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The Clone Stamp tool copies pixels from one part of an image and paints them elsewhere. Use it when you need direct control over the replacement texture, edges, or detail—rather than an automatic blend. For flexible retouching, work on a blank layer above the image, set Sample to Current & Below, then Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac) to choose a source.
The quick method
- Open the image and add a blank pixel layer above the image layer.
- Select the Clone Stamp tool in the toolbar, or press S in Photoshop desktop. It may be grouped with other retouching tools; identify it by its name and stamp icon.
- In the Options bar, set Sample to Current & Below when retouching on a blank layer. Choose a brush suited to the area.
- Hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and click a clean source area.
- Paint over the target in short strokes. Resample as the texture, light, or perspective changes.
That is the basic operation; realistic results depend mostly on choosing a source that naturally fits the destination. Adobe’s Clone Stamp overview explains how direct pixel copying differs from healing tools.
What the Clone Stamp does
When you set a source point, Photoshop maps pixels around that point to the brush cursor. As you paint elsewhere, it copies that detail to the destination. The tool does not decide what belongs there or automatically make the new pixels match the destination’s color and brightness. It is therefore useful for controlled repairs, but it is not a one-click object-removal button.
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Use it to remove a distraction, mend a scratch or tear, continue a texture, reconstruct an edge, or duplicate a detail. It can copy an object too, but it copies pixels—including the surrounding background—not a separate, depth-aware object.
Set up an editable retouch
- Keep the original image layer intact. Add a new blank pixel layer above it, or duplicate the image layer if that better suits your workflow.
- Select the new retouching layer and set Sample to Current & Below. This lets Photoshop read the active layer and the layers beneath while recording your paint on the active layer.
- Use All Layers if you need to sample the visible composite across the document. Hide irrelevant layers first: visible text, artwork, or overlays can be included in the sampled appearance.
- Paint, then adjust the retouching layer’s opacity or add a layer mask to soften or limit the result. You can also erase or repaint the retouching layer without damaging the original pixels.
Common blank-layer problem: If Sample is set to Current Layer, an empty layer has no source pixels, so the tool may appear to do nothing. Switch to Current & Below or All Layers, confirm the source layer is visible, and make sure you have a paintable pixel layer selected. Clone Stamp does not work directly on adjustment layers. See Adobe’s Clone Stamp controls and workflow.
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Choose a source and brush that fit
Sample from an area that could plausibly continue into the repair. Compare the source and target for:
- Texture: Match the surface—skin, stone, sky, fabric, grain, or other detail.
- Tone and light: A patch from a differently lit part of the image may leave an obvious brightness or color change.
- Perspective and direction: Lines, patterns, and surface details should flow in the same direction and scale.
- Nearby features: Avoid copying a recognizable mark, pore, leaf, brick, or other detail that will look repeated.
Use a soft brush for gradual transitions on areas such as skin, sky, or a wall. Use a smaller, harder brush near crisp boundaries such as a product edge or architectural line. A brush just larger than the defect is a useful starting point: an oversized brush can capture unwanted surroundings, while an undersized one can leave seams. In desktop Photoshop, the bracket keys [ and ] adjust brush size in supported interfaces.
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Clone Stamp settings at a glance
| Setting | What it controls | Good starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Sample | Which layer content Photoshop reads. | Current & Below for a blank retouching layer; All Layers for the visible composite. |
| Aligned | Whether the source-to-brush offset continues as you paint. | On for continuous repairs; off when you want each new stroke to restart from the original sampled relationship. |
| Brush size and hardness | Coverage and the sharpness of the transition at the brush edge. | Small and firmer near edges; softer for gradual transitions. |
| Opacity | The maximum strength or transparency of the applied clone. | Use less than full strength when you want the underlying pixels to show through or to build a repair gradually. |
| Flow | How quickly the clone builds up as you paint. | Lower flow allows gradual buildup; raise it for stronger application. |
| Mode | How cloned pixels blend with the destination. | Normal for direct replacement. Modes such as Darken or Lighten are situational options, not required for basic cloning. |
Aligned is especially important on multiple strokes. With it enabled, the source relationship continues rather than normally jumping back to the initial sampled point when you begin another stroke. That suits a long repair such as a wire or scratch. Turn it off when you want to repeat the same sampled relationship independently in several places. Adobe’s current desktop documentation describes Sample, Aligned, Mode, Opacity, and Flow; exact controls and layout can vary by interface and release.
Remove an object without leaving a patch
- Zoom in for the work. Around 100–200% can help with precise edges. Also plan to inspect the image at its normal viewing size.
- Start with an appropriate source. Sample nearby material with similar texture, brightness, color, and perspective. The closest point is not always the best point; choose what would naturally continue through the repair.
- Work in sections. Paint short, controlled strokes rather than dragging one long stroke over a complicated area. Resample after each major section and whenever the surface changes.
- Handle boundaries deliberately. Do not cross a sharp edge in one casual stroke. Work on each side separately, using a smaller brush and a source from the corresponding side.
