Erasing vs relighting
The on-device eraser replaces the shadowed area with texture from elsewhere in the photo. That is ideal on sand, grass, tables and walls, where the texture repeats. When the shadow falls across something unique, such as text on a page or a face, the content under it must be kept, so use AI fill with the default hint (“the same surface in even lighting”), which redraws the area unshadowed.
Shadows on documents
For a phone shadow on a scanned page, mark only the shadow over blank paper with the eraser, and use AI fill for any part that crosses text. Then check the text is still correct: AI can redraw letters wrongly.
Questions
How do I remove a shadow from a picture?
Open it here, brush over the shadow and press Erase. For shadows across text or faces, press AI fill instead.
Can it remove harsh face shadows?
Partly. AI fill can brighten a shadowed area, but large shadows on faces may change the face. Use small strokes and check the result.