Enhancing Photos with Apple Intelligence

Apple has just rolled out Apple Intelligence as part of macOS Sequoia 15.2, the latest version of their operating system. While this feature is also available on iPhones, it hasn’t launched in Europe yet.

Being based in the Netherlands, I can’t access it on my phone—and it doesn’t seem likely I will anytime soon. However, I’ve had the chance to play around with it on my M2 Mac, as it’s only available on silicon-equipped Macs.

Unfortunately, my trusty Intel iMac doesn’t support it.

Exploring Apple Intelligence Features

Apple Intelligence offers an impressive suite of features. It’s deeply integrated with many existing macOS functions.

For instance, I could activate my ChatGPT+ subscription directly from within the system and use it for writing enhancements, summarisation, and other text-related tasks.

It even includes tools for image generation and emojis, though I’ll admit—those seem less useful for my needs.

Introducing the Clean Up Tool in Photos

What really caught my attention, though, was the new cleanup functionality in the Photos app. If you’ve used Google’s photo tools or dedicated apps like Topaz Labs, you’ll recognise the concept. The exciting difference here is that it’s built natively into macOS.

How to Use the Clean Up Tool

Here’s how it works:

1. Open the photo library and select the photo you want to edit.
2. Activate the Intelligence feature and enter the edit mode.
3. Select the cleanup tool. The system automatically identifies elements that it suggests for removal, like people in the background, cars, bikes, or even shadows.
4. Tap or click on the suggested elements to remove them instantly. If the tool doesn’t preselect something you want gone, you can manually outline it with a quick swipe or draw.

Performance and Impressions

I’ve found the tool particularly useful for quick touch-ups. It’s not always professional-grade in its results—some spots where elements were removed still show subtle traces—but it’s a significant step forward for anyone looking to clean up images without relying on third-party software.

For photographers who need a fast and simple way to tidy up their photos, this feature is a game changer.