- Check for repetition and seams. Vary the source area, brush direction, and stroke length. Toggle the retouching layer on and off, then inspect at both close and normal magnification.
- Refine reversibly. Lower the layer opacity or use a mask to reduce an overly strong patch. Undo or repaint any section that repeats a recognizable feature.
For a telephone wire against a sky, sample nearby sky and follow the wire in short sections, choosing new source areas as the sky’s tone changes. For a scratch on a textured surface, sample from the same side and direction of the texture, then resample where the pattern changes. These small decisions usually matter more than simply increasing brush size.
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Edges, patterns, and portraits
Straight edges and architecture
Walls, horizons, tables, screens, and product borders need both sides of the boundary to remain convincing. Use a small, firmer brush near the edge, sample from the same geometric side, and avoid sampling across the boundary unless you mean to copy it. A selection or layer mask can constrain the stroke. Repair the edge first, then blend the adjacent texture. Clone Stamp will not automatically keep a line straight or preserve perspective; use guides, selections, or transformed layers when geometry must be exact.
Repeating textures
A repeated mark is often more conspicuous than a slight change in texture. Change source points frequently, use short strokes, and vary their direction and length. Avoid cloning one small patch across a broad surface. If you are working on brick, foliage, clouds, or fabric, watch for repeated shapes as well as tonal seams. Keep natural grain or noise where possible; a smooth copied patch amid noisy surroundings can give away the repair.
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Skin and other soft surfaces
Clone Stamp can preserve or reconstruct specific skin texture, but broad, repeated cloning can flatten highlights and shadows and make skin look painted. Sample nearby skin with a similar tone and texture, work with restrained opacity or flow, and follow facial contours. If you want texture copied while the destination’s color and brightness adapt, the Healing Brush may be a better choice.
Duplicating a detail
Sample the complete object and enough surrounding pixels for the intended copy, then paint at the new location. Use a mask or selection to remove unwanted copied background. You may need to correct the copy’s scale, rotation, perspective, shadow, or contact point separately: Clone Stamp copies pixels, not object structure or depth.
When to use a different retouching tool
| Tool | Use it when… | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Clone Stamp | You need deliberate control over the exact source texture, pixels, or edge. | Copies source detail directly rather than automatically adapting it to the destination. |
| Healing Brush | You want texture from a chosen source but need it to blend with the destination’s color and brightness. | Combines sampled detail with destination appearance. |
| Spot Healing Brush | You want a quick fix for a small, isolated mark. | Automatically samples nearby pixels instead of requiring you to choose a source point. |
| Patch Tool | You can select a larger area and want to replace it using another image region with blending. | Works on a selected region rather than painting pixel by pixel. |
| Content-Aware Fill | A larger object sits in a relatively simple background with enough surrounding material to draw from. | Fills a selection using sampled surroundings; you can refine the sampling area. Adobe notes it works best when there is plenty of simple surrounding detail. See its Content-Aware Fill guide. |
| Remove Tool or Generative Fill | You want an automated result and are prepared to inspect and correct what it produces. | More automated than manually copying a chosen source. Results and processing can depend on tool settings and the current Photoshop release. |
Choose Clone Stamp when you know what pixels should replace the target, need to preserve a particular texture, or have found that an automated fill mishandles a delicate boundary. Choose an automatic fill when speed matters and the surroundings are suitable. Neither approach is best for every image.
Troubleshooting
- Nothing appears on the blank layer: Change Sample from Current Layer to Current & Below or All Layers. Check that the source layer is visible and that the active layer is a paintable pixel layer, not an adjustment layer.
- The repair has an obvious repeated pattern: Sample from more than one nearby area, shorten strokes, vary direction, and use a brush that does not capture too much surrounding detail.
- The patch is too bright, dark, or colorful: Choose a source closer in lighting and tone. Lower opacity or flow, and consider repairing texture separately from tone. A Healing Brush or a tonal adjustment layer may suit the final blend better.
- The source seems to jump: Check Aligned. Turn it on for a continuous repair and off to restart each stroke from the initial sampled relationship; resample when beginning a new section.
- An edge looks soft or warped: Use a smaller, firmer brush, sample from the matching side of the edge, and constrain the repair with a selection or mask. Use guides or transformed content where straight geometry matters.
- The repair looks blurry: Check whether the source is already soft, the brush is too soft, or many low-strength passes have blurred the detail. Sample sharper nearby material and use a firmer brush near detailed edges.
- Unwanted artwork appears in the clone: All Layers may be sampling other visible content. Hide irrelevant layers or switch to Current & Below.
- It looks fine close up but wrong at normal size: Inspect at both scales, toggle the retouching layer, and reduce its opacity or mask only the area that needs softening.
Photoshop desktop and web
These shortcut and Options bar steps describe Photoshop desktop. Adobe also documents Clone Stamp in Photoshop on the web, where it appears in the Clone tools menu alongside tools such as Spot Healing Brush and Healing Brush. Toolbar grouping, labels, and available features can differ between desktop and web, as well as by release, workspace, and screen size. See Adobe’s web retouching tutorial for that interface.
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