According to reports from some users, an update to Google Photos removed one of the Pixel 6’s big features: the Magic Eraser tool that lets you remove unwanted objects or people from your photos. If your Pixel downloaded the affected version (5.67, according to Android Central), fear not: Google says it’s working on a fix.
While the version of Photos with the Magic Eraser erased doesn’t appear to be available in the Play Store anymore, its presence on APK Mirror confirms that it was at one point (though we wouldn’t recommend downloading it). According to one user, the broken version displayed a tip about the object removal feature, despite it no longer being accessible in the app.
Google spokesperson Alex Moriconi told The Verge that the company “identified an issue early in the rollout of [its] latest Photos update and are providing a fix shortly.” Google also says that the issue didn’t affect everyone, which reflects our experience — two Verge staff with Pixel 6s said that they didn’t have any Google Photos updates available and that they were still able to use Magic Eraser.
While it seems like the update is no longer spreading, it’s still understandable why the users that got it would be shocked to find Magic Eraser missing — it was one of Google’s main selling points when it launched the phone around a month ago. Plus, the missing feature being designed to delete things adds dramatic irony, as Android Central’s “Google magically erases Magic Eraser” headline pokes fun at. Given the relatively small number of posts about the issue, though, it hopefully won’t affect you too much. If it does, keep your eyes peeled for an update to Google Photos; help is apparently on the way.
