Little-known iOS 18 photo feature holds the secret for picture-perfect backgrounds on your iPhone

It's safe to say that it's been a busy few weeks for Apple.

Last Friday (September 20), the tech firm released the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, alongside new versions of the Apple Watch and AirPods and new colors of Airpods Max.

Days earlier, iOS 18 was launched, featuring home screen and control center customization, a new Passwords app and smart handwriting for Notes.

The systems upgrade also included updates to Maps, Apple Fitness+ and the Calculator, alongside a refreshed version of Safari.

Prior to its launch, Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, called it a 'huge release' that offers 'so many benefits for everyone.'

And, there's one little-known feature that could hold the key to picture-perfect backgrounds for your photos.

If you've ever taken a photo only to notice that someone was walking by or there was a piece of trash on the ground, you will now be able to remove these distracting elements with Clean Up.

Similar to the Magic Eraser on the latest Google Pixel phones, the feature enables you to edit your photos and remove unwanted elements with ease.

You simply tap on specific items in an image and the phone's AI capabilities will instantly erase the item, filling in the space with the grass, brick wall or sky that was behind it.

And this is exactly how you do it.

First, open the photo you want to edit in Photos and select edit.

Then, select Clean Up mode, which features a tiny eraser, from the menu at the bottom of the screen.

From there, you can highlight the item you want to remove by tapping, brushing or circling it. And voila! It's gone.

Its release hasn't come without some speed bumps though. Those who've tried it out in beta mode report that, right now, it doesn't work with every photo.

However, with Apple Intelligence not due to be officially launched until next month, Clean Up - which is currently available on iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max and iPhone 16 models - will presumably get better over time.

But, people who have already installed iOS 18 on their smartphones are all noticing the same problem.

Disgruntled users are complaining that the operating system is destroying their mobile's battery health.

One X user warned: "DO NOT update ur phone to iOS 18 my f***ing battery is draining so fast bro."

But people who've noticed their battery life has decreased have been told not to panic.

According to Apple, your iPhone just needs a few days to recalibrate then should go back to operating normally.