Remove people from a photo by typing one sentence

To remove people from a photo, upload the photo to ImgPilot's AI image editor and type "Remove the people in the background". You don't need to brush over each person. The AI image model keeps the person in front and fills in the place behind the removed people. This works best for travel photos and portraits where the strangers stand behind your subject and don't touch your subject. If someone is left, type the next fix in the same chat.

  • No brushing or masking
  • Travel photos and portraits
  • Credit cost shown before you send
  • Starter credits for new accounts
  • Updated November 9, 2026
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Which prompt removes people from a photo?

A prompt that names who should go works. Each before/after pair below is one unretouched run of GPT Image 2.5 · Sunburst, the default model in ImgPilot's AI image editor, with the prompt under it. Copy the prompt and try it on your own photo.

  • Clear the tourists out of a city square

    When to use: a travel photo where strangers walk behind you.

    A man in a denim jacket in an old-town square full of tourists
    Before
    The same man in the same square with the tourists removed and the cobblestones filled in
    After

    Remove the people in the background

  • Empty a busy pier or lookout

    When to use: a crowded viewpoint where people lean on the railing behind you.

    A woman in a red sweater on a lighthouse pier crowded with tourists
    Before
    The same woman on the same pier with no other people, the path and wall filled in
    After

    Remove the people in the background

Step by step

  1. Open the editor and upload your photo

    Open the AI image editor and click "Upload image", or the + in the message box. It takes PNG, JPG, WebP or GIF files up to 10 MB. You need an ImgPilot account to upload and edit.

    The message box of the AI image editor with a travel photo attached
    UploadThe photo appears in the message box as Image 1
  2. Type who should go

    Type "Remove the people in the background". To remove only some people, name them, for example "Remove the man on the left". If the person you want to keep changes, add "keep the person in front exactly the same".

    The message box with the photo attached and the prompt Remove the people in the background
    PromptOne sentence is enough
  3. Check the cost and send

    ImgPilot shows the credit cost next to the send button before you press it. The default model is GPT Image 2.5 · Sunburst. You can pick another model, or compare up to three models, in the model menu above the chat. Removing people usually takes about one to two minutes; the city-square edit in this guide took 66 seconds.

  4. Compare the result

    The edited photo appears in the chat, and the side panel keeps your original upload. Check the spots where people stood: the ground, walls and railings there should look natural. To download the edited photo, click the expand icon ("View larger") and then "Download".

    The chat showing the edited photo of the man alone in the square, with Continue from v1 under it
    ResultSame man, same square, no tourists
  5. Fix what is left in the same chat

    If one person or a shadow is left, type only that fix, such as "Remove the woman behind the railing". The "Continue from v1" button uses the last edited photo as the starting point, so you don't start over.

A man in a denim jacket alone in an old-town square after the tourists were removed

Remove people from your photo

Open the AI image editor, upload your photo and type who should go. The cost is shown before you send, and new accounts get starter credits.

Open the AI image editor

Which photos work best for removing people with AI?

  • Works well: travel photos, portraits and group shots where the strangers stand behind the subject and the place behind them is ground, sky, water, walls or buildings.
  • Works less well: people who touch or overlap your subject, such as a hand on your shoulder, and very large crowds that cover most of the place. The AI image model then has to invent a lot of the scene.
  • Use another tool: when every pixel must stay unchanged, such as for photo evidence or a product listing, use a brush-based eraser in a desktop photo editor. ImgPilot's AI image editor redraws the whole photo, so small details can shift.

Why didn't the AI remove everyone?

  • One or two people are still there. Continue from the edited photo and name the person who is left, such as "Remove the man in the black jacket on the right".
  • The person you wanted to keep changed. Add "keep the person in front exactly the same" to the prompt and run the edit again.
  • The AI removed someone you wanted to keep. Say who stays: "Remove everyone except the woman in the red sweater".
  • The place behind the removed people looks different. The AI image model draws the hidden part of the place, so signs, chairs or windows there can change. Add "keep the buildings the same" if the place matters, or run the prompt again for another result.

Questions

Do I have to brush over each person?

No. In ImgPilot's AI image editor you type who should go, such as "Remove the people in the background". The AI image model finds the people and fills in the place behind them.

Can I remove just one person from a photo?

Yes. Describe that person by place or clothing, for example "Remove the man in the black jacket on the left". ImgPilot's AI image editor removes the person you name and keeps the rest of the photo.

How many credits does removing people cost?

The cost depends on the model you pick. ImgPilot shows the credit cost next to the send button before you send. New ImgPilot accounts get starter credits.

Do I need an account?

Yes. You need to sign in to ImgPilot to upload a photo and run an edit.

Will the person I keep look exactly the same?

Mostly, but not pixel for pixel. The AI image model redraws the whole photo, so small details such as hair strands or jewelry can shift. Compare the edited photo with your original. If something changed, add "keep the person in front exactly the same" and run the edit again.

Can I remove objects too, not only people?

Yes. ImgPilot's AI image editor removes cars, trash cans, wires and signs the same way. Name the object, for example "Remove the parked car on the right".