One of the underrated features of the Google Pixel 6a is Magic Eraser, a native camera feature that allows you to remove unwanted elements from your pictures. It works like magic, allowing you to select the object you want to remove and press the Magic Eraser button.
Followed these steps on a Pixel 6A running Android 12 with the April 2022 security patch.
- Open Google Photos
- Tap the photo you want to edit to open it
- Magic Eraser may appear as one of the suggested editing tools, but if you don’t see it, then tap Edit > Tools > Magic eraser
On the Pixel 6A, there’s also a toggle at the bottom of the screen to switch between two modes: Erase and Camouflage. Erase will completely remove the object and use AI to try and fill in the background based on context; Camouflage will just change the color or brightness of the area to make it less distracting. You can switch between these modes by tapping them, and as you do, the suggested area will change accordingly.
To use the phone’s suggestions, tap either Erase all or Camouflage all, depending on which mode you’re in (and which phone you’re using). If you’d rather manually select an object or area for Magic Eraser, tap the “X” on the text prompt to dismiss the suggestions. Use your finger to draw on the area you want to modify — you can either brush over the entire area you want to modify or circle it. You can also pinch to zoom in, which is really helpful if you’re making a manual selection. Use two fingers to move around to different parts of the image and one finger to draw and make your selection.
