This article explains how to use the Photoshop Clone Stamp Tool to copy one area of an image to another area of the same image. Instructions apply to Photoshop CC 2022 through CC 2019 for Windows and Mac.

Photoshop's Clone Stamp tool copies one area of an image onto another area of an image. Photographers and designers often use the Clone Stamp tool to remove unwanted elements from a photo. For example, it can be used to cover up blemishes on people's faces by copying from another area of the skin, or to remove trees from a mountain by copying parts of the sky over them.

Open an image in Photoshop. To use the Clone Stamp tool, click and hold the rubber stamp icon in the toolbox. Select Clone Stamp Tool from the drop-down menu. You can adjust the brush size and shape, opacity, flow, and blending modes in the Tool Options bar at the top of the workspace.

To clone an exact area, leave the opacity, flow, and blending mode at their default settings. As you use the tool more often, you may find that you need to adjust these settings. For example, when retouching a person’s face, an opacity of 20 percent or lower will lightly blend the skin into an even tone. You may need to clone it more often, but the effect will be smoother.