Quick Answer: To use Adobe Firefly, open Photoshop, select an area with the selection tool, then click Generative Fill and type what you want added or removed. Generative Fill edits photos using text prompts. Generative Expand extends images beyond their borders. Text to Image works standalone at firefly.adobe.com. The free plan gives 25 credits per month to start. Follow the full step by step guide below.
Adobe Firefly has changed what is possible in Photoshop. Tasks that used to take an experienced editor an hour — removing objects, extending backgrounds, generating new elements inside a photo — now take about 30 seconds. If you already use Photoshop, or if you are just getting started with Adobe’s tools, learning how to use Adobe Firefly is one of the most valuable things you can do right now.
This guide covers every major Firefly feature step by step — from Generative Fill inside Photoshop to the standalone Firefly web app. We have tested all of it personally so you get accurate, up to date instructions rather than outdated screenshots.
For a broader look at what Adobe Firefly offers beyond tutorials, check out our full Adobe Firefly review. And if you are comparing AI tools generally, our roundup of the best AI design tools is worth a read too.
Getting Started with Adobe Firefly
Step 1 — Check Your Photoshop Version
Adobe Firefly features are built into Photoshop but require a recent version. Open Photoshop and go to Help → About Photoshop to check your version number. Generative Fill and Generative Expand require Photoshop 24.6 or later. If you are on an older version, open the Creative Cloud desktop app and update Photoshop before continuing.
Step 2 — Locate the Firefly Tools in Photoshop
Firefly tools are not in the main toolbar on the left — they appear as contextual options when you make a selection. The main ones to know:
- Generative Fill — appears in the floating toolbar when you have an active selection
- Generative Expand — appears when you use the Crop tool and drag beyond the image border
- Text Effects — available under Filter → Neural Filters → Text Effects in some versions
You can also access Firefly independently at firefly.adobe.com without opening Photoshop at all.
Step 3 — Understand Your Credit Limit
Every Firefly action uses one generative credit. The free plan gives you 25 credits per month. A paid Creative Cloud subscription gives you significantly more. You can check your remaining credits by clicking your profile icon in the top right of any Adobe app or at adobe.com/account.
Once credits run out, you can still generate — but results will include a visible watermark until your credits reset or you upgrade.
How to Use Generative Fill (Step by Step)
Generative Fill is Adobe Firefly’s flagship feature. It lets you add, remove, or replace anything in a photo using a simple text prompt. This is the feature that makes Photoshop feel like a completely different tool.
Step 1 — Make a Selection
Open your photo in Photoshop. Choose any selection tool — the Rectangular Marquee, Lasso, or Object Selection tool all work. Draw a selection around the area you want to change. The more precise your selection, the more natural the result will look.
For removing an object: select tightly around the object itself. For adding something new: select the empty area where you want the new element to appear.
Step 2 — Click Generative Fill
With your selection active, a small floating toolbar appears below the selection. Click Generative Fill. A text prompt bar opens at the bottom of your screen.
Step 3 — Type Your Prompt or Leave Blank
Type a description of what you want to appear in the selected area. For example: “a wooden park bench with autumn leaves around it” or “clear blue sky with soft clouds.”
If you want to remove an object and fill the area naturally — like erasing a person from a background — leave the prompt blank and click Generate. Firefly will intelligently fill the area based on the surrounding image.
Step 4 — Choose From Generated Variations
Firefly generates three variations. They appear as separate layers in your Layers panel — click through them using the arrows in the Properties panel to compare. Choose the one that looks most natural, or regenerate for a new set of three if none of them work.
How to Use Generative Expand
Generative Expand extends your image beyond its original borders using AI. It is perfect for changing aspect ratios, adding breathing room around a subject, or fixing a photo that was cropped too tightly.
Step 1 — Select the Crop Tool
Press C to activate the Crop tool, or click it in the left toolbar. You will see the crop handles appear around your image.
Step 2 — Expand the Canvas Boundaries
Drag any crop handle outward — beyond the edge of your original image. You are making the canvas larger, not smaller. The area outside your original image will appear as a grey checkerboard pattern, indicating empty space.
Step 3 — Let AI Fill the New Space
Click the checkmark to confirm the expanded canvas, or press Enter. Photoshop automatically runs Generative Expand on the empty areas and fills them with AI-generated content that matches your original image. Like Generative Fill, it gives you three variations to choose from.
This works best when the edges of your original image have consistent content — sky, grass, a plain wall — rather than complex detailed subjects right at the border.
How to Generate Images with Text to Image
You do not need Photoshop to use Adobe Firefly. The standalone web app at firefly.adobe.com gives you access to text-to-image generation — useful for creating original images from scratch without any existing photo to edit.
Step 1 — Visit firefly.adobe.com
Go to firefly.adobe.com in any browser and sign in with your Adobe account. The home screen shows all available Firefly tools including Text to Image, Generative Fill (web version), and Text Effects.
Step 2 — Write a Detailed Prompt
Click Text to Image and type your description in the prompt bar. Be specific — include the subject, setting, lighting, style, and mood. For example: “A modern home office with floor-to-ceiling windows, soft morning light, minimal furniture, photography style, warm tones.”
Vague prompts produce average results. Specific prompts produce usable ones.
Step 3 — Select Style and Aspect Ratio
Before generating, use the options on the right side of the screen to choose:
- Aspect ratio — square, landscape, portrait, or widescreen
- Style — photo, art, graphic, or black and white
- Content type — photo or graphic
- Effects — lighting, color tone, and camera angle presets
These settings shape the output significantly. A few seconds spent here saves multiple regenerations.
