How this shadow repair works
Choose one local photo, paint a mask over a visible shadow, and inspect the reconstructed pixels before downloading. The editor does not detect a shadow or adjust lighting across the whole photograph.
The repair routine compares nearby unmasked patches in the same image and copies pixel colors into the painted area. It can only approximate what lies under the mask; it cannot recover the light or scene that would have been recorded without the shadow.
A cast shadow often follows the shape of the person or object that blocks the light and continues onto the surface behind it. A dark mark or dark-colored object may instead have its own boundary, texture, or detail. These are visual clues, not a classification performed by this tool: inspect the image and decide which pixels belong to the shadow before painting.
For a person casting a shadow onto a wall or pavement, treat the person and the shadow as separate selections. Removing only the shadow means masking the darkened region on the background; painting across the person’s outline can also change the subject. Keep the mask small, use Erase mask to refine an overshoot, and compare the original with the enlarged repaired area. Use this page only on a photo you own or are authorized to edit.
When a shadow is a workable selection
A narrow shadow on a plain wall or an even patch of pavement may leave similar surrounding color for the repair routine to sample. A long shadow over grass, bricks, lettering, or a face crosses different textures and may produce visible seams or repeated details.
Hard-edged shadows can be difficult because the boundary is also a real lighting transition. A mask that is too tight may leave a dark fringe; one that is too wide may replace nearby texture that was not part of the shadow. Inspect the edge at normal size and zoom, then restart from the original if the repair spreads beyond the intended region.
Soft, broad shading is not a simple removable patch: this tool does not relight pixels or balance exposure. Its result is an approximation made from pixels already present elsewhere in the same image.
Supported files and editing limits
- The picker accepts JPG/JPEG, PNG, and WebP images; the displayed and enforced file-size limit is 20 MB.
- One image is selected at a time. You paint the shadow mask manually; there is no automatic shadow detector or batch uploader.
- The edited result downloads as PNG. There is no separate quality or output-size control.
- The selected image is read and processed in browser memory rather than sent to a processing server. Analytics or advertising scripts may load separately, and the page does not claim that all browser network activity is absent.
- Large dimensions can require substantial browser memory. A 20 MB file-size ceiling is not a promise that every image will fit the memory available on every device.
Large masks, shadows crossing distinct textures, and unique background detail can leave visible artifacts. The tool cannot reconstruct lighting or details that are absent from the saved photo.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tool detect shadows automatically?
No. You decide which pixels are shadow and paint the mask yourself; the editor does not classify the image or relight it.
Can it remove a person's shadow from a wall?
You can manually select a small shadow on a wall and inspect the reconstruction. The tool samples other pixels from the same photo, so it cannot restore the exact surface or lighting.
How can I tell a cast shadow from a dark object?
Look for whether the dark region follows a subject's shape and continues across the surface it falls on. The editor does not make that distinction; you must choose the region to paint.
Will it even out a broad shadow across a photo?
No. This is a selected-pixel patch repair, not a lighting or exposure adjustment. Broad tonal changes may not suit the manual reconstruction.
Which photo formats can I use?
Choose one JPG/JPEG, PNG, or WebP file up to 20 MB. The output is downloaded as PNG.
Does the tool upload my selected photo for processing?
The photo is read and reconstructed in this browser rather than sent to a processing server. Separate analytics or advertising scripts may load, so this does not mean the page makes no network requests.