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Patch an area



The Patch tool lets you repair a selected area with pixels from another area or a pattern. Like the Healing Brush tool, the Patch tool matches the texture, lighting, and shading of the sampled pixels to the source pixels. You can also use the Patch tool to clone isolated areas of an image. The Patch tool works with 8‑bits or 16‑bits-per-channel images.

When repairing with pixels from the image, select a small area to produce the best result.
Using the Patch tool to replace pixels

Patched image

Repair an area using sampled pixels

  1. Select the Patch tool .
  2. Do one of the following:

    • Drag in the image to select the area you want to repair, and select Source in the options bar.

    • Drag in the image to select the area from which you want to sample, and select Destination in the options bar.

    Note: You can also make a selection prior to selecting the Patch tool.
  3. To adjust the selection, do one of the following:

    • Shift-drag in the image to add to the existing selection.

    • Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) in the image to subtract from the existing selection.

    • Alt+Shift-drag (Windows) or Option+Shift-drag (Mac OS) in the image to select an area intersected by the existing selection.

  4. Position the pointer inside the selection, and do one of the following:

    • If Source is selected in the options bar, drag the selection border to the area from which you want to sample. When you release the mouse button, the originally selected area is patched with the sampled pixels.

    • If Destination is selected in the options bar, drag the selection border to the area you want to patch. When you release the mouse button, the newly selected area is patched with the sampled pixels.

Repair an area using a pattern

  1. Select the Patch tool .
  2. Drag in the image to select the area you want to repair.
    Note: You can also make a selection prior to selecting the Patch tool.
  3. To adjust the selection, do one of the following:

    • Shift-drag in the image to add to the existing selection.

    • Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) in the image to subtract from the existing selection.

    • Alt-Shift-drag (Windows) or Option-Shift-drag (Mac OS) in the image to select an area intersected by the existing selection.

  4. Select a pattern from the Pattern panel in the options bar, and click Use Pattern.