Windows Photos is getting new editing tools. Keep the scratch.

That little chip beside the guitar's volume knob belongs in the listing photo.

Picture a used-instrument dealer in Noblesville photographing a $450 electric guitar. You can straighten the frame and crop out a spare cable. Erase the chipped finish, though, and the buyer arrives expecting a different instrument.

On October 15, 2026, Microsoft announced a new Photos experience for Windows 11, including a rebuilt editor with AI object removal and lighting adjustments. My recommendation: try your next edits on copies of two product photos, then compare them with the things on your counter.

You can do that check with your current editor. Keep an untouched original before you start.

Can I use the new Windows Photos editor yet?

Microsoft began the rollout with Windows Insiders, people who opt into preview software, on October 15. The company plans wider Windows 11 availability later in 2026. You may open Photos today and see the version you already know.

Microsoft also describes the photo changes in its October Windows update overview: you can crop pictures, adjust their color, remove background objects, and change lighting with Relight. A larger screen gives you room to inspect the result.

I would wait for the wider release on the computer you use to run the shop. Trying a preview makes more sense on a spare machine. You have orders to finish, and you can improve your listing photos without changing your Windows setup.

Which edits should I make to a product photo?

Start with the problem you can name. Perhaps you tilted the phone, left too much empty space around the guitar, or photographed it under a yellow overhead bulb. Make one adjustment, then compare the edited copy with the original.

Keep the chip in the guitar's finish visible, even if you remove the cardboard box behind the stand.

For that hypothetical Noblesville dealer, I would keep one full-length shot and a close-up of the wear. The customer needs to see the condition before making the drive. In our used-car website guide, the same concern applies to vehicle photos: show the specific item somebody can come and inspect.

Color needs a separate check. Imagine a tailor in Irvington photographing burgundy fabric for a custom waistcoat. You try a warmer lighting effect and the cloth looks brown. Compare the picture with the swatch beside your screen before keeping that edit.

Screens differ, so you cannot promise an exact match on every customer's phone. You can avoid adding a color change yourself. For a close decision, invite the customer to inspect a swatch at the fitting.

An AI edit also deserves a close look around edges. Zoom in on the guitar strings after removing the cable behind them. Check the fabric pattern after any repair. If you cannot tell whether the edit changed the merchandise, retake the picture with a cleaner background. Fernie's guide to taking shop photos with your phone covers the light and framing you can fix before editing.

How do I check the photos before uploading more?

Give yourself 15 minutes for a small trial. Use one item with visible wear and another where color matters. My suggested order is:

1. Save the originals in a separate folder. Put the item name or stock number in each filename so you can find the right pair later.
2. Edit copies. Compare each result with both its original and the physical item. Keep the adjustment only if you can still judge its condition.
3. Open the website preview on your phone. Check the full picture and the detail view. Your website may crop a good photo so customers cannot see the detail.
4. Ask a colleague to point out anything the photo makes them expect. Fix a mismatch before replacing the live pictures.

If your site gives you no way to show a detail photo, that is something to discuss with whoever maintains it. Our website services include helping owners put the information customers need on the page. Sometimes the useful change is adding a second image beside the description.

Leave the original folder alone. Next month, a customer might ask for a closer look at that guitar, and you will have the photograph you took before you started adjusting it.

---

Sources

#	Source	What it backed up
1	Microsoft: Meet the new Photos app on Windows 11, October 15, 2026	The editor announcement, initial Insider rollout, and planned wider availability later in 2026.
2	Microsoft: What's new in Windows 11, October 15, 2026	Cropping, color adjustments, background object removal, and Relight in Photos.
3	Luminest: How to photograph your shop without a photographer	Related guidance on setting up light and framing before editing a phone photo.