Step 4 — Download Your Generated Image
Firefly generates four images. Hover over your favorite and click Download. Generated images come with Adobe’s Content Credentials tag — a transparency marker showing the image was AI-generated. For commercial use, this is actually an advantage since Adobe Firefly is specifically trained on licensed content.
How to Use AI Text Effects
Firefly’s Text Effects tool applies AI-generated visual styles to text — turning plain words into textured, illustrated, or photo-realistic type without any manual design work.
Step 1 — Select Text Effects Tool
At firefly.adobe.com, click Text Effects from the home screen. A text input and prompt field appear.
Step 2 — Type Your Text
Enter the word or short phrase you want to style. Text Effects works best on one to three words — longer text becomes harder to read once styled.
Step 3 — Apply AI Generated Style
In the prompt bar below, describe the style you want applied to your text. For example: “mossy forest bark texture” or “neon light tubes on dark background” or “fresh strawberries and cream.” Click Generate and Firefly wraps your text in that visual style. Download the result and drop it straight into Canva, Photoshop, or any other design tool.
Tips for Better Firefly Results
A few habits make a real difference in the quality of what Firefly generates:
Write specific, descriptive prompts. The difference between “add a tree” and “add a tall eucalyptus tree with silver-green leaves in soft afternoon light, matching the warm tones of the existing photo” is enormous. Always describe style, lighting, and how it should relate to the existing image.
Make precise selections before Generative Fill. Sloppy selections produce unnatural edges. Use the Object Selection tool for complex subjects — it is much more accurate than a manual lasso for most photos.
Test prompts in the standalone app first. The standalone Firefly app uses the same AI engine as Photoshop but costs credits the same way. Use it to test prompt variations before committing them inside a real project file.
Combine Firefly with manual editing. AI output is rarely perfect on the first try. Use Generative Fill to get 80% of the way there, then clean up edges and adjust colors manually. The combination is faster than doing everything from scratch.
Common Adobe Firefly Problems and Solutions
| Problem | Solution |
| Generative Fill looks unnatural | Make a more precise selection — use Object Selection tool instead of Lasso |
| Running out of credits too quickly | Test prompt variations in the standalone web app before using in Photoshop |
| Generated image has a watermark | Credits have run out for the month — upgrade plan or wait for monthly reset |
| Results do not match the prompt | Add more specific descriptive details — include lighting, style, and how it fits the existing image |
Final Thoughts
Adobe Firefly is one of the most practically useful AI tools available to designers and photographers in 2026. Generative Fill alone changes how photo editing works — tasks that used to require skill and time now take seconds.
If you are already a Photoshop user, start with Generative Fill today. Make a selection on any photo you have and try a prompt. The fastest way to understand what it can do is to use it on a real image rather than a tutorial exercise.
For the full breakdown of Firefly’s features, pricing, and how it compares to other AI image tools, read our full Adobe Firefly review. If you are also learning Canva, our guide on how to use Canva AI is a great companion — the two tools cover very different ground and work well together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I access Adobe Firefly in Photoshop? Adobe Firefly features are built directly into recent versions of Photoshop. Open Photoshop, make a selection on your image using any selection tool, and look for the Generative Fill button that appears in the floating contextual toolbar. You need an active Creative Cloud subscription or available Firefly credits to generate results.
Q: How does Generative Fill work? Generative Fill analyzes your selected area and the surrounding image, then generates new content based on your text prompt. Make a selection, click Generative Fill, type what you want — or leave the prompt blank to remove an object — and Photoshop generates three variations for you to choose from. Each option is a separate non-destructive layer.
Q: Do I need Photoshop to use Adobe Firefly? No. You can use Adobe Firefly without Photoshop through the standalone web app at firefly.adobe.com. This gives you access to text-to-image generation, text effects, and a web-based version of Generative Fill. The most powerful editing features like Generative Expand are only available inside Photoshop itself.
Q: How many free credits does Adobe Firefly give? Adobe Firefly gives 25 generative credits per month on the free plan. Each generation — whether in Photoshop or the standalone app — typically uses one credit. Once credits run out you can still generate but results will include a visible watermark until your credits reset monthly or you upgrade your plan.
Q: Can I undo Generative Fill if I do not like the result? Yes. Generative Fill creates a non-destructive generative layer in your Layers panel. You can click through the three variations at any time using the Properties panel. If none look right, regenerate for new options or delete the generative layer entirely to return to your original image.
Q: What is Generative Expand used for? Generative Expand extends an image beyond its original borders using AI. It is useful for changing aspect ratios, adding more background space for text overlay, or expanding a photo that was cropped too tightly. Drag the crop boundary beyond the image edge and Firefly fills the new space to match the existing content.
Q: Is it hard to write good Adobe Firefly prompts? It gets easier with practice. The key is being specific about what you want — including style, lighting, color, and mood. Vague prompts like “add a tree” produce unpredictable results. Detailed prompts like “add a tall oak tree with autumn leaves in soft afternoon light matching the existing photo style” give Firefly what it needs to produce a natural result.
Q: Can I use Adobe Firefly generated content commercially? Yes. Adobe Firefly is specifically designed for commercial use and was trained on licensed and public domain content to ensure commercial safety. Content generated through Firefly comes with usage rights that allow you to use it in client work, products, and marketing materials — a key advantage over some competing AI image tools.
