How to use the Pixel's Magic Eraser 'Camouflage' tool in Google Photos

Magic eraser is one of the defining features of the Pixel series. With it, Google's latest smartphones can remove intrusive elements from your photos so that you can focus on what really matters. However, it's not always perfect, so Google gives Pixel owners another means of highlighting the most important part of the picture, using a feature dubbed Camouflage mode.

Camouflage mode doesn't remove elements from a photo as the Magic eraser does. Instead, it hides them by making them blend in with the background. For instance, maybe there's an unsightly, brightly colored item in your photo that takes the attention away from the main subject. Camouflage mode changes the item's color to "camouflage" it with its surroundings, and this is how you can use it on your Pixel.

How to use the Pixel's Camouflage tool

1. Select an image in Google Photos and tap the "Edit" button at the bottom.
2. If the option for Magic eraser doesn't immediately appear in the Suggestions tab, swipe over to "Tools" and select "Magic eraser."
3. Tap "Camouflage." Google Photos will quickly analyze the image and suggest items to camouflage. You can tap the suggested items, "camouflage all," circle items, or brush them with your finger.
4. When you're finished, tap "Done" to continue editing or to save the image. You can also use the Magic eraser tool to remove unwanted items from the image before you commit to your changes.

The results of the Camouflage tool are much more subtle than Magic eraser, but the results are fairly similar, and the feature shows that even a small change can make a big difference.

Unfortunately, not just any Android phone can use this feature. Magic eraser and Camouflage are only available on Pixel smartphones powered by Google's Tensor chipset. That includes the Pixel 7 series but leaves out anything before the Pixel 6 series. That's because Google's chip was specifically designed for cool AI tricks like these.