How to remove window reflections in Camera Raw

Have you ever taken a photo that was ruined by a window reflection? When shooting near windows, reflections can be tricky, if not impossible, to avoid. Despite our best attempts, we’ve all ended up with photos where the glare takes over, ruining a shot we were excited about.

To address this specific challenge, Adobe has introduced an innovative new AI editing tool called Reflection Removal that lives in Adobe Camera Raw.

With a single click, Reflection Removal seamlessly eliminates reflections from RAW photos taken through glass windows. The tool can remove reflections in scenes where the glass in question occupies most of the frame. 

Let's examine how to use the Reflection Removal tool and how it can easily save what would otherwise be a throwaway image.

1. What's the difference between RAW and JPG photos?

It's important to note that Reflection Removal works exclusively with RAW photo formats. It's not compatible with a compressed image format, such as JPG.

What is a RAW photo?

A RAW photo captures unprocessed data from the camera sensor, offering more detail and editing flexibility but requiring post-processing and thus larger file sizes. A JPG is a smaller, processed file that's ready to use but with less detail and editing potential due to its smaller, compressed version.

If you’re not already shooting in RAW, start by adjusting your camera settings to capture in a compatible format, such as DNG, CR2, or ARW. Once you have your RAW images, we'll head into Photoshop to activate the new Reflection Removal settings.

2. How to enable Reflection Removal in Camera Raw

Step 1

First things first, Open Adobe Photoshop.

Step 2

We'll access the Camera Raw Settings by going to Adobe Photoshop > Settings... > Camera Raw...

Step 3

At the bottom of the Camera Raw menu is Technology Previews. Click on Technology Previews and click the New AI Features and Settings Panel button. Click OK.

Step 4

Once you've activated the New AI Features and Settings, you'll need to Restart the application for these changes to take place.

3. How to activate Reflection Removal

Step 1

Now that we have everything we need to remove the reflection from our photo, Import your RAW image into Photoshop. This will automatically open the photo in Adobe Camera Raw.

Step 2

In Camera Raw, click on the Eraser icon, which brings you to the Remove Menu.

Step 3

At the bottom of the menu, you'll now find the Distraction Removal sub-menu, containing a Reflections option. Click to Activate Reflections Removal.

Step 4

Photoshop will then use its new AI technology to analyze your image, detect the reflections, and remove them.

Step 5

Witness the unbelievable result! With the click of a single button, Photoshop has done an incredible job of removing the previously harsh reflections on the window..

Examples of Reflection Removal in action

As you can clearly see, the Reflection Removal AI editing in Adobe Camera Raw can be an image-saving resource. It can save a previously unusable shot or, at the very least, avoid some seriously tediously manual retouching. Here are a few examples of the Reflection Removal tool at work:

Some window light that ruined the text on a framed poster? No problem for Reflection Removal.

Here's a display in a mall that's getting all kinds of reflections from other storefronts. The AI editing makes easy work of these distractions.

Shooting a table setting in a restaurant from outside. Reflection Removal makes this photo entirely useable with one click.

A nasty reflection from an overhead light reflecting onto the glass of a framed piece of art. Poof. Gone.

What are the limitations of Reflection Removal in Adobe Camera Raw?

Like anything, there's no one-size-fits-all tool that works 100% of the time. Reflection Removal is no different. Some photos it works miracles on, but for others it seems unable to help us out at all. 

For example, in a different photo of the same restaurant window that was successful earlier, the AI editing removed almost none of the reflections this time.

It's also not a miracle worker. The worse the reflection, the harder time the tool is going to have removing them. Reflection Removal has an especially hard time if the reflections blow out to pure white, like in this example:

My final thoughts on Reflection Removal in Photoshop