Powered by AI, “Generative erase” is designed to remove unwanted objects from an image instantly without destroying the quality of the image or derailing its background. Leveraging the power of machine learning, this feature intelligently predicts how the pixels will appear and adds it meticulously to make your photo look more appealing.
As fascinating as the whole process seems to be, it doesn’t always go in sync with what you are looking for. At times, the AI-driven eraser fails to do the job with precision. At other times, it doesn’t show up for an image – at all. Worse, on a few occasions, it seems to get lost in translation – mid-way while keeping you hooked to your computer – waiting for the editing to finish. But fret not! This is where these 14 real-life tested solutions come into the picture in letting you fix the Generative Erase not working problem in the Photos and Paint app on Windows 11 24H2.
Fix Generative Erase Not Working in Paint/Photos App on Windows 11
What could be hurting the functionality of the Generative Eraser on your Windows device? From what I have experienced, these are the major culprits –
- Hardware limitation
- Image incompatibility
- Faulty Paint app
- Software bug
- Ill-fated hardware acceleration
In this extensive guide, we’ve taken each one of these usual suspects into account and offered up ways to make the intelligent eraser work again.
1. Right Way to Erase an Object with Generative Erase
To ward off any doubts lingering in your mind, I’d like to revisit the basics so that you can run through the fundamental steps and ensure there is nothing left in between.
- To get going, open the image you would like to edit in the Photos app.
- Click on the Edit button at the top left corner of the user interface.
- Click on the “Erase” icon.
- Now, the Erase (AI) tool will come into action right away.
- You can now use the brush tool to brush over the specific area that contains the object that needs to be removed.
- As the individual brush strokes get into action, the generative erase will apply the effect accordingly.
- To choose another area before applying the generative erase effect for better results, set the “Auto-apply” to Off.
- Using the brush tool, select the area consisting of the object you would like to get rid of.
- Then, use the Add to mask or Remove from mask modes to precisely fine-tune the selected area.
- When you are happy with the result, click on the Apply button to let generative erase apply the effect.
Note:
- Using the Generative Erase feature in the Paint app is just as simple. Bring up your image inside the Paint app > click on the Erase icon > click on the Generative Erase icon located at the bottom of the left brush slider > drag the brush over the unwanted part and then hit the Apply button.
2. Ensure Your Device Meets System Requirements
Ensure that your Windows device supports “Generative Erase”. Bear in mind that this AI feature requires a compatible Windows device equipped with enhanced hardware acceleration. Notably, it’s made exclusive to the Copilot+ PCs. So, double-check if your system meets the minimum requirements such as the AI-capable processor or GPU.
3. Force-Kill the Paint/Photos App
Force-killing has long been a reliable way to refresh the processes of the Paint/Photos app and bring it back into action.
- Press the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to launch the Task Manager.
- Right-click the Paint app in the left sidebar and hit the End task.
4. Restart Your PC
- Should your Windows device or the app be gripped by a minor software glitch, restarting the PC may work in resolving the problem. Therefore, give it a go – right off the bat.
5. Enable Hardware Acceleration
As already mentioned above, the Generative Eraser leverages hardware acceleration for smooth functioning. Hence, make sure it’s active on your PC.
- Navigate to the Settings app on your PC > System > Display.
- Select Graphics.
- Now, activate “Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling” – subject to availability.
6. Disable/Enable Hardware Acceleration
As the Generative Erase heavily relies on hardware acceleration, turning it off and back on may help fix the issue.
- Open the Settings app on your Windows PC > System > Display > Graphics.
- Now, deactivate “Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling” > restart your PC and enable the acceleration.
7. Test the Feature with a Different Image
Beware of the fact that certain images may not be compatible with the feature owning to things like resolution, format, or content. Hence, try using a different image in a supported format like .png or .jpg.
8. Disable Conflicting Background Processes
Make sure that too many resource-intensive apps are not running unnecessarily in the background as they could be conflicting with Generative Eraser.
- Launch the Task Manager app on your PC and then close all the apps that are using excessive CPU, GPU, or memory resources.
9. Update the Paint/Photos App
It’s worth reiterating that the “Generative Eraser” is available in the latest version of the Windows Paint/Photos app. Therefore, make sure that your App is updated to get this feature.
- On your PC, go to the Microsoft Store > select the Library tab in the left sidebar and check for updates.
- Now, proceed to update Paint/Photos to the latest version.
10. Update Windows 11
If your PC is not updated, there is a high chance that either the software incompatibility or the outdated version is coming in the way.
- Dive into the Settings app on your Windows 11 device > Windows Update > check for updates. If it shows an available update, go ahead to download and install it.
11. Update Your Graphics Driver
Note that the outdated graphics drivers may prevent the AI-based features from functioning properly. Therefore, update the graphics drivers to help the Generative Eraser come back on track.
- Hit the Start button > type Device Manager and launch it.
- Expand the Display Adapters section by hitting the small arrow to the left.
- Right-click on your GPU > Update driver > Search automatically for drivers and then follow Windows instructions to update the graphics drivers.
12. Reinstall Graphics Drivers
If the Generative Eraser continues to malfunction, try reinstalling the graphics drivers.
- Launch Device Manager on your PC > Expand display adapters > Uninstall device > Restart your PC.
13. Clear the App’s Cache
Corrupted app data might be causing the problem, making life difficult for the app.
- Open the Settings app on your PC > Apps > Installed apps.
- Locate the Paint/Photos app and click the three dots icon next to it.
- Select the “Advanced options” in the menu.
- Now, click on the Reset button to clear its cache and settings.
14. Reinstall the Paint/Photos App
If nothing has worked in resolving the Generative Eraser problem, it would be apt to reinstall the app. This radical measure often comes in super handy in flushing out the app-related issues on Windows.
- Go to the Settings app on your device > Apps > Installed apps.
- Find the Paint/Photos app and click on the triple-dot icon > choose Uninstall and confirm.
- Then, reinstall the app via the Microsoft Store.
Wrapping up…
There you have it! I hope your AI eraser has returned to form and so has your pro-grade editing experience. Now, make sure to share your feedback and the tips that have restored this photo editing feature on your Windows device.
