What you need to know
- Samsung is adding a feature borrowed from Photoshop to the latest version of the Samsung Photo Editor app.
- The feature, called Magnetic Lasso, will let you circle an object in an image with a "lasso" that will automatically snap to the subject.
- This is the best of two ways to select subjects with Object Eraser, and a popular Photoshop feature that should make removing objects on Samsung phones easier.
Samsung vastly improved the photo editing features of Galaxy phones with the combined release of the Galaxy S24 series and One UI 6.1. Many of these tools are software-based and bundled with Galaxy AI, a suite of features available on recent Samsung Galaxy flagships that uses generative artificial intelligence, such as Generative Edit. However, Samsung is also working on photo editing features that don't require AI. One such feature is borrowed from Photoshop, and it's the Magnetic Lasso.
With version 3.4.21.41 of the Samsung Photo Editor app, the company is adding Magnetic Lasso to the Object Eraser tool (via SamMobile). For those who haven't used the feature in Photoshop, it makes selecting the area of an image you want to erase easier. Previously, you could have the Samsung Photo Editor app try to detect the subject automatically. After tapping the portion of the image that contains the object you want to erase, the app could create a rough outline of the area that should be erased. Another option is to manually draw an outline of the subject.
If you've ever used an automatic object selection tool, you probably know these are far from perfect. They often either select too much of an object or leave things out. When trying to erase an unwanted part of an image, this isn't acceptable. Manually selecting an object with an Object Eraser isn't ideal, either. Your finger isn't a precise enough pointing device to do so accurately, so getting a good result is unlikely.
Magnetic Lasso is a hybrid option that lets you draw a "lasso" around your subject. When you release your finger, the lasso will snap to the subject's outline. This gives the Object Eraser a good idea of exactly where to look for the subject, making a good selection much more likely than simply tapping the subject. Magnetic Lasso, already a popular Photoshop feature, instantly makes the Samsung Photo Editor app more robust for photo editing.
Magnetic Lasso is enabled by default after updating to the latest version of the Samsung Photo Editor app. After opening an image in the gallery, you can tap Edit > Tools > Object Eraser to find the Magnetic Lasso. Since it's turned on by default, it'll be the primary way to select objects when using Object Eraser. However, if you want to turn it off, you can tap it in the top right corner of the screen.
Samsung hasn't started a full rollout of the Samsung Photo Editor app update that includes the Magnetic Lasso. If you don't see an update, you can check back in a few days.
The best Galaxy phone for photo editing
If you're fascinated by the latest photo editing tools from Samsung, the best way to experience them is on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It has it all, from impressive cameras to powerful hardware. Plus, it has full access to features like Generative Edit and Magnetic Lasso.
