01In plain English
You brush over part of a picture and describe what should be there, or leave it blank to remove an object. The AI fills the area so it blends with the rest of the image. Outpainting does the same beyond the edges of the frame.
02How it works
You open an image and paint a mask over the part you want to change, such as a stray bag on a table or a plain sky. Then you either leave the prompt empty, to remove what is under the mask, or type a short description of what should appear there. The AI looks at everything outside the mask, including the light, the colors and the textures, and generates fresh pixels for the masked area that fit in. It leaves the rest of the picture alone. Several tries are normal, since each attempt gives a different result. It is like asking a skilled retoucher to patch a hole in a photo: they study the surroundings and fill the gap so no one can see where it was.
03Why it matters when you are choosing
It turns fiddly retouching into a few seconds of work and is now built into many photo editors and image generators.
04What to check
Check the resolution it works at, whether results can be used commercially, and whether each fill uses up credits.
05Where you will meet it
06Common questions
What is the difference between inpainting and outpainting?
Inpainting changes a selected area inside the picture, such as removing an object or swapping an item. Outpainting extends the picture beyond its original edges, inventing the extra scene. Both rely on the AI matching the style, light and perspective of what is already there.
Why does the filled area look blurry or wrong?
The model may work at a lower resolution than your image, or the mask may be too tight, leaving visible edges. Try a slightly larger mask, a clearer description and a few repeats. Zooming in and fixing small flaws by hand often finishes the job.
Can I use inpainted images commercially?
It depends on the tool and the plan, and on what you changed. Some tools allow commercial use only on paid plans, and a photo you edit may carry its own rights or people in it. Check the terms of the tool and the rights to the original image.