How To: Use Content-Aware Fill to Restore an Old Photograph

Step 3: Repair the Damage


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This is best done on a dedicated layer. Click on the top layer, hold down the Alt key (Option on a Mac) and choose Layer > Merge Visible. Select the Spot Healing Brush; Content-Aware should be checked. Make the brush slightly larger than the crack to repair. Then, starting at the outside edge, paint over the thinnest cracks first. To repair straight lines, click once at the start of a crack, then release the mouse, hold down Shift, and click at the end. To repair larger rips where paper white shows, first use the Clone Stamp, then the Spot Healing Brush to refine your cloning.