How to move an object in Photoshop, iPhone, and online: Top Tools

Do you need to reposition an object in your photo to create a stunning composition? Whether you have to move objects or put an object in the spotlight, Photoshop has the right tools to solve your problem. In this guide, we’ll look at how to move an object in Photoshop quickly and efficiently.

Let’s get started.

How do you freely move an object in Photoshop?

Move an object in Photoshop Gone are the days of manual cutting and masking. Whether you are a professional photo editor or a beginner, Photoshop can help you solve the problem without any lengthy edits.

Have you already heard about the powerful Content-Aware Move Tool in Photoshop? If you need to move or reposition an object in a photo, this is your most powerful ally. Let’s see how it can help you.

What is a content-aware move tool in Photoshop?

The content-aware move tool helps you reposition any object in a photo. To do this, it tries to fill a gap by selecting the matching elements around the object. It’s by far the best tool that you can use to move an object in Photoshop.

How do you select and move an object in Photoshop?

If you are pressed for time or just starting out with Photoshop, here’s the quickest and easiest way to use the Content-Aware Move Tool.

1 . Choose the ‘Lasso’ tool in the toolbar on your left.

Choose the Lasso tool

2 . Sketch a rough outline around the object you want to select.

3 . Choose the Content-Aware Move Tool. Now press and hold on to the object, dragging it to the place where you want to put it. Click ‘Enter’. The object has magically moved to its new position!

While this method is the quickest one, you will sometimes need to make some manual adjustments to heal the area where your object was. If you aim for more seamless results, check out this easy 3-step tutorial:

  1. Select your subject. Go to ‘Select’ and click on ‘Subject’. Photoshop will select the subject on its own.  Select your subject

  2. Expand the selection area. For the best result, expand the selection area a little bit. For this, go to ‘Select’ and choose ‘Modify’, then click ‘Expand’. 20-25 pixels would be optimal. You can also adjust some feathering, about 10 pixels.

Expand the selection area

You’ll notice that the selection area will grow bigger. This way, it will be easier for the Content-Aware tool to compare the patches in the selected area with other parts of the photo.

The selection area will grow bigger

  • Move the selected object. Go to the Content Aware Move Tool and choose ‘Move’ at the top of the screen. Simply click on the object and move it where you want. Press ‘Enter’. The object has magically moved! Move the selected object

How to get the most out of the Content Aware Move Tool in Photoshop?

Content-Aware Move Tool can lead to excellent results, but sometimes you will have to deal with small imperfections. They may be due to too many details in a photo, insufficient selected area or automatic layer selection. We’ll cover the top 3 questions to help you get the best result.

1. How to move a selection in Photoshop to another layer?

Before you move an object, try duplicating layers. After you’ve selected the object, simply use the shortcut Ctrl + J or Cmd + J. You can always lock a layer to prevent any unintended edits.

2. How to resize an object in Photoshop?

After you’ve moved an object, you may want to adjust the size. Simply click on the corners surrounding the object. You can also adjust the position, if you want to make the object lean!  Click on the corners surrounding the object

3. How do I adjust the selected area?

Content Aware Move Tool needs sufficient information about how you need to fill the gap in a photo. To help it, modify the selection area by increasing it to around 20-25 pixels. This way the pad around the object will increase, giving Photoshop a better opportunity to take samples.

How do I move an image in Photoshop? Pros and Cons.

Now that you know how to move an image in Photoshop, let’s look at some pros and cons of the Content-Aware Move Tool.

Pros:

  • powerful capacity to move objects by sampling surrounding areas.
  • fairly quick process, saving you the time for complicated manual edits.
  • ability to work with any object in any picture.

Cons:

  • Less efficient with detailed pictures or noisy and cluttered backgrounds.
  • Sometimes you will still need to make some manual edits to heal the area.

Now that you know the pros and cons of how to move an object in Photoshop. What if you are looking for a quicker alternative? Let’s look at how you can do it on your mobile device.

How to move an object in a photo iPhone?

