Clean Up removes objects from a photo and Image Playground generates new ones, and both run on Apple Intelligence. Apple’s requirements page lists iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max as the minimum, and iOS 27 expands both tools: Apple’s iOS page says the enhanced Clean Up can remove even larger objects, while Image Playground gains a photorealistic style.
This guide covers what your iPhone needs, the steps for each tool as Apple documents them, and what to check when a button is missing. Both step lists come from Apple’s current Photos and Image Playground support guides, written for iOS 26. iOS 27 enhances Clean Up and adds photorealistic output to Image Playground, so a few labels may shift once the update ships on September 14.
Requirements for Clean Up and Image Playground
Apple’s requirements page ties both features to the same hardware and software floor. The Apple Intelligence device list on Apple’s iOS 27 page repeats it: all iPhone 16 models and later, plus iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max.
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| Requirement | What Apple says |
|---|---|
| iPhone | iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and later models including iPhone 17, 18 Pro and Duo |
| Software | iOS 18.1 or later; iOS 18.4 or later in the EU |
| Apple Intelligence | Must be turned on in Settings, and the device language set to a supported one |
| Languages | English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese |
| Not available | Devices purchased in China mainland, or an Apple Account with the region set to China mainland |
| Usage | Apple’s iOS 27 page notes that usage limits may apply to both tools |
Every iPhone in Apple’s iOS 27 compatibility list can install the update, but the tools above only appear on the Apple Intelligence models. An iPhone 14 or 15 gets iOS 27 without Clean Up.
How to use Clean Up in Photos
Apple’s guide says some items may be highlighted automatically when you open the tool, so a single tap is often enough. For anything else you tap, brush or circle it.
- Go to Photos.
- Open a photo, tap Edit, then tap Clean Up. Some items may be highlighted automatically so you can tap to remove them.
- Tap, brush, or circle what you want to remove. Pinch with two fingers to zoom in and pan for finer control.
- When you are finished, tap Done.
One caution from Apple’s guide: if you brush over a person’s face, the face may become blurred with a pixelated effect. On iOS 27, Apple’s page says the enhanced tool handles larger objects than before.
How to create an image in Image Playground
Image Playground is a standalone app, and it also appears inside Messages, Freeform, Keynote, Pages and Apple Invites. Apple’s guide lets you combine up to seven elements in one image.
- Open Image Playground.
- Tap New Image, or open an existing image and tap Edit.
- Add up to seven elements: swipe through Concepts for themes, expressions, costumes, accessories and places; tap Describe an image to type a description; add a person from your photo library who is named in Photos; or add a photo of a pet, a place or food.
- Tap Style, then select a style. Apple Intelligence offers Animation, Illustration and Sketch, or Genmoji, and iOS 27 adds a photorealistic option. Changing the style creates a new set of previews.
- Tap a preview bubble and swipe to see variations, or remove a concept to steer the result.
- Tap Save in the top-right corner. For a Genmoji, tap Add Emoji.
Apple’s guide also lists ChatGPT styles: tap ChatGPT, pick a style, or choose Any Style and describe what you want. Apple’s footnote says the request, attachments, time zone, country, device type, language and feature are sent to ChatGPT when you use them.
Where else the tools appear
- Messages: tap the plus button, then Image Playground, then Gallery or Create.
- Freeform: tap Image Playground in the toolbar, or select up to six elements on the board and tap Add to Playground.
- Photos search: on the same guide page, Apple describes typing a natural-language search such as a person doing an activity in a specific shirt.
If Clean Up or Image Playground is missing
- No Clean Up button in Edit: the iPhone is not on Apple’s list, or Apple Intelligence is off in Settings, Apple Intelligence and Siri.
- Image Playground is not installed: it arrives with Apple Intelligence; check the App Library and the language setting.
- A face turned into pixels: Apple’s guide says brushing over a face causes this. Undo and brush around it.
- A photorealistic style is missing: it needs iOS 27, due September 14.
- The tools stop working after heavy use: Apple says usage limits may apply.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo ship with all of this in the box, with the Duo arriving on iOS 27.1 on October 23.
