Brush over the person or object together with a bit of its shadow. With Erase after each stroke turned on, Snip fills the area as soon as you release the mouse. Use the Size slider for a bigger or smaller brush.
Pick the quality
Balanced is quick and free. Best rebuilds more detail, especially on large areas, but takes longer; it comes with PRO.
Check the result
Hold the eye button at the bottom of the window to see the original. Press ⌘Z to undo the last erase, step through History or click Reset to Original.
Export
Export as PNG, JPEG or HEIC, copy the result with ⌘C or drag it into another app. Only the areas you brushed change, and the photo keeps its original resolution.
Offline, on any Mac
Snip’s eraser model is included in the app and runs on your Mac: photos aren’t uploaded, and erasing works without an internet connection. It doesn’t depend on Apple Intelligence, so it works the same on Intel Macs and Macs with Apple silicon.
In Settings → Shortcuts, you can assign a shortcut to Erase Objects that captures any part of your screen straight into the eraser. The first capture asks for the Screen Recording permission.
Tips for a clean result
- Cover the whole object, including its shadow or reflection, and brush slightly past its edges.
- Remove large or several objects in parts: erase one, check it, then move on to the next.
- If a trace remains, brush over that spot again — each pass starts from the already cleaned photo.
- Sky, grass, sand and walls give the most natural result. What was hidden behind the object, such as text or a face, can’t be recovered exactly: the AI fills in what fits the surroundings.
- Switch to Best for large areas and detailed textures like brick, foliage or fabric.
Clean Up or Snip?
Clean Up is enough for a quick fix to a photo already in your library. Snip works on any Mac and any image file, with quality settings and step-by-step history.
| Feature | Clean Up in Photos | Snip |
|---|---|---|
| Macs | Apple silicon (M1 or later) or MacBook Neo (A18 Pro), with Apple Intelligence | Apple silicon and Intel, macOS 15.6 or later |
| Which images | Photos in your Photos library | Any image file, a pasted image or a screen capture |
| Selecting what to remove | Click, brush or circle; some distractions are highlighted for you | Brush; or mark several objects first and erase them together |
| Quality settings | Not available | Balanced or Best |
| Going back | Undo, Revert to Original | Undo, step-by-step History, Reset to Original |
| Result | Saved in your Photos library | PNG, JPEG or HEIC file, copy or drag out |
| Price | Free, part of macOS | Balanced free within 3 edits a day; Best with PRO from $9.99 a month |
Questions about removing objects on Mac
How do I remove a person from a photo on Mac?
If your Mac supports Apple Intelligence, open the photo in Photos, click Edit, then Clean Up, and brush over the person. On any Mac, including Intel models, open the photo in Snip’s Erase Objects and brush over the person and their shadow — Snip fills the area right away.
Is there a free photo eraser for Mac?
Yes. Clean Up in Photos is free on Macs with Apple Intelligence. Snip’s eraser is free in Balanced quality within 3 edits a day on any Mac with macOS 15.6 or later — one edit is one photo, however many strokes you make. Best quality needs PRO.
Why don’t I see Clean Up in Photos on my Mac?
Clean Up needs Apple Intelligence: a Mac with M1 or later (or a MacBook Neo with A18 Pro), macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later and Apple Intelligence turned on in System Settings. It isn’t available on Intel Macs and doesn’t currently work on devices bought in China mainland. Without it, Photos offers only Retouch for small marks.
Is there a Magic Eraser for Mac?
Magic Eraser is the object eraser in the Google Photos app for phones. On Mac, the closest built-in tool is Clean Up in Photos, and Snip does the same job on any Mac without uploading your photos.
Does Snip erase objects offline?
Yes. The eraser model is included in the app and runs on your Mac, so photos aren’t uploaded anywhere and erasing works without an internet connection.
Can Snip remove text from a picture?
Yes. Brush over the text — a date stamp, a sign or a caption — and Snip fills the area with the surrounding background. It works best when the text sits on a simple surface.
Does erasing reduce photo quality?
No. Snip changes only the areas you brushed and keeps the photo’s original resolution. Export as PNG if you don’t want any extra compression.