Move an object in a photo iPhone

If you need to reposition an object, your iPhone can also do the trick. It can be a quicker alternative, especially when you need to share the cut out object with your friends. Here are the 3 easy steps to do this:

  1. Go to the Gallery app and select your picture.

  2. Press and hold on the object you need to remove. You will see some animation around the selected object. Wait till it pops out of your screen.

  3. Now drag the object and drop into another app or send in messages. That’s it - the iPhone has done the trick!

How to move an object in a photo online?

Moving an object on an iPhone is quick, and doing the same in Photoshop is efficient. But what if there was an alternative that can do both?

Imagewith.AI: the clear online tool that stands out in the market

One clear online tool that stands out in the market is Imagewith.AI. With its cutting-edge machine learning algorithms, you can move, delete or reposition your object online in a swift and professional way. Forget about the times when you had to choose between speed and performance: Imagewith.AI’s features give you the best of both worlds!

How do I move an object in Imagewith.AI?

Here are the top 3 possibilities for how Imagewith.AI can help you create an impactful composition:

  1. Select and separate an object from a background.
  2. Select, separate, and move an object on your chosen background.
  3. Remove an unnecessary object from a photo.

Let’s look at how you can use our Outcut and Clearoff features to help you do this.

Imagewith.AI Outcut

Imagewith.AI Outcut

Do you need to separate an object from a background? The Outcut is your ultimate choice. In a matter of seconds, it selects the object and removes the background area, letting you download and save the cut out object in a wide range of formats.

And if you want to experiment with a different background? The Outcut allows you to choose the right colour for the background, putting your object in the spotlight. As soon as you have the background, simply move the object across the picture to put it where you want - all with astonishing ease!

How to select and move an object in lmagewith.AI’s Outcut?

Forget about lengthy step-by-step tutorials. Here’s the quickest and shortest guide on how to select and move an object in a photo.

  1. Upload your picture by choosing it in your gallery or simply dragging it onto the screen.

  2. As soon as you upload it, Imagewith.AI Image Editor will remove the background, leaving you with the selected object.

  3. Choose the background colour from the rich palette available at the bottom of the screen.

  4. Press and hold the object to move it across the new background, choosing the perfect position.  A pigeon picture after using Outcut

Pros:

  • A unique combination of speed and efficiency, letting you achieve top results in no time.

  • No lengthy selection! The cutting edge AI technology selects the object you need with lightning speed, producing seamless results.

  • No Content Aware Move Tool imperfections! Freely move the object to position it in the right place, saying goodbye to manual edits.

Imagewith.AI Clearoff

Imagewith.AI Clearoff

What if you don’t just want to move an object but remove it altogether? The Clearoff feature is the best solution to your problem!

The fast and intelligent algorithms remove the unwanted object with breathtaking speed - all you need to do is tap or sketch the area you need to remove!

Here’s a quick guide on how you can do it:

1 . Upload your picture by dropping it or pasting an image or URL.

Upload your picture

2 . Choose ‘Tap’ or ‘Draw’ to select the area you want to remove. ‘Tap’ works best with straightforward monochrome objects. ‘Draw’ produces top results with the objects having more colours and details. Adjust the colour of the brush for the best result.

Choose Tap or Draw

3 . After you’ve tapped or painted over the subject, wait till the Clearoff processes the request.A few seconds - and the object is gone once and for all!

The object is gone Pros:

  • A highly rapid and efficient AI technology that accurately selects the object you want to remove. Say no to painstaking object selection!

  • No manual edits with the Clone Stamp Tool to heal the area of the removed object, saving your time for truly creative endeavours.

  • A very quick processing time, producing spotless results: a unique duo of speed and top-notch performance.

Conclusion

The Content-Aware Move Tool is a powerful ally if you need to move an object in Photoshop. Some quicker tools, available on iPhone, seem to be less efficient. However, with the online tools, such as Imagewith.AI, you can forget about the painful choice between speed and performance. Choose the best tool to see seamless results with lightning speed, creating the ultimate composition.

Try Clearoff

Erase unwanted objects, people, defects, or watermarks with a simple swipe with our unbeatable AI technology.

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