The Hidden iOS 27 Photo Trick That Changes Everything

Sarah Johnson · 2026-09-16

iOS 27 is here, and it's bringing some genuinely impressive photo editing tools to your iPhone. But here's the catch—not everyone gets to play with them. If you've ever snapped a great photo only to notice a random stranger photobombing in the background, or wished you could tweak the framing after the fact, these new AI-powered features might be exactly what you need. Let's walk through what's new, who can use it, and how to actually make it work for you. ### Which iPhones Get the Good Stuff? Here's where it gets a little frustrating. While iOS 27 runs on the iPhone 11 (2019) and newer, the AI photo editing tools are locked behind Apple Intelligence. That means you'll need one of these devices: - iPhone 17 series, including the iPhone 17e - iPhone 16 series, including the iPhone 16e - iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max The upcoming iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max will also support Apple Intelligence when they arrive. If you're on an older model, you can still update to iOS 27—you just won't see these particular tools. It's a bit of a bummer, but Apple's been pretty clear about the hardware requirements for on-device AI. ### Finding the Tools (They're Easier Than You Think) Everything lives inside the Photos app. No separate downloads, no third-party apps—just open a photo, tap the sliders icon at the bottom of the screen, and then hit the Tools icon. That's your gateway to all three features. ### Clean Up: Your New Best Friend for Imperfect Shots We've all been there. You take what should be a perfect photo, and then you notice a trash can in the corner or a stranger wandering through the background. Clean Up handles that. Here's how it works: - Tap Clean Up once you're in Tools. - Choose your processing level: Auto, Fast, or High Quality. High Quality takes a bit longer but usually gives you cleaner results. - Tap, brush, or circle whatever you want gone. Sometimes the app will even highlight obvious objects for you—just tap to remove. - If you're using High Quality, you'll see a yellow Clean Up button. Hit it, and the app gets to work. - When you're happy, tap the yellow checkmark in the top right. It's surprisingly accurate, especially with the High Quality setting. Backgrounds fill in naturally, and you'd be hard-pressed to tell anything was removed. ### Extend: Because Sometimes You Just Need More Room Extend does exactly what it sounds like—it expands the edges of your photo. Maybe you want more sky, more background, or just a different aspect ratio. Open your image, go to Tools, tap Extend, and you can zoom out, reposition your subject, and adjust the crop. When it looks right, hit the yellow Extend icon. It's not magic, but it's close. The AI fills in the new space intelligently, so you're not left with weird blurry edges. ### Reframe: Change Your Perspective After the Fact This one's my favorite. Reframe lets you change the point of capture even after you've taken the shot. Open Reframe, and you'll be prompted to touch and drag to adjust the perspective. You can also use two fingers to pan, zoom, and rotate. A word of caution: there are limits. Push it too far, and things start looking a little off. But for minor adjustments, it's incredibly useful. Tap Reframe, compare the new version to the original, and if you like what you see, tap the yellow checkmark. ### The Bottom Line These tools won't replace dedicated editing software, but for quick fixes on your phone, they're a game-changer. The fact that they're built right into the Photos app makes them even better—no jumping between apps, no exporting and importing. If you've got a compatible iPhone, give them a try. And if you're thinking about upgrading, this might be the push you needed.