How to use Adobe Firefly in photoshop?
In Photoshop, Firefly powers Generative Fill and Generative Expand. Make a selection with a selection tool, click Generative Fill in the contextual taskbar, type what you want (or leave it blank to remove an object), and press Generate. Photoshop returns three variations on new layers. On paid plans, this standard generation is unlimited.
Why — the first-principles explanation
Firefly inside Photoshop is the same generative engine as the Firefly website, but wired into your layers and selections. Instead of describing a whole scene from scratch, you tell Photoshop where to generate by selecting a region, then what to generate with a prompt. The model fills only that region and blends it with the surrounding pixels' lighting and perspective.
The key interface is the contextual taskbar, a small floating bar that appears when you make a selection. It offers Generative Fill, which adds, replaces, or removes content inside your selection, and Generative Expand, which grows the canvas and invents believable new background beyond the original edges.
Because results arrive on a new generative layer with three variations, the workflow is non-destructive: your original pixels stay untouched, and you can cycle through options or delete the layer. This matters because AI results are samples, not certainties, so you keep the good one and toss the rest.
On the money side, this is standard image generation, which paid Firefly and Creative Cloud plans make unlimited without draining credits (as of 2026-07). So in Photoshop you can iterate freely on paid tiers; the credit meter mainly matters for premium features like video, not everyday fills.
An example that makes it click
Imagine editing a photo with a magic patch tool. You lasso the ugly trash can in the corner of a beach picture and say "sand and waves." A moment later the trash can is gone, replaced by seamless beach that matches the light and angle, and it lands on a fresh transparent sheet laid over your photo, so your original is never scratched. You get three tries; keep the best.
Want a wider shot? Drag the canvas outward and say nothing; Photoshop invents more beach to fill the new space. That's Firefly working inside Photoshop, painting only where you point.
How to do it
- Open your image in a current version of Photoshop (Creative Cloud) and sign in.
- Select the area to change using a selection tool like Lasso or Object Selection.
- In the contextual taskbar that appears, click Generative Fill.
- Type a prompt for what to add or replace, or leave it blank to remove the selected object.
- Click Generate; Photoshop returns three variations on a new generative layer.
- Cycle through the variations, pick the best, and use Generative Expand to extend the canvas if needed.
Key facts
- Photoshop's Generative Fill and Generative Expand are powered by Adobe Firefly image models.
- Results appear as three variations on a non-destructive generative layer, leaving originals intact.
- Leaving the prompt blank during Generative Fill removes the selected object.
- On paid Firefly and Creative Cloud plans, standard generation like Generative Fill is unlimited without spending credits (as of 2026-07).
- The contextual taskbar is the main entry point and appears after you make a selection.
Adobe's commercially-safe image generator, trained on licensed content.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.▶ The 60-second explainer (script)
Here's how to use Adobe Firefly inside Photoshop. Firefly powers two features you'll actually use: Generative Fill and Generative Expand. Start by opening your image and making a selection, use the Lasso or Object Selection tool to circle the area you want to change. The moment you do, a small floating bar called the contextual taskbar appears. Click Generative Fill, then type what you want, like 'a field of wildflowers,' or leave the box empty to simply remove whatever you selected. Hit Generate, and Photoshop gives you three variations, each on a new layer, so your original photo is never touched. Cycle through them and keep the best. Want a wider shot? Use the Crop tool to drag the canvas outward, then Generative Expand invents believable new background to fill the space. Best part: on paid Firefly and Creative Cloud plans, this standard generation is unlimited and doesn't spend any credits, so iterate all you want. Credits only matter for premium stuff like video.
What authoritative sources say
People also ask
Where is the Firefly button in Photoshop?
There isn't a single button. Firefly appears as Generative Fill in the contextual taskbar after you make a selection, plus Generative Expand when you resize the canvas.
How do I remove an object with Firefly in Photoshop?
Select the object, click Generative Fill, leave the prompt blank, and press Generate. Photoshop replaces it with matching background.
Does Generative Fill use up my credits?
On paid Firefly and Creative Cloud plans, standard generation like Generative Fill is unlimited and doesn't deduct credits as of 2026-07.
Can I edit the AI result?
Yes. Results land on a separate generative layer, so you can mask, adjust, or delete them without harming your original image.