AI Render Inpainting for Architects: What Each Tool Says It Offers (2026)
Quick answer: Inpainting means masking part of an image and regenerating only that region, so you can swap a material, remove furniture or add planting without redoing the whole render. All nine architecture-focused tools reviewed here list some form of regional editing, under different names. This guide compares what nine architecture-focused tools and five general image tools say they offer, based on their own pages as of September 29, 2026, explains what to test, and sets out a workflow to help you check that edits keep perspective and lighting consistent.
Disclosure: MNKI publishes this article and is one of the tools covered, so we have a commercial interest. Competitor facts come from vendors' own public pages (linked below). We say "not stated" where a page does not say, and we have not hands-on tested any of these tools, so this is not a ranking of edit quality. Features change often; verify on each vendor's site.
What inpainting is, and why architects care
A render is often mostly right. A client dislikes the sofa, the wall finish or the tree species, and regenerating the whole image risks changing the parts you already approved. Regional editing lets you fix one thing. For architects and interior designers it is most useful for material and furniture swaps, removing clutter or people, adding planting or vehicles, and correcting one AI artefact.
What to look for
- Mask control. Brush, lasso, box or automatic object selection. Precise masks reduce spill into neighbouring areas.
- Context matching. Does the new content respect perspective, scale, light direction and shadows?
- What actually regenerates. The vendor should say whether only the masked area changes. Some tools warn that edits can extend beyond your selection (OpenAI says this about its editor).
- Prompt and reference support. Can you describe the change, or supply a reference image for the new finish?
- Resolution and history. Do you keep the full resolution, and can you undo or branch?
- Cost per edit. Some tools use credits per edit; others include edits in a subscription.
- Licence and disclosure. Commercial-use terms and your own duty to disclose AI use to clients.
Architecture-focused tools: the names and what vendors say
| Tool | Feature name(s) | How the vendor describes it |
|---|---|---|
| MNKI | Inpaint Remove, Inpaint Add, Inpaint Replace | Draw a mask; Remove fills the background, Add generates a described element in context, Replace swaps an element. Also available through a chat mask tool in AChAt |
| mnml.ai | Select and edit; Erase | Mask a region, describe the change and apply; paint over an object to remove it |
| ArchiVinci | Modify Room, Modify Architecture, Remove Furniture, Place Object | Inpainting tool group; also an AI Image Editor |
| Gendo | Edit Material, Edit | Swap materials with region selection; "Surgical Control" box edit for targeted changes |
| MyArchitectAI | Render editing | Select an area and describe the change; the vendor says only the selected area is regenerated |
| Rendair | Select & Modify, Remove Object, Insert & Modify | Brush or lasso selection for targeted edits |
| Veras | Render Selection | Select part of the image, give a new prompt and re-render that area |
| Archsynth | AI Inpainting, Edit with Words | Regional inpainting and text-command edits |
| Archmaster | Edit & Modify | Paint over part of a render and the AI fills it (swap furniture, recolour, remove objects) |
General image tools with region editing
| Tool | What the vendor says | Notes from the vendor |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Photoshop (Generative Fill) | Select an object or area with the Selection Brush or another selection tool, click Generative Fill, then type a prompt (or leave it blank to fill from the surroundings). Results arrive on a Generative Layer for non-destructive editing | Desktop plan includes a monthly allowance of generative credits; check current plan terms |
| Adobe Firefly | Generative Fill and Generative Expand are listed as standard features | Free plan has free daily generations; paid plans use credits for premium features |
| Midjourney | Editor with Erase and Smart Select masks; Vary Region in Discord; an Edit model that changes an existing image from written instructions | The Editor also handles uploaded images and outpainting |
| ChatGPT Images | Select the area to edit in the editor and describe the change, or describe it in chat | OpenAI warns the highlight is not always precise and edits may extend beyond the selection |
| Stability AI (API) | "Inpaint" replaces content under a mask or alpha channel | Credit-based API pricing; the vendor states Inpaint costs 5 credits at 1 credit = USD 0.01 |
These are general-purpose image tools, and the vendor pages we read do not describe architecture-specific handling, so check perspective and proportions carefully. On a render made in another tool you would export the image, edit it and bring it back.
