Apple retouch tool gone after update to Sequioa 15.1

I just checked Apple Store, but it's another "truck remover" like Clean Up. Good to remove cranes, dinosaurs and abandoned buildings in the background, but far, very far from retouch. By removing RT, Apple repositioned Photos from the experts and enthusiasts photography arena to the super teenagers' mobile apps market right in our desktops. Sad but true.

You don't need to retrocede so much, otherwise you'll face performance and compatibility issues soon. Just stick with Sonoma and you should be fine. I don't buy the BS that once you upgrade to Sequoia 15.1 you cannot downgrade. It's a lot of work do so, but it's possible.

Agree with everyone here. I'm glad I finished with a big editing project (old photos I scanned) before this update. Clean Up is useless. I hope Apple restores this tool. If not, they have little respect for their users. It's clear to me, and all of you, they made a mistake.

Why do companies remove their best features in updates? Do you like that tool that actually works? Well, we will take it away and replace with it something that doesn't and make you believe you are now better off.

Just bring back the Retouch Tool.

Dear mimiseton: same here. I used the retouch tool as a kind of paint brush at times, though nothing like the "paint" or "brush" functions in iOS or photoshop and other apps. Apple always prided itself on bing the "creative" one, in contrast to the computer geeks at Microsoft. Look at the ads highlighting creators who think outside the digital box. That was arguably true when Steve Jobs was still around, but no longer. Today, they're just like the others. And honestly, they should be ashamed of how bad their AI is, even by their standards. The "clean up" tool is an excrescence. And now, with the latest updates, they're imposing even more Artificial Idiocy -- an AI filter in Mail that, in theory, highlights "priority" emails. Astoundingly bad. And until I figured out how to turn it off, it caused me to miss several emails that were, indeed, a priority.

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?

Thanks a lot! After reading your post I checked and confirmed that Pixelmator was acquired by Apple on nov 2024 - the same time Sequoia 15.1 update was released. You're absolutely right and the first who raised the absurdly logical connection between the facts. Retouch was probably the best tool in Photos and nobody would ever pay for another software while having it free. Retouch was so relevant that I bet they even included it on Pixelmator to boost it and increase the gap from Photos. Being the case, the only question that doesn't connect to Pixelmator acquisition is why Retouch was not removed from Photos on Intel Macs, even after Sequoia 15.1 update: Just because Apple Intelligence only runs on Apple Silicon?

ROAlmeida, in response to your question regarding why Retouch wasn't removed from Photos on Intel Macs, I'm thinking it was overlooked or in the works. Intel Macs and Silicon Macs have different features, instruction sets, and architectures, leading to differences in performance and compatibility. I'm sure now that you've raised the question, future updates will be changing on Intel Macs too.

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

Okay, I'm confused. Or not doing something right. I tried using the Retouch tool as soon as it came back. but it still doesn't do what it used to. Or else it can but the method has changed. Previously, I used Retouch to clone all the time. It certainly wasn't half as good as a stand-alone photo editing app, but it work for most of what I needed. I have tried it several times with the 'renewed' Retouch button but it doesn't do anything. HELP!

Apple, PLEASE bring back the Retouch tool, nothing that's been added with the clean up function remotely does the job Retouch did to clean up blemishes on photos.

Illini74 wrote: Apple, PLEASE

We are not Apple. If you would like to make suggestions to Apple, go here:

Feedback - Photos - Apple

I have.

This is helpful. I am starting to investigate plug in solutions as I really don’t want to migrate my whole library from Photos.

Can you confirm the name of the free app you downloaded? If so, can you share the link? I can't find any MORAVI, but a paid app called MOVAVI.

Done! I just posted the same complaint. Hope it helps!