Apple retouch tool gone after update to Sequioa 15.1

Shawheel - your most recent post about Apple arrived in my inbox a couple minutes ago. When I clicked on the 'helpful' button, it took me to this:

Looking for something in Apple Support Communities?

The page you tried was not found. You may have used an outdated link or may have typed the address (URL) incorrectly.

☹️🙄I guess they've got your number!

kbastian wrote:

I wish they had left both, the new tool only works if you have Internet, the old tool worked any time. And in some uses worked better. Why can't they add the new tool, but leave the ReTouch which worked fantastic? No need to remove it. Both have their uses.

Apple is trying to unify the code between the devices, so iPad apps can now run on the Mac.

So far, we have had no Retouche Tool in Photos on the iPhone or iPad - the new "Clean up" is the first tool for retouching in Photos iOS/iPadOS. Perhaps Apple removed the older Retouch tool from Photos for Mac as a further milestone when trying to make Photos iOS and Photos for Mac more similar. I would have preferred, if Apple had brought smart albums and keywords to Photos on the iPad and iPhone instead.

I did not contact Apple Support about Retouch until November 11, 2024 - ten days after -Alex D.- began this incredibly helpful thread. I still think it is most telling that all of the Apple Support personnel with whom I interacted - and who interacted with each other in working to help me - literally had no clue Apple had removed Retouch. They were certain my being unable to access it was simply an issue specific to my computer and they could walk me through restoring ReTouch to my Photos. And they continued working to do that even after I told them I was pretty sure it was gone.

As noted, Apple Support assured me multiple times that ReTouch had not been removed. My main Support repo also had me hold several times while he consulted several of his Support co-workers - returning in between to assure me ReTouch wasn't gone. The last time I held while he and other Support co-workers researched the issue further, he returned and reported they had learned that ReTouch had indeed been eliminated. That is when I asked him to walk me through how to downgrade from Sequoia. He immediately knew that was now impossible, informing me once you upgrade to Sequoia you can never return to a previous operating system version.

The Apple Support staffer I spent a lengthy amount of time talking with - as well as his Support co-workers who also tried to help me - were super helpful and most genuine. They really wanted to help and were sincerely disappointed when they learned that they could not restore ReTouch to Photos for me. At the time, the fact Apple had not informed Apple Support personnel of the elimination of ReTouch -- and I had been the one to tell them - really surprised me. That was a first in my Apple Support experiences Later, after posting in the Support Community on this issue, it also raised red flags for me. Why all the secrecy, silence, etc. etc.? 

And thanks for the idea to screenshot, document comments, NaturesPagan. I wasn't doing that to begin with, but I have been lately.

We all feel your pain! The App Store has something call TouchRetouch for $14.99. I bought it, but it simply isn't as good as the lamented Retouch brush. Plus, after using it just once I had to force quit it which ticked me off no end.

kbastian, I am so glad you submitted feedback as well. And everything you pointed out to them reinforces why Apple's elimination of ReTouch was unnecessary and also not done to improve Photos for Apple consumers. They have made Photos notably less useful by eliminating such an established, effective, and much used tool for no legitimate reason and for no reason in the interest of Apple consumers. I, too, hope everyone submits feedback to Apple.

But individuals with Apple definitely read this thread. They are VERY quick to delate posts that raise issues Apple does not want raised. This has been done in silence and without responding to anyone's messages to support for a reason - one that Apple does not want to address with its customers. Also, they leave up messages that love on Clean Up even if they are not accurate. So they are reading this thread. At some point after we are no longer guinea pigs, I've been hoping they will return ReTouch, but based on their wall of silence, my hope has diminished. Based on my second paragraph, this likely will be deleted, but I hope not.

I just learn in another website that the owners of older Intel Macs were not "granted" with Apple Intelligence, therefore there is no Clean Up tool and Retouch was kept in Photos after 15.1 update (yes, they have an edge this time). As my MacMini runs on a M1, I just want to confirm whether this is true or not, before investing on a used Intel Mac (not easy to find a new one)... By the way, as some suggested on the web, turning off Apple's AI on system preferences did not restored retouch on Photos as well. Did anybody succeeded played around with these settings?

Clean-up is great as a paint-in tool to remove blemishes and objects, but does not suffice to replace the Retouch tool, because the cloning brush has been a part of the Retouch tool.

I have used Retouch frequently for cloning. And we need a Retouch brush to correct the details, where the Clean-up fails.

I am using Luminar Neo as an editing extension for Photos. It offers all the tools to develop a photo and remove imperfections.

Years ago I purchased Pixelmator but never used it. The strength of Pixelmator is not the photo development but managing layers and graphic overlays - from the user guide: "Creating graphic designs, painting, drawing vector graphics, and adding stunning effects". I want to keep my photos looking like a photo - for me, Luminar Neo, GraphicConverter, and Affinity Photo are the better Editing Tools to supplement Photos.

OMG, have you seen it yet! Retouch is back!!!

I completed the download for Sequoia 15.4.1 earlier today.........and couldn't believe my eyes.

Yes, Clean Up is still there and needed to be reloaded after the update. And suddenly Retouch is there, too,

I'm over the moon with happiness. And it works just like it used to. So if you haven't upgraded yet, waste no time.

That is very good news, Anna. But where are you seeing the Retouch Tool in 15.4.1? I cannot find it in the Adjustments tab, where it used to be. There is a "Retouch" brush in the Clean UP tab, but it does not include the Clone brush. But at least we can now retouch again faces, without pixellating them

Leonie, Here's what I did, unaware that there was a change. First you need to download Sequoia 15.4.1.

I meant to edit a photo using the horrible Clean Up, but when I clicked Clean Up it began to download a new system. There are now two bars, one labeled Erase, and the other one Retouch. You can adjust the circle size of either one but with Retouch we're now back to a simple click on the trackpad or mouse to remove imperfections.

So it looks like there finally heard our complaints !

Yep. It is finally back. Great news! I had been hoping they had stripped Retouch to FORCE consumers to use the poorly named "Clean Up" to use customers to do AI work for them. I thought they knew people would never waste time trying to get clean up to work for them as long as retouch was available.

Also, every time I posted my belief we were being used to B--a T--t clean up, my posts always got taken down lightning fast. Maybe that practice will change now that Retouch has been returned albeit relocated to the same tab with clean up. I'm just glad it's finally back.

Not a helpful reply I know, I still have Aperture on an old machine, It was always better than “Photos”.

Done.

AnnaEscondido: From the top, scroll down past the image. Below that, on my screen is one post by Cartoon guy. Below it a faint line. Just under that line on the right in faint grey is 'Sort by'. It defaults to 'Rank' on my screen. Click on it and you will get a dropdown menu of options. Click on Newest or oldest. Here is a screenshot, scroll to the bottom, I've highlighted the text.