I have a photo with someone in it that I want to remove, but I’d prefer not to use third-party apps. Is there an easy way to edit this out directly on my iPhone? Any tips or tools in the native iPhone features would be appreciated as I’m not sure how to do this.
Removing someone from a photo on your iPhone without any app? Okay, well, it’s not like Apple’s native features are made for erasing your ex from your Disneyland pics, but I guess there are some basic tools in the Photos app that might kinda help.
If the person you want gone is in the background or at the edge of the photo, maybe you can crop them out. Just open the photo, tap Edit, then the crop tool (the square icon with arrows). Drag the borders inward and hope for the best. Sure, it’ll ruin the composition, but at least they’re gone, right?
There’s also the Markup tool. Go to Edit, tap the three-dot menu, and select Markup. You can use the pen or marker to scribble over the person, which… well, looks insanely obvious but hey, it’s an option.
Honestly, unless you’re Michelangelo with a digital pen, you’re not gonna get flawless results. Apple doesn’t have a magic “erase unwanted people” tool built into Photos (yet), so unless you want to make the picture look like it was attacked by kindergarteners with crayons, maybe reconsider embracing the extra person in your photo. Or, y’know, just crop 'em.
So, here’s the deal: you technically can remove someone from an iPhone photo without an app, but it’s like trying to hammer a nail with a spoon—not the ideal tool for the job. @cazadordeestrellas already pointed out cropping and the Markup tool, which, let’s be honest, are barely solutions unless you’re okay with either butchering your photo’s composition or putting a wonky doodle over someone’s face.
BUT—here’s my take: instead of the Markup tool, you could try strategically using the Retouch feature in the Photos app, if you’re on a newer iPhone running iOS 16 or later. Open your photo, tap Edit, and look for the Retouch tool (it’s this little smudge icon). It’s not going to magically make someone disappear, especially if the person takes up a significant part of the frame, but for minor blemishes, it might help. Think stray wires or tiny background details—not, say, your ex dancing in the middle of the shot.
Some folks recommend playing around with Portrait mode settings, assuming the photo was originally taken that way. If the background blur is adjustable, you might be able to blur the person you’re trying to remove—just enough to make them less obvious. Sure, it’s a bandaid fix, and no, it won’t do miracles, but it’s something, I guess?
Honestly though, the native tools aren’t meant for full-on reworking an image like Photoshop or those AI editing apps do. Maybe Apple’s holding out on us with their next big feature, but for now, unless you can crop, blur, or cover up that person without totally wrecking the image, you’re kinda out of luck. Sorry to sound harsh, but sometimes embracing the extra person in your shot—or using a third-party app for more polished results—just makes life easier.