Guide Checked 1 November 2026
Sky
replacement.
A new sky changes what guests see, so it is an alteration, not a fix. It is fine on some platforms, needs a label and the original in California MLS listings, is advised against by Expedia and is not allowed on Google Business Profile. Try recovering the real sky first.
Where you can use it
| Platform | Sky replacement | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | With care | Allowed if the photo still shows the place as guests will find it. Say so in the description. |
| Booking.com | With care | Allowed if the photo still shows the place as guests will find it. Say so in the description. |
| Vrbo | With care | Allowed if the photo still shows the place as guests will find it. Say so in the description. |
| Expedia / Hotels.com | Avoid | Expedia’s photo guidelines advise against using editing apps to add filters or retouch. |
| Agoda | With care | Allowed if the photo still shows the place as guests will find it. Say so in the description. |
| Trip.com | With care | Allowed if the photo still shows the place as guests will find it. Say so in the description. |
| Hipcamp | No rule | No written rule on edited photos. Stay believable. |
| Tripadvisor | No rule | No written rule on edited photos. Stay believable. |
| Google Business Profile | Don’t | The platform bans AI images or significant alterations. Our photo lab will not replace skies for it. |
| No rule | No written rule on edited photos. Stay believable. | |
| MLS & property sites | Label it | California AB 723 and MLS rules: mark it as altered and show the original right after it. |
| Facebook Page | No rule | No written rule on edited photos. Stay believable. |
| No rule | No written rule on edited photos. Stay believable. |
“Don’t” rows are enforced by our photo lab; the rest is advice. Delivery apps are left out — they only take food photos. Each platform’s own wording and sources are on the photo sizes page. AB 723 and Bay East: bill text · MLS FAQ, which names “sky replacement” as an alteration.
Doing it so it still looks real
- Try recovering the real sky first. A sky that looks white is often just over-exposed. Lower Highlights, or brighten the room on a darker exposure — that is a lighting fix, not a replacement.
- Pick a sky that could happen there. Same season, same time of day, the sun on the side the shadows say it is. A blazing sunset over a north-facing midday shot gives it away.
- Replace it. Photoshop: Edit → Sky Replacement, pick a sky, then use the sliders to blend edges and match foreground lighting. Lightroom can select the sky as a mask, which lets you darken or recolour it but not swap it.
- Fix what the sky touches. Reflections in windows, water and glossy cars should show the new sky. Leave trees, roofs and the view itself exactly as they were.
- Keep the original and say so. Store the unedited file. Where rules require it — MLS listings in California — label the photo and publish the original next to it.
Photoshop steps from Adobe’s Sky Replacement help.
Fix or alteration?
Fix — no label
Darkening an over-exposed sky so its real clouds and colour show. Balancing the window so the real view is visible. AB 723 treats these as lighting and exposure adjustments.
Alteration — label it
A sky that was not there: blue for grey, sunset for midday, clouds added. AB 723 covers elements “visible from the property”, and the views through windows are named in the law.
Let the photo lab do it
“Blue sky” is an opt-in tidy-up. It matches the scene’s light, leaves everything else in place, and the change check lists it so you know what to disclose. It is switched off for platforms that ban it. The first photo is free.
Open the photo lab→Just a dark sky or dark room? Brighten it for free in your browser — a lighting fix, no label needed.
Brighten dark photos→Questions
What is sky replacement?
Replacing a grey, white or blown-out sky in a photo with a different one, usually blue. In property photography it is used on exterior shots taken on overcast days.
Is sky replacement allowed in real estate listings?
In California, AB 723 counts it as a digitally altered image: since 1 January 2026 the ad must say the image was altered and link to the original. Bay East MLS lists sky replacement as an alteration by name. Recovering detail in a real sky by adjusting exposure is a lighting adjustment and is not covered.
Can I replace the sky on Google Business Profile photos?
Google asks for photos without significant alterations or excessive use of filters or AI, so our photo lab will not do it for Google.
How do I replace a sky in Photoshop?
Choose Edit → Sky Replacement, pick a preset sky or add your own, and use the sliders to blend the edges and adjust the foreground lighting so it matches. Then click OK.
Can Nest & Pixel replace the sky?
Yes, as an opt-in “Blue sky” tidy-up in the photo lab, for platforms that allow edited photos. It is never applied in the default enhance-only mode, the change check lists it, and it is blocked when you choose Google Business Profile or Deliveroo.