Photoshop 2026 Clarity and Dehaze Update,
Therefore, in the Photoshop 2026 (Version 27.2) update released in January, Adobe finally addressed one of the most long-standing requests from photographers: bringing Clarity and Dehaze out of the Camera Raw filter and into the main workspace as native Adjustment Layers.
Photoshop 2026 Clarity and Dehaze Update,
In other words, this shift marks a major change in how you can handle texture and atmospheric contrast without destructive editing.
🛠️ The New Adjustment Layers:
Therefore, previously, applying these effects required a trip to the Camera Raw Filter menu, which often necessitated duplicating layers or using Smart Objects. Now, they live in the Adjustments Panel alongside Brightness/Contrast and Curves.
1. Clarity Adjustment Layer:
What it does: Therefore, Increases “midtone contrast.” It adds punch and definition to textures (like stone, fabric, or foliage) without blowing out highlights or crushing deep shadows.
The “2026” Advantage: In other words, since it’s a layer, you can now use a Layer Mask to paint clarity only onto specific areas (e.g., sharpening a building in the background while keeping a portrait subject’s skin soft).
Photoshop 2026 Clarity and Dehaze Update,
2. Dehaze Adjustment Layer:
What it does: In other words, Uses an algorithm to detect and remove (or add) atmospheric haze, fog, or smog. It restores color and contrast to flat-looking distant landscapes.
The “2026” Advantage: However, it now includes improved AI-assisted edge detection, which helps prevent the “haloing” effect often seen around mountain ridges or tree lines when pushing the slider too far.
3. Grain Adjustment Layer:
However, Launched alongside Clarity and Dehaze, which allows you to add film-like texture non-destructively. You can now toggle grain on and off or change its size/roughness at the very end of your workflow without affecting the underlying pixels.
Photoshop 2026 Clarity and Dehaze Update,
🚀 Key Workflow Improvements:
Stackable & Maskable: However, you can stack multiple Clarity layers with different masks to create complex depth-of-field effects.
Blend Modes: You can change the Blend Mode of your Dehaze layer (e.g., to Luminosity) to affect only the contrast without shifting the color saturation.
Real-time Properties: Adjustments are made in the Properties Panel, making the “back-and-forth” between Photoshop and Camera Raw a thing of the past.
🤖 Other 2026 AI “Clarity” Updates:
Above all, beyond the sliders, Adobe integrated new Partner Models to help with image “cleanness”:
Topaz Gigapixel Integration: Under Image > Generative Upscale, you can now choose Topaz AI directly to increase resolution and clarity on low-res crops.
Harmonize Tool: Above all, now out of Beta, this uses AI to match the lighting and “clarity” of a subject to its background automatically when compositing.
Would you like me to walk you through how to use the masking feature with these new layers to create a “depth pop” effect?
