lightcraft/docs/user/guides/remove-distractions.md

title, description, order, verified

title	description	order	verified
Remove distractions from a photo	Paint over a small distraction, see when the repair takes effect, and adjust or undo it.	35	0.8.0

Remove a distraction

Paint over the distraction and release the mouse button. LightCraft applies the repair automatically; there is no Apply button.

For example, remove a small speck from a plain background:

1. Double-click the photo in the grid to open it in Detail view. If it is not in your library yet, import the photo first.
2. Press H, choose Window > Remove, or click the Remove tool at the far right.
3. Choose Remove at the top of the panel.
4. Adjust Size so the brush covers the speck. Set Opacity to 100 for a full repair. Feather softens the edge.
5. Click once for a round spot, or hold the mouse button and drag to paint over a longer distraction.
6. Release the mouse button. LightCraft adds the repair and updates the photo. The painted area is not waiting for confirmation. Allow the preview to finish updating.
7. Press E to open Edit and inspect the result without the repair outlines. Return with H if you need to adjust the repair.
8. Export the photo to save an edited copy. For a rendered photo with the repair, choose a format such as JPEG.

Adjust or undo a repair

Each click or completed stroke creates one repair, called a spot in the panel.

1. Open Remove and click the repair's pin on the photo to select it. Clicking an existing pin selects that repair instead of adding another one.
2. Change Size, Feather or Opacity to adjust the selected repair. Drag its target pin to move the repaired area.
3. For Remove, Heal or Clone, drag the source outline to a cleaner area if the copied detail looks wrong. Or click Refresh Source (/) to ask LightCraft to choose another source. It may report that no other source fits.
4. To replace the painted shape or try another mode, click Delete (⌫), choose the mode, and paint again. The mode buttons choose the mode for new repairs.
5. To undo your last change, choose Edit > Undo. To delete a particular repair, select its pin and click Delete (⌫).

Other repair modes

Choose the mode before painting a new repair.

Mode	What it does in LightCraft 0.8.0
Remove	Chooses a nearby source patch and blends its detail with the tone around the repaired area. You can move or refresh the source afterward.
Content-Aware	Rebuilds the painted area from patches of its surroundings. It does not use one source patch, so moving or refreshing a source does not change the fill.
Heal	Uses the same blending as Remove in this release. It also starts with an automatically chosen source that you can move or refresh.
Clone	Copies the source patch's colour and detail, with the edge and strength controlled by Feather and Opacity. It also starts with an automatically chosen source.

Common questions

I painted an area. Why does it look unchanged?

1. Release the mouse button and let the preview update.
2. Check Opacity. At 0, a repair has no visible effect. Select the repair and raise it to 100.
3. Check that the brush covers the distraction. Clicking an existing pin only selects a repair.
4. Turn off Visualize Spots (A) to judge the normal photo. This black-and-white view helps reveal specks; it does not apply a repair.
5. If View > Show Original is on, choose it again to return to the edited photo.
6. If the copied patch is unsuitable, adjust its source or delete the repair and paint again.

Is there an Apply button?

No. A click adds a round repair. A brush stroke is applied when you release the mouse button. Selecting another panel does not discard it.

Why do I see circles, pins or an arrow?

These mark the repaired area and, for a selected repair that uses one, its source. They let you select and move the repair. Press E to inspect the photo without them. They are not part of the exported photo.

How do I see the original?

1. Choose View > Show Original to see the original.
2. Choose View > Show Original again to return to the edited photo.

Is my original photo overwritten?

No. Repairs are stored as edits in the library. Export an edited copy when you want a file to share; see Export photos.