Google Pixel 6 Magic Eraser mode is amazing — here’s how it works

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What Magic Eraser does, and how you can use it

Google Pixel 6 review
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The Google Pixel 6's Magic Eraser tool is one of the phone's many unique software powers. It's designed to remove annoying background elements from an otherwise perfect shot, and it's surprisingly easy to use.

Within Google Photos, and after a few taps, passers-by will be evaporated and photobombers will be defused and deleted, but your background should look flawless. It's an effect you could have achieved with a dedicated photo editing app, but having it done so easily just in your normal photo app app makes a big difference for less tech-savvy users.

If you want to give this feature a try for yourself, grab a Pixel 6 and follow the steps below. We've also included a TikTok video of Eraser Mode on the Pixel 6 Pro so you can see it in action. 

How does Magic Eraser work?

It's fairly simple to explain what Magic Eraser does. Through software and AI trickery, it's able to perform quick, automated edits to photos to remove unsightly parts of it.

We've yet to put Magic Eraser through its paces ourselves, so we don't know the system's limitations. Google says it works best on background elements though, so perhaps Magic Eraser isn't the best way to scrub out your exes from your otherwise nice picture.

Google Pixel 6 android

(Image credit: Google)

How to use Magic Eraser

1. Select an image in Google Photos that you want to edit, then tap the Edit button.

2. Select the Tools heading from the bottom bar, then Magic eraser

3. The tool will suggest elements of the photo that you may want to remove. Tap them and they'll be removed.

4. If you want to remove something manually, draw a circle around it

Bottom line

You can't deny the everyday usefulness of Magic Eraser. When used in tandem with Google's excellent Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro camera systems, you can end up with images that beat out pretty much any other smartphone without having to download an additional photo app. That's progress.

Richard Priday
Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.