Photoshop Generative Fill: Best Prompts + Workflows (2026)
[Updated Dec 19, 2025]
Generative Fill isn’t just a “wow” button anymore.
If you’re a photographer (or you edit photos for clients), it can save you 30–60 minutes per image on the boring stuff: background cleanup, wider framing, distraction removal, product photo polish, and quick layout space for text.
This updated guide gives you:
Copy-paste prompts that produce more natural results
A simple 5-step workflow to keep edits believable
The big updates since 2023 (quality, models, credits, Content Credentials)
A clear, practical take on commercial use + transparency
What changed since 2023 (the stuff that actually matters)
A lot of people saw Generative Fill in 2023 as “cool demos.” Today, it’s closer to a daily editing tool.
Key updates:
More realistic results
Adobe has continued improving the underlying Firefly image models used by Generative Fill, with a focus on sharper, more lifelike outputs.You can choose the AI model
Photoshop now lets you choose between Adobe Firefly models and partner models for Generative Fill/Expand, depending on your workflow and desired look.Credits got clearer
Adobe documents how generative credits apply across Creative Cloud apps, and how many features typically consume credits per generation.Content Credentials are easier to enable
Photoshop includes settings to enable Content Credentials for saved documents, helping you show how an image was made or edited.
What Generative Fill is (in plain terms)
Generative Fill lets you add, remove, or change parts of an image using a selection + a short text prompt.
Photoshop generates variations, and you pick the best one, then refine it non-destructively.
The 5-step workflow that makes results look real
Most “AI-looking” edits happen because people skip the boring finishing steps.
1) Select tighter than you think, then expand slightly
If you select too wide, you invite weird lighting and texture changes. After selecting, expand the selection a bit so the blend has room.
2) Prompt for continuity, not creativity
The goal in photo edits is usually: “match what’s already here.”
3) Generate 3, pick the most boring one
The most natural result usually looks slightly underwhelming at first. That’s good. It’s easier to polish into realism.
4) Iterate with “Generate Similar”
If you like the direction, use variations instead of rewriting prompts from scratch.
5) Finish like a photographer
Before exporting: match grain/noise, check shadow direction, zoom out to 25% and look for edge tells, compare to the original for “does this feel true?”
7 high-value use cases for photographers (with copy-paste prompts)
1) Remove distractions (people, signs, cables, trash)
Prompt: “remove object, replace with natural background, match texture and lighting”
Pro tip: Do it in smaller chunks (two or three passes) instead of one big selection.
2) Extend a background for better framing (portrait + street)
Prompt: “extend background with soft bokeh, keep lighting consistent, keep depth of field”
If the face is near your selection edge, shrink the selection. Faces are where AI mistakes show first.
3) Clean product photos (fast ecom polish)
Prompt: “clean seamless white background, soft natural shadow under product, keep details sharp”
If it starts “melting” the product edges, select only the background and leave a safety margin.
4) Fix small wardrobe issues (logo, strap, lint, wrinkles)
Prompt: “remove logo, keep fabric texture and folds realistic”
This is one of the best “client save” use cases because it’s quick and subtle.
5) Create space for text (Substack headers, thumbnails, ads)
Prompt: “extend empty wall space, keep same paint texture, subtle gradient, no new objects”
This is where Generative Fill pays for itself if you publish weekly, especially if you also rely on repeatable editing looks like this Dreamy Wildlife Lightroom workflow or this Pastel Beach Lightroom edit guide to keep your feed consistent.
6) Extend landscapes without obvious seams (travel + wide scenes)
Prompt: “extend scene naturally, match haze and contrast, keep horizon line consistent”
Afterward, lightly match contrast and add a touch of grain so the whole frame feels unified, and if you shoot travel often, you’ll probably like these travel photography tips for getting cleaner base files.
7) Architectural extensions (straight lines, symmetry)
Prompt: “extend building facade, keep straight vertical lines, match perspective, match stone texture”
Don’t be afraid to guide it with smaller selections. Precision beats one-shot miracles.
Model choice: when to switch (and why)
Photoshop supports choosing between Adobe Firefly models and partner models for generative features, which can change the “feel” of results.
A simple rule:
Stay on Firefly for clean commercial workflows and consistency
Try a partner model when you keep getting the same type of artifact (texture oddities, repeated patterns, plastic skin), or you want a different rendering style
Credits: what to know so you don’t get surprised
Adobe explains that generative credits apply across Creative Cloud’s generative features, and many standard generations often cost 1 credit per generation, with some exceptions depending on the feature and plan.
Practical advice:
run Generative Fill in fewer, smarter passes
iterate using “Generate Similar” only when you’re close
do quick comps on smaller selections first, then finalize
Content Credentials: the easiest way to be transparent (without overthinking it)
If you’re publishing work publicly or delivering to clients, transparency saves you headaches.
Photoshop provides a way to enable Content Credentials in settings so edits can be captured and included on export.
My take: If AI touched the pixels in a meaningful way, it’s worth using credentials or a simple note. It protects trust, and it pairs well with a strong baseline ethics mindset like the one in this guide on photographers’ ethical obligations to subjects.
Commercial use: the simple answer
Adobe positions Firefly as commercially safe for many use cases, especially for business workflows (with plan terms applying). That said, if you use partner models, treat it as “check the rules” territory, since usage conditions can vary by model and context.
(If you do client work, the safest habit is: keep your sources clean, keep your licensing clear, and document your process.)
Common problems (and fast fixes)
“The fill looks too smooth / fake”
add a tiny bit of grain
reduce clarity a touch
avoid prompts like “perfect” or “highly detailed”
“Edges look cut out”
feather the mask slightly
expand selection 2–5px before generating
finish with a soft brush on the mask
“It changed things I didn’t want changed”
tighten selection
generate in smaller areas
prompt: “keep everything else unchanged”
Ethical considerations (short and practical)
Generative Fill is powerful, but use it responsibly:
Authenticity: Be clear when an image is materially changed. Content Credentials helps.
Ownership: Understand licensing and model rules, especially with partner models.
Skill: AI doesn’t replace taste. The best edits still depend on your eye, and if you’re building fundamentals, you’ll get more out of this with the Ultimate Photography Guide for Beginners as your base.
Your 10-minute practice plan (so you get good fast)
Pick one image and do these in order:
remove one distraction
extend background for better framing
create space for text
match grain and lighting
export with Content Credentials enabled
Do that on 5 photos and you’ll feel the difference.
Final thought
Generative Fill is at its best when it does the unglamorous work: cleanup, framing, and fast polish.
That’s the stuff that gets you back to shooting, posting, and improving your craft, and if you want the weekly “what should I buy / what should I do next” guidance, keep an eye on the Photography Gear Deals drops and the bigger gear guides like the Best Photo Editing Monitors roundup.
Have you tried Generative Fill recently? What did you use it for: cleanup, framing, or something more creative?
—Hakan | PhotoCultivator.com
Weekly photography tips + gear picks. No fluff.