How MNKI's inpainting works
MNKI has three inpaint modules: Remove deletes a masked element and fills in the background; Add generates a described element in the masked area (MNKI's tutorial says it is matched to the render's perspective, lighting, scale and materials); Replace swaps a masked element for something different in a single pass. MNKI's tutorial gives practical guidance:
- Use a generous mask that slightly overlaps the edges of the element for a seamless blend.
- For Add, the prompt must describe what to add; vague prompts such as "add something nice" give inconsistent results.
- Combining Replace with a reference image gives more accurate material or finish substitutions.
- Remove works on MNKI-generated renders and uploaded photos, but results vary on very complex textured backgrounds.
In the Studio, the style and lighting selectors are disabled once a mask is drawn. MNKI's FAQ lists inpaint operations at 8 credits each; see the pricing page for current costs.
Watch out for (MNKI): it is a browser tool working on images, not a plugin that edits your 3D model; results are probabilistic, so run more than one attempt on important edits; and MNKI's FAQ notes AI can occasionally produce distorted results (it invites you to email support@mnki.ai with a screenshot for review).
A workflow for checking edits
- Decide the one change. Edit one element at a time: a sofa, a wall finish, a tree.
- Mask slightly beyond the element (MNKI's tutorial advises overlapping its edges slightly) so leftover edges are less likely to show.
- Describe the result concretely. "Honed grey limestone, large-format tiles" is more specific than "nicer floor".
- Use a reference image when you have a real finish to match.
- Generate two or three options and compare them at 100% zoom against the original.
- Check perspective and light on the edited area: vanishing lines, scale of the object, shadow direction and reflections.
- Save each version so you can go back. Then repeat for the next change.
When inpainting is the wrong tool
- Design changes that must be built. If a window really moves, change the model and drawings; do not rely on an AI edit.
- Consistency across many views. AI edits are made per image. If you need the same change reflected in ten views, a 3D model gives you a single source for every view. See MNKI vs 3D rendering software.
- Text, logos and fine repeating patterns. Give these extra checking on any generative edit. This is a general caution, not a tested finding.
- Regulated or contractual visuals. Where an image forms part of a submission, follow your professional and legal requirements, including any disclosure requirements that apply.
How this compares with retouching and re-rendering
For a comparison of AI inpainting against Photoshop retouching and re-rendering the 3D scene, see MNKI vs traditional tools for render inpainting. For a broader comparison of rendering tools see Best AI architectural rendering tools for 2026.
FAQ
What is AI render inpainting?
Masking part of an image and having AI regenerate only that region, so you can change a material, remove an object or add an element without redoing the whole render.
Which AI rendering tools offer inpainting?
Based on vendor pages checked on September 29, 2026: MNKI, mnml.ai, ArchiVinci, Gendo, MyArchitectAI, Rendair, Veras, Archsynth and Archmaster all list a form of regional editing. Photoshop, Firefly, Midjourney, ChatGPT Images and the Stability AI API do too.
Does inpainting keep my perspective and lighting?
Tools aim to match the surrounding image, but results vary. Always check vanishing lines, scale and shadows on the edited area, and compare options at full zoom.
Can I use inpainting on a photo of an existing room?
Some tools accept uploaded photos. MNKI says Remove works on MNKI-generated renders and uploaded photos, with variable results on very complex textured backgrounds.
Do I need to tell clients that edits were made with AI?
It depends. The American Institute of Architects' AI Firm Toolkit recommends disclosure when AI plays a substantive role in a deliverable the client relies on, so consider whether an edit meets that test; see our article on trust and disclosure.
Sources (checked September 29, 2026)
- MNKI: tutorials, FAQ, pricing.
- mnml.ai: home. ArchiVinci: home. Gendo: product. MyArchitectAI: home.
- Rendair: inpainting FAQ. Veras: EvolveLAB. Archsynth: home. Archmaster: features.
- Adobe: Photoshop Generative Fill, Firefly plans.
- Midjourney: Editor, Vary Region, Edit model.
- OpenAI: Images in ChatGPT. Stability AI: API pricing.
- AIA: AI Firm Toolkit.
- Product names and trademarks belong to their owners and are used for identification only.