Extend Image and Video Backgrounds Using Generative Expand
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Generative Expand in Photoshop uses AI to fill in new canvas space, turning a vertical photo or video into a wide, horizontal shot.
Are you tired of your vertical photos and videos feeling limited by their orientation?
Photoshop’s Generative Expand is here to revolutionize your creative possibilities.
From the rise of Generative Fill, you can now use Generative Expand to extend an image or video background! Get ready to unlock the power of AI-driven expansion and take your content to the next level.
Note: This video was recorded in the Photoshop Beta. Generative Expand reached the general release in Photoshop 2024 (version 25.0) in September 2023.
Key Takeaways
- Generative Expand lives inside the Crop Tool, in the Fill dropdown in the Options bar, not in a separate panel of its own.
- It works on a still photo and on a video clip, as long as the video was shot on a tripod.
- Generative Expand produces sharper results than Content-Aware Fill because it was trained on millions of images instead of only the pixels already in your photo.
- Click the arrow icon on a generated result to cycle through different AI variations and pick the one you like best.
- On a video, the generated layers only cover as much of the clip as you drag their edges to reach. You need to stretch them over the full duration, or they disappear partway through.
- A text prompt is optional. You can expand a canvas with Generative Expand and add no prompt at all, or type one to fill a specific area with something new, like mountains.
Table of contents
- What You Will Learn
- Requirements
- Keyboard Shortcuts
- Extend Backgrounds in Photos with Generative Expand
- Step 1: Prepare Your Photos for Generative Expand
- Step 2: Extend the Background with Generative Expand in Photoshop
- Step 3: Add Customization and Personal Flair
- Extend Backgrounds in Videos with Generative Expand
- Step 1: Prepare Your Video
- Step 2: Extend the Background with Generative Expand
- Step 3: Add Customization and Personal Flair
- Step 4: Perfecting the Playback
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
- Related Links
What You Will Learn
- How to expand a vertical photo into a horizontal one with the Crop Tool and Generative Expand
- How to fill new canvas space with a text prompt using Generative Fill
- How to cycle through AI-generated variations and pick the best result
- How to prepare a video clip in the Timeline panel for Generative Expand
- How to extend generated video layers so they cover the full clip
Requirements
Before you start
- Photoshop 2024 (version 25.0 or later) or the current version
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Scale the crop proportionally from its center | Alt Shift | Option Shift |
| Commit the Generative Expand crop | Enter | Return |
Extend Backgrounds in Photos with Generative Expand
Step 1: Prepare Your Photos for Generative Expand
Start by opening your vertical photo in Photoshop. Access the Crop Tool from the toolbar.
Step 2: Extend the Background with Generative Expand in Photoshop
Head to the Options bar and find the Fill dropdown. Choose “Generative Expand.”
Drag the crop handles to define your new horizontal composition.
Tip: Alternatively, select a ratio preset from the dropdown.
For a cinematic look, we’ll go with 16 by 9.
Hit Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS) and watch the magic unfold as Generative Expand fills the empty spaces.
Step 3: Add Customization and Personal Flair
Utilize the Lasso Tool to select specific areas of the image for improvement.
Click “Generative Fill” and input a descriptive prompt like “mountains.”
Witness Generative Expand in action as it transforms your selection.
Navigate through the variations using the arrow icon, and pick the one that resonates with your vision.
Add depth and frame to your image by selecting a corner and applying a prompt like “leaves with shallow depth of field,” like the screenshot below.
Generate the prompt and enjoy remarkable results.
Extend Backgrounds in Videos with Generative Expand
Step 1: Prepare Your Video
Note: Open a stabilized video in Photoshop’s Timeline panel. Ensure your footage is shot on a tripod for optimal results.
Locate the Video group in the Layers panel and select it.
Access the Crop Tool and set the ratio to 16 by 9.
Scale the crop using AltShift (Windows) or OptionShift (macOS) while clicking and dragging from the center.
Step 2: Extend the Background with Generative Expand
Confirm the changes with the Generative Expand option selected from the Fill dropdown.
Experiment with the diverse variations to find the one that resonates with your creative vision.
Step 3: Add Customization and Personal Flair
Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to introduce additional content to your video.
Explore the myriad of creative opportunities as you add elements like a water tower to your scene.
Cycle through the variations to witness the astounding transformations.
Take a moment to decide which variation perfectly aligns with your artistic intent.
Step 4: Perfecting the Playback
Click the Play button in the Timeline panel to preview your video.
Observe the generated layers play seamlessly throughout the clip.
Extend the generated layers by dragging their edges to cover the entire video duration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Generative Expand is an AI-powered option inside the Crop Tool that fills new canvas space when you widen a photo or video. It uses Adobe’s Firefly AI instead of only the pixels already in your image, so the new area blends in convincingly.
Select the Crop Tool, then open the Fill dropdown in the Options bar and choose Generative Expand. Drag the crop handles or pick a ratio preset, then press Enter to generate the new area.
Yes, as long as the footage is stabilized and shot on a tripod. Open the video in Photoshop’s Timeline panel, then select the video group in the Layers panel. From there, use the Crop Tool with Generative Expand the same way you would on a photo.
Content-Aware Fill only looks at the pixels already in your image to guess what a missing area should look like. Generative Expand uses an AI trained on millions of images, which produces sharper, more convincing results.
Yes. Make a selection with a tool like the Lasso Tool, click Generative Fill, and type a prompt describing what you want, such as mountains. Photoshop generates several variations you can cycle through using the arrow icon.
Generative Expand reached general release in Photoshop 2024 (version 25.0) in September 2023. Any current version of Photoshop includes it.
Conclusion
With Photoshop’s Generative Expand, the limitations of vertical visuals are a thing of the past.
Elevate your photos and videos to new horizons, engage your audience, and creatively tell your story.
Watch the video above for the full walkthrough, and comment on the video if you have a question.
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Next, learn the fundamentals in Generative Fill in Photoshop – The Ultimate Guide.
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