The free Photos app in Windows 11 is getting Adobe-powered AI tools that can stretch a picture past its edges and remove or change objects - here is what is coming, what nobody has said yet, and what you can already do for free.
Adobe announced the features on 10 November 2026, in a joint push with Microsoft.
Windows Insiders get them first, and there is no date for everyone else yet.
The good news: removing unwanted objects is something the Photos app can already do today, with no Adobe account and no subscription.
What Adobe Is Adding to Photos
According to Adobe's announcement, five things are on the way. The editing tools live in the Photos editor, and each one carries a small "Powered by Adobe" label.
- Expand. Make a photo bigger than it was taken, with the AI painting in the missing scene around the edges - handy for turning a tall phone shot into a wide one.
- Rotate without cropping. Straighten a wonky horizon, and the corners that would normally be cut off get filled in instead.
- Describe to edit. Select part of a photo and type what you want added or changed.
- Object removal. Select something unwanted and remove it, with the background blending in behind it.
- Open in Adobe Express. Send a photo from Photo Viewer straight into Adobe Express templates for cards, posts and flyers.
When You Will Get It
Adobe says the features reach Windows Insiders "in the coming months", with the Adobe Express preview starting in December. Nothing has been said about a release for everyone.
Both companies only mention Windows 11. If you are on Windows 10, here is why your Photos app still works without the new editor.
What Nobody Has Said Yet
The announcement leaves the practical questions open. As of 13 November, neither Adobe nor Microsoft has answered these:
| Question | What we know |
|---|---|
| Do you need an Adobe account? | Not stated |
| Is it free, or does it use credits? | Not stated for Photos. Adobe Express itself has a free plan and a paid Premium plan |
| Does it need a Copilot+ PC? | Not stated |
| Does it work on Windows 10? | Only Windows 11 is mentioned |
Windows Latest worries the app could start nudging people towards Adobe subscriptions, the way Edge's PDF reader nudges people towards Acrobat. That is a fair worry, not a confirmed plan.
Remove Objects for Free Right Now
You do not need to wait for Adobe. The Photos app already has a free AI eraser on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
- Open your photo and press Ctrl + E. That opens the editor.
- Choose Erase. In the newest version it sits under the Repair tab.
- Brush over the thing you want gone. The background fills in as soon as you let go.
- Save as copy. Your original photo stays untouched.
Our step-by-step guide on how to remove unwanted objects from photos covers the tricky cases too.
Several things to remove?
Small passes work better than one big one. Brush over any smudge that is left, and the AI gets a second go at it.
Want It Without an Account?
If you would rather not have Adobe anywhere near your photos, PhotoCraft is a free Photoshop-style editor that runs on your own PC. It has Content-Aware Fill and a Remove tool, with no account and no subscription.
Be clear about what it is: an early version, and it has no generative Expand yet. For removing a stranger or a bin from a photo, though, it does the job.
Quick questions
Is Adobe's AI coming to the Windows 11 Photos app?
Yes. Adobe says Expand, rotate without cropping, describe-to-edit and object removal are coming to Photos, plus a shortcut into Adobe Express. Windows Insiders get them first, in the coming months.
Will I need an Adobe account to use the new tools?
Neither Adobe nor Microsoft has said yet. We will update this page when they do.
Can I expand a photo for free on Windows today?
Not with AI in the Photos app yet - Expand is the new Adobe feature. You can already remove objects for free with the Erase tool.
Does the Photos app already remove objects?
Yes. Open a photo, press Ctrl + E, choose Erase and brush over the object. It works on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Will Windows 10 get the Adobe features?
Adobe and Microsoft only mention Windows 11, and the new Photos editor itself is Windows 11 only.
The bottom line
Adobe's tools should make Photos far more capable, but the account and price questions are still open. Until then, the free Erase tool in Photos already removes objects, and PhotoCraft does it with no account at all.
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