Photoshop 27.4 Brings Firefly-Powered Generative Fill, New Adjustment Layers, Fixes

Adobe Community Manager Srishti Bali posted that Photoshop 27.4 is now live and highlighted one headline change: "Improved 'Generate Similar' performance: Generate Similar in Generative Fill and Generative Expand now uses the enhanced Firefly Fill & Expand model for better-quality results." The update arrives amid a string of recent releases and release-note updates, and Adobe tells users to update via the Creative Cloud desktop app.

Under the hood the big change is Firefly Fill & Expand becoming the primary option for fill and expand tasks. Jim Thacker noted that "Unlike the third-party models introduced in Photoshop 27.0 last October, Firefly Fill and Expand is developed by Adobe itself, and consumes only one generative credit per use." HelpX release notes and community posts indicate Generative Fill and Generative Expand now support an extra AI model choice, and Adobe patched earlier installs that retained older defaults in a 27.3.1 fix.

Resolution and quality upgrades are concrete. Colin Smith, as cited in Fstoppers, laid out the math: "The old model topped out at 1,024 by 1,024 pixels, or 1K. The new model doubles each dimension to 2,048 by 2,048 pixels." Practical testing shows that on a 1,920 by 1,080 document the new model can fill the frame at full resolution, reducing the muddy, stretched detail that appeared when pushing larger selections under the 1K cap. Cgchannel’s reporting backs this up, saying the model better matches scale, perspective and lighting when replacing objects guided by a reference image, though reviewers noted it still lags higher-end external generators on brand-level sharpness for cars and fine details on hands.

Photoshop’s broader toolset continued to gain photographer-focused controls in recent builds. HelpX lists two non-destructive adjustment layers for midtone and atmosphere work and film texture: "Enhance images instantly with the Clarity and dehaze adjustment layer to boost midtone contrast and reduce haze non-destructively," and a Grain adjustment layer with controls for amount, size and roughness. HelpX also documents improvements to the Remove tool including a Distraction Removal option, Reference Image support for Generative Fill, OpenColorIO and 32-bit tool support for HDR workflows, and Variable Fonts in the Font Browser. A separate 27.4 beta added experimental Dynamic Text reflow along semicircular paths.

Photoshop 27.4 also bundles fixes called out by Adobe’s community post. The release resolves an issue where using the Gradient tool in Multiply mode on a layer mask did not work as expected, fixes Select People failing to create selections for CMYK images, and stops documents opened in floating tabs from unexpectedly moving to the front after saving. HelpX notes the January 27.3.1 patch already addressed an upgraded-installation bug that left Firefly Image 3 as the default model.

To install the update Adobe’s community post gives a simple instruction: "To update Photoshop 27.4, click 'Update' in the Creative Cloud desktop app next to Photoshop." HelpX release notes were last updated on Feb 4, 2026, and coverage of the AI model changes appeared in reporting dated Jan 28, 2026, so confirm your Creative Cloud shows 27.4 live before running large batch edits that consume generative credits.

So what this means for workflow: the doubled model resolution lets you push Generative Fill and Expand across 1,920 by 1,080 and larger canvases without the typical softness that forced retouchers into manual compositing, and the Clarity, Dehaze and Grain adjustment layers eliminate many workaround layers for midtone contrast and film texture. Expect lower per-use credit cost for quick object swaps, but verify credit accounting if you run automated scripts. Check the full release-note summary from Adobe before updating and plan a few controlled tests on CMYK and HDR files to confirm the fixes that matter to your pipeline.