How to Use Photoshop 2026's New Dehaze Tool for Better Background Clarity

How to Use Photoshop 2026's New Dehaze Tool for Better Background Clarity

Hazy backgrounds can make even the most stunning landscapes look flat and lifeless. Photoshop 2026's new dehaze feature transforms these atmospheric challenges into clear, vibrant scenes with precise control.

The key to getting professional results lies in making targeted selections before applying the dehaze effect. This approach ensures you enhance only the areas that need it most while preserving the natural look of your foreground elements.

Watch the Video

Video by PHLEARN. Any links or downloads mentioned by the creator are available only on YouTube

Practical Tips

These essential techniques will help you get the most out of the new dehaze feature:

  • Use the Object Selection Tool (W) to precisely select background elements before applying dehaze adjustments
  • Always create your selection first, then add the Clarity and Dehaze adjustment layer to automatically generate a proper layer mask
  • Combine both clarity and dehaze sliders on background areas for maximum impact and detail enhancement
  • Copy layer masks between adjustment layers using Alt/Option + click and drag to maintain consistent selections
  • Add a Color and Vibrance adjustment layer with the same mask to enhance colors in the dehazed areas

Explore more advanced color correction and adjustment techniques to enhance your photo editing workflow.

7 Overlooked Photoshop Tools That Will Save You Hours
You’re probably using Photoshop the hard way. You’ve mastered the basics - Magic Wand for selections, Clone Stamp for removals, layer masks for compositing. But you’re likely missing out on dozens of features that could cut your editing time in half. Adobe has quietly (okay, not so quietly) added dozens
The Single Best Color Tool in Photoshop
In this tutorial, you will uncover the often-overlooked capabilities of Photoshop's Selective Color Adjustment Layer. This powerful tool allows you to perform both subtle and dramatic color grading, giving your images a polished look similar to fine art. You'll learn techniques to intensify colors, separate various hues for added depth, and achieve better overall color balance in your work. This ensures that your images maintain their vibrancy without the risk of over-saturation. The tutorial
New Photoshop Feature for Changing Colors
Working on the color palette of an image is a fundamental task in photo editing, enabling designers and photographers to evoke different moods, correct imbalances, or simply reimagine visual elements. While Photoshop has long offered robust tools for color manipulation, achieving precise and natural-looking changes often required a multi-step workflow and a deep understanding of complex adjustments. This video introduces a groundbreaking new feature in Photoshop's beta version, designed to stre
One click instantly fixes color in Photoshop
In this tutorial by Colin Smith from Photoshop Cafe, you'll learn how to instantly fix the color of your photos in a single click using Photoshop and Lightroom. Colin introduces a powerful tool that can correct color issues effortlessly, making your images look more natural and vibrant. This quick tutorial focuses on achieving perfect color balance with minimal effort. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned Photoshop user, Colin's method is straightforward and effective, allowing you to enhanc
Photoshop's New Adjust Colors Feature vs Traditional Hue/Saturation
Color adjustments just became dramatically simpler in Photoshop. The new Adjust Colors feature automatically detects the six most prominent colors in any image, letting you target and modify specific hues with a single click. No more guessing which color range to select or struggling with imprecise selections. This intuitive approach transforms what used to be a multi-step process into an instant workflow. Traditional hue/saturation adjustments often missed their target or required extensive fi
Six easy ways to select colors in Photoshop
In this episode of "3, 2, 1… Photoshop!", longtime Adobe evangelist Julieanne Kost shares essential tips and tricks for selecting colors in Photoshop. Julieanne introduces six easy methods to choose colors effectively, whether you're working on a detailed project or just need a quick color pick. You'll learn how to use the eyedropper tool for precise color selection, manipulate foreground and background colors, and utilize the heads-up-display (HUD) color picker for a more interactive experienc
Photoshop 2025: New Adjustment Brush Tool Explained
The new Adjustment Brush tool in Photoshop 2025 streamlines color and lighting adjustments by combining painting and adjustment layers into a single workflow. Instead of manually creating adjustment layers and painting masks, this tool automatically generates the layers and masks as you paint directly on your image. This approach makes selective adjustments more intuitive, whether you're changing the color of specific objects or fine-tuning exposure on particular areas of your photo. Watch th
Magical things you can do in just 1 click in Photoshop
Colin Smith's latest tutorial dives into the incredible power of Photoshop's one-click tools and features. This session reveals how you can harness Photoshop 2020's capabilities to achieve impressive results with minimal effort. Colin demonstrates various techniques that allow you to enhance your images or apply complex effects with just a single click, making advanced editing accessible and efficient. In this video, you'll learn about features that simplify tasks like color enhancement, applyi

Get tutorials & freebies delivered to you.

Subscribe to the Photoshop Roadmap newsletter, a weekly roundup of new tutorials, insights and quality downloads, trusted by 6500+ readers.

You might also like

Understanding RGB, Curves, and Color Adjustment Tools in Photoshop

Every color adjustment tool in Photoshop — Curves, Color Balance, Selective Color — operates on the same underlying logic: the RGB color model. Understanding how red, green, and blue light combine, and how tonal values are distributed across highlights, midtones, and shadows, gives you the foundation to use any of these tools...

How to Edit Moody Lighting and Colors in Photoshop

Moody lighting in Photoshop comes down to controlling where light appears to originate and how color reinforces that direction. This walkthrough covers a full editing workflow — from separating the subject and building a colored background, to using Burn and Dodge tools, Camera Raw, and Color Balance to shape a dark,...

How to Fix Wardrobe Problems in Portraits by Overpainting in Photoshop

A poorly fitting dress, an unflattering sash, or a neckline that just doesn't work can ruin an otherwise strong portrait. Rather than reshooting, overpainting with a brush lets you reshape clothing, slim silhouettes, and even paint an entirely new neckline — all without touching an AI tool. Watch the...

7 Practical Photoshop Tips for 2026: Selections, AI Tools, and Generative Fill

Several of Photoshop's most useful tools have hidden options that most users overlook — small settings that make a real difference in how accurately and efficiently you work. This tutorial covers seven practical techniques built around newer features, including smarter selection subtraction, refined color adjustments, non-destructive object removal,...

5 Recent Photoshop Features Worth Adding to Your Workflow

Photoshop has been receiving a steady stream of updates, and a handful of genuinely useful features have quietly slipped past most users. From one-click lighting harmonization to AI-powered object removal and automatic layer naming, these tools can meaningfully reduce the time spent on repetitive editing tasks. Watch the...

You’ve successfully subscribed to Photoshop Roadmap
Welcome back! You’ve successfully signed in.
Great! You’ve successfully signed up.
Success! Your email is updated.
Your link has expired
Success! Check your email for magic link to sign-in.