Erase Objects, Remove Shadows & Reflections - One UI 5.1

Naveen Thakur
6 Mar, 2023

Samsung’s One UI 5.1, built on top of Android 13, brought many subtle yet powerful upgrades to Galaxy phones. While features like improved multitasking and battery widgets grabbed headlines, one underrated gem lies quietly inside the Gallery app — the enhanced Photo Editor tools, especially Erase Objects, Remove Shadows, and Remove Reflections.

With a few taps, you can now magically remove unwanted items, erase photo-bombers, clear reflections from glass, and even eliminate harsh shadows — all without needing expensive third-party apps like Photoshop or Snapseed.

In this guide, we’ll take a deep dive into these magical photo editing tools introduced in Samsung One UI 5.1, how to access them, and tips to make your photos social media-perfect.

What’s New in One UI 5.1 Photo Editor?

Samsung’s Gallery app has steadily evolved into a powerful editing tool. One UI 5.1 significantly enhances the Object Eraser tool by adding:

  • Erase Shadows

  • Remove Reflections

  • Enhanced Object Eraser AI

These are not basic crop or blur features — they use Samsung’s AI-powered image recognition to smartly detect and remove distracting elements.

1. Object Eraser – Remove Anything from Photos Instantly

Ever clicked the perfect beach selfie, only to find a stranger walking in the background? That’s where Object Eraser saves the day.

How to Use Object Eraser on One UI 5.1:

  1. Open the Gallery app and select your photo.

  2. Tap Edit (pencil icon).

  3. Tap the three dots (⋮) at the bottom right > Choose Object Eraser.

  4. Now you can manually draw around or tap on the object you want to erase.

  5. Tap Erase.

  6. Samsung’s AI will process the image and fill the gap naturally.

🧠 Tip: It works best on plain backgrounds (beaches, sky, fields) where AI can smoothly blend the surrounding pixels.

2. Remove Shadows – Brighten Up Faces and Scenes

Lighting isn’t always in your control — whether it’s a harsh overhead light or someone standing in partial shadow. Shadow removal in One UI 5.1 helps balance out exposure automatically.

How to Remove Shadows:

  1. Open the photo you want to edit.

  2. Tap Edit > Tap More options (⋮).

  3. Select Object Eraser.

  4. You’ll now see a new button: Erase Shadows.

  5. Tap it, and One UI will scan and lighten dark shadow areas, especially on faces and walls.

  6. Tap Done > Save as Copy.

💡 Pro Tip: Perfect for food photos under yellow light or selfies with strong sun from one side.

3. Remove Reflections – Fix Glass and Window Shots

Taking a photo through a car window or a glass barrier often results in reflections ruining the subject. Samsung’s AI can now reduce or remove these distractions.

Steps to Remove Reflections:

  1. Open the image in the Gallery app.

  2. Go to Edit > More Options (⋮).

  3. Tap Object Eraser.

  4. Tap on Remove Reflections.

  5. Let Samsung’s AI work its magic and preview the result.

  6. Tap Done.

📸 Use Case: Wildlife photography through a glass window, aquarium photos, or museum exhibits.

Devices That Support These Features

These features are available on Samsung Galaxy smartphones running One UI 5.1 or later. Supported models include:

  • Galaxy S23, S22, S21 Series

  • Galaxy Z Fold 4 / Z Flip 4

  • Galaxy A73, A53, A33 (with some limitations)

  • Galaxy Tab S8 series

🔔 Note: Features may vary by device or region. If you can’t see “Erase Shadows” or “Remove Reflections,” ensure your Gallery app is updated from the Galaxy Store.

Why These Features Matter

✅ No More Third-Party Apps

You don’t need to install or pay for third-party editing apps like Snapseed, Lightroom, or TouchRetouch. Samsung gives it free — and tightly integrated into your Gallery.

✅ Time Saver

With just a few taps, you can fix an image and upload it straight to Instagram, LinkedIn, or your WhatsApp story.

✅ AI Precision

Samsung’s AI doesn’t just blur or crop — it understands object edges, lighting, and background continuity to give natural-looking edits.

Real-World Use Cases

Let’s look at how these tools shine in everyday scenarios:

🎯 1. Tourist Spots & Crowds

Want a solo photo at the Eiffel Tower but hundreds in the background? Use Object Eraser to clean them out.

🐾 2. Pets Behind Glass

Tried capturing your cat sleeping behind a window but got too much reflection? Remove Reflections fixes it easily.

🍜 3. Food Photography

Dark shadows from overhead lighting? Erase Shadows brightens it up for your Instagram post.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 4. Family Portraits

Did a family member photobomb your perfect click? Draw around them and poof — they’re gone.

Before vs. After Examples

Feature    Before    After
Object Eraser    Unwanted tourist behind you at a monument    Clean solo photo
Erase Shadows    Dark side of your face in selfie    Balanced lighting
Remove Reflections    Reflection of your hand in glass while taking photo    Crystal-clear image

Best Practices to Get Perfect Results

  • Take high-resolution photos: The better the quality, the easier for AI to edit.

  • Use Live Focus or Portrait Mode: Helps AI separate subject from background.

  • Avoid over-editing: One pass of object erasing is usually best.

  • Zoom in and be precise: Use the zoom function in Object Eraser to select details.

What’s Missing or Could Improve

Even though One UI 5.1 does a great job, a few limitations exist:

  • Complex backgrounds (like trees or crowds) might confuse AI.

  • Multiple overlapping objects can leave blurry patches.

  • No Undo for specific objects — you must restart if the erasure isn’t right.

That said, Samsung continues to refine these tools in One UI 6 and 7, so we expect even better performance over time.

Affiliate Recommendation: Buy Galaxy Phones with These Features

If you’re impressed by Samsung’s smart editing tools, you can experience them first-hand by upgrading to a Galaxy phone that supports One UI 5.1 or later:

👉 Buy Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Now on Amazon – Best camera with full photo editing features
👉 Get Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 at Great Price – Perfect for stylish photography on the go
👉 Explore Samsung Galaxy A54 5G – Affordable mid-range phone with solid camera tools

(As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)

Conclusion

Samsung’s One UI 5.1 doesn’t just polish your smartphone’s interface — it transforms how you edit photos. With Erase Objects, Remove Shadows, and Reflections, Samsung brings professional-level AI photo editing directly into your Gallery app.

No need for fancy apps or technical know-how. Whether it’s a beach trip photo ruined by a photobomber or a candlelit dinner picture with shadows, Samsung now has the tools to fix it — instantly.

So, go back to your favorite photos, run them through the new Object Eraser, and see the magic of AI unfold!

What's Next?

Samsung is continuously improving the Photo Editor in future updates like One UI 6 and One UI 8, where we may see:

  • Erase Background

  • Automatic Sky Replacement

  • AI-Generated Fill (like Photoshop’s Generative Fill)

Stay tuned to our blog Ask Anything for the latest Galaxy updates, AI features, and photography tips.

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