How to Remove Shadow from Photos?

Ever snapped a perfect photo only to find an unwanted shadow ruining the shot? Whether it’s a shadow on your face in a portrait or a darkened background in a passport photo, shadows can undermine your image’s professionalism. Removing shadows from photos is a common challenge, but fret not—this guide delivers three proven methods to solve it.

Struggling to remove shadows from photos without losing details?

Traditional tools like Photoshop demand hours of manual brushing, while free online editors often leave awkward patches or reduce image quality.

There’s a way to get rid of shadows in pictures in one click.

Meet Aiarty Image Matting—an AI-powered solution that erases shadows from photos much faster than manual editing. It can automatically detects shadows on faces, passports, or complex backgrounds and let you remove the shadows cleanly, delivering studio-grade results with 2x upscale ability. Try it now and rescue those shadow-ruined shots!

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Part 1. How to Remove Shadow from Pictures (3 Ways)

From AI-powered tools to traditional photo editors, we’ve tested and ranked the most effective ways to remove shadows from photos seamlessly. Below, we’ll walk you through three powerful methods, each catering to different skill levels and needs to help you enhance your images and achieve a shadow-free, vibrant result.

Way 1. Remove Shadow from Photo with Aiarty Image Matting

* Best for removing image background and shadows at the same time.

Aiarty Image Matting uses AI to remove shadow from photo intelligently in seconds. Unlike manual editors, its algorithm detects shadows and lets you use Brushes to erase them while preserving main subjects, textures, and details. Perfect for removing shadows from background of photos.

Key Features:

1. Remove background and replace with new background (color or image background).
2. Turn image background into transparent, white, blur, etc.
3. Remove shadows from background of photos.
4. Support batch processing up to 3,000 images.

How to Remove Shadow from Photo with Aiarty?

Step 1. Free download Aiarty Image Matting, install, and launch it.

Step 2. Drag and drop one single image or multiple images to Aiarty Image Matting, and wait for inference.

Step 3. Hit the "Start" button to shart image matting.

Step 4. Aiarty will automatically remove photo shadows cleanly for you. If there is any shadow, you can use the "Eraser" tool to remove the shadows manually.

Step 5. Once done, click on the "Export" to export your image(s).

Notice: This way will remove image background and only keep the main subjects while removing photo shadows. You are suggested to add a new background to your image by clicking on the "Background" section.

Way 2. Remove Shadow from Photo with Adobe Photoshop

* Best for fine removal of shadows pixel by pixel for professional image editors.

Adobe Photoshop offers versatile tools to eliminate or reduce unwanted shadows from photos, enhancing image balance and focus. Key methods include AI-powered Content-Aware Fill for seamless texture replacement, Clone Stamp and Healing Brush for manual adjustments, and Dodge Tool for localized brightening. These tools allow precise control over shadow intensity, texture, and composition, ideal for fixing distractions, softening harsh contrasts, or achieving visual symmetry.

How to Remove Shadow from Pictures with Photoshop?

Here, I will show you using the Patch Tool (AI-powered).

Step 1. Open the Image & Duplicate the Layer.

1. Open your image in Photoshop.
2. In the Layers Panel, right-click the Background Layer and select Duplicate Layer (or go to Layer › Duplicate Layer).
3. Rename the duplicate layer (e.g., "Shadow Edit") to preserve the original image.

Step 2. Select the Shadow Area.

1. Choose the Patch Tool from the toolbar.
2. In the top menu, ensure Content-Aware is selected under the Patch dropdown.
3. Draw a selection around the shadow by clicking and dragging the cursor.

Step 3. Remove the Shadow with AI.

1. Click inside the selected shadow area and drag the cursor to a nearby non-shadowed region with matching texture/color.
2. Release the cursor to let Photoshop automatically blend the area using AI.

Step 4. Refine and Finalize.

1. Deselect the area using Ctrl/Cmd + D.
2. Zoom in to check for imperfections. Use the Spot Healing Brush (shortcut: J) for minor touch-ups if needed.

Way 3. Remove Shadow from Photo Online with Fotor

* Best for quick and simple removal of shadows from photos without downloading software.

Fotor’s AI-powered Shadow Remover is an easy-to-use, web-based tool that quickly removes unwanted shadows from photos. Using advanced AI, it detects and eliminates shadows caused by poor lighting or harsh contrasts, offering natural results with options for manual adjustments. Ideal for portraits, product photos, and outdoor scenes, it requires no editing skills for professional-quality, shadow-free images.

How to Remove Shadow from Photo Online with Fotor?

Step 1. Upload Your Image.

1. Go to Fotor’s shadow remover tool: https://www.fotor.com/features/remove-shadow-from-photo/.
2. Click "Remove Shadow Now" and then upload your image.

Step 2. Automatic AI Shadow Removal.

1. Wait 3–5 seconds for Fotor’s AI to analyze your image.
2. Click on "Magic Eraser" to start remove shadows from your photo.
3. Preview the result to ensure unwanted shadows are eliminated, and then "Apply".

Step 3. Download or Share.

1. Click the "Download" button (top-right toolbar) to save your edited image.
2. For further edits, use Fotor’s additional tools (e.g., object removal, background removal).

Part 2. Test Results & Comparison of the 3 Ways

Here’s how the three methods stack up in key areas:

Conclusions for each tool:

Aiarty: Best for speed, automation, batch process, and clean output.

Photoshop: Ideal for professionals needing precision, clean output but time-consuming.

Fotor: Quick fixes for simple shadows.

Summary: For most users, Aiarty Image Matting strikes the perfect balance between quality and ease. Its AI-driven approach saves hours compared to manual editing.

Part 3. How We Pick the Right Way to Remove Shadow from Photos

We prioritized tools that deliver:

• Clean shadow removal without leaving artifacts.
• High-resolution output for professional use.
• User-friendly interfaces, especially for beginners.