How to Use Healing Brush in Lightroom: Version 2024

By Tata Rossi 11 days ago, Lightroom Tips

The Healing Brush tool in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is used for removing minor imperfections and retouching small details. To use it, click on the area that you want to edit, and the program will automatically fill it with the pixels from the source area nearby.

If you aren’t fully satisfied with the result, you can experiment with selecting different source spots. This tool is perfectly suitable to remove objects in Lightroom in a few clicks.

STEP 1. Open Lightroom and Go to the Develop Module

how to use healing brush in lightroom

After opening your photo in Adobe Lightroom software, find the tool under the «Develop» menu under the histogram. Its icon looks like an adhesive bandage. Click on it and select «Heal» in the parameters of the «Brush».

Note: You can use three sliders to customize the effect of the Healing Brush. By moving the sliders, you can intensify the effect or make it subtler depending on your needs.

Size: select a size that is a bit bigger than the spot that you want to hide.

Feather: to make subtle edits, select a higher number. If you want to make precise edits, opt for a lower number.

Opacity: in most cases, it’s better to set its value to 100 unless you want to make a percentage of the healed area visible.

STEP 2. Click on the Imperfection That You Want to Remove

healing brush in lightroom

Click on the dusty area (as you can see in my example), and Lightroom will automatically select an area nearby to use it as a source area for healing the spot.

Note: When you click on a new spot, you will see a second circle. This is the Source Selection that will be used by the Healing Brush. Use this area to show which pixels you are going to use to replace the pixels in the area with imperfections.

STEP 3. Use the Brush to Heal Another Spot

healing brush in adobe lightroom

Now that you know how to use Lightroom Healing Brush, you can keep editing your image until you are fully satisfied. If you don’t like the result, you can select another source spot by moving it to a different area of the photo.

STEP 4. Delete the Effect

healing tool lightroom

If you need to delete the effect created by the Healing Brush, just click Delete on the selected area.

STEP 5. Use the Tool for Retouching

healing tool adobe lightroom

You can also use this brush for retouching.

Pro Tip: When editing larger objects that are in sharp contrast with the surroundings because of different colors or brightness levels, you might notice some issues with the original colors becoming visible in the healed area.

To fix this problem, try covering the object with a color that is similar to the surroundings and then add some detail to the texture by using the Healing Tool Lightroom.

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FAQ

  • • What is the Healing Brush in Lightroom?

It's one of the most widely used tools for skin retouching. Lightroom Healing Brush will come in handy for those who want to remove pixels from a selected area and replace them with pixels from other areas.

In simple words, it allows photo retouchers to get rid of defects and imperfections with little to no effort. This tool is based on an advanced algorithm, which ensures its smooth functioning.

  • • Spot Removal Tool vs Healing Brush

Healing Brush is used by default for situations when you need to improve the quality of your image by removing a variety of defects. Spot Removal Tool is more suitable for quick imperfection removal as it uses clone areas to hide defects. It doesn't require you to find a source spot. When using the Healing Brush, it's important to click on the source point first and then apply the brush to the area that you want to edit.

  • • Why does the Healing Brush not work properly?

Some issues might be caused by the settings of the source layer. If it is indicated as the “Current Layer,” change it to the “Layer below all layers”.

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