Learning how to remove the background from an image can help raise your photo editing game! Whether you want to overlay your image on a different background, add a colored background, or create a graphic, there are tools that will allow you to do this quickly and easily.
In this post, we will go over a few common tools that work well.
Windows OS
On Windows 11, with the new version of Microsoft paint, we have many new features that did not exist in the Windows 10 version.
The one that applies here, is the ability to easily remove the background from an image.
The first step is to open a photo in Microsoft Paint.
You can open it under the file tab at the top left of the Paint window, or you can right click on the photo in File Explorer and hover over the Open With option, then select Paint.
Once in the program, make sure you are on the select tool which is on the top left. You can right click on the background and choose the Remove background option. This should identify the subject of your photo and remove all the background behind it.
To save this picture with a transparent background, as opposed to a white background, choose the Layer option in the top right of the program. You will then see a box at the bottom with a little eye icon. Press the eye and you will see the image’s background change from white to a checkered grey pattern. This checkered pattern indicates it is transparent.
The Image then needs to be saved as a PNG or GIF file type to maintain the transparency. JPG and BMP files cannot be transparent.
Although it is good, sometimes it does not identify the subject of the picture correctly. Try cropping the photo a bit to help it identify the subject better. If the subject blends in with the background this process may not work very well.
If you are having trouble with Paint, we still have a few online tools to we can try it with.
MacOS
Mac users can use the Preview app to remove the background from an image.
Select the Edit/Markup tool that looks like a pencil tip on the top right of the screen. Click the drop down carat next to the dotted line square in the top left of the window. This is the Selection Tool.
Choose one of the selection tools to outline the subject you want to extract.
There are multiple styles of selection here. Choose the best one that works for the shape of your subject. If you are having trouble outlining it with the mouse using the Lasso Tool, try the Smart Lasso.
Click on the Edit menu and choose Invert Selection. This will select everything EXCEPT the subject that you outlined.
Press delete on the keyboard, which will remove the background.
For more in depth information on using preview to edit images, check out Apple’s official page.
iOS options
There are two main ways to remove backgrounds from photos on the iPhone. This can be done in the Photos app, or in the Files app.
The first method is to open the photo in the Photos app and rest your finger on the subject. This will highlight the subject.
Once the subject is highlighted click on the Share button that pops up next to it.
In the menu there is an option Save to Photos that will save the subject with a black or white background depending on your theme.
You can also Save to the Files app and remove the background there.
This alternative can be used when the photo is stored in your Files app, instead of in Photos. In the Files app, locate the picture and without opening it, rest your finger on the file name. A menu of options will open and you can press “remove background.”.
Once held down, press the quick actions menu and select “remove background.”. This will duplicate the photo into the folder you are in with no background.
Be sure you hold down from the file list, as the options will be different if you are viewing the photo itself. In that case, you can rest your finger on the subject, and then Save that image.
If unsatisfied with how the phone natively does this process, you can also try third-party apps such as PhotoRoom, Adobe Express, Canva or Background Eraser. Note that a background remover is sometimes a paid feature in third-party apps.
Android Tools
Some manufacturers may offer their own form of background removal in their gallery app.
For example, Samsung offers a tool called the Object Eraser that is built into their devices. For other manufacturers, a Google search can often give you that information.
As with iOS, third-party apps like PhotoRoom, Adobe Express, Pixelcut, Canva, Remove.bg, and many others can offer you this functionality. Some of these apps are available on both iOS and Android OS.
For our example we are using Remove.bg.
The first step is to download the application from the play store. Other photo editors may also be suggested for you to download here.
Next you will need to allow the app access to the camera roll, or just the photo you wish to edit within it.
Once selected, the app will remove the background for you automatically. It also offers a restore option for more fine tuned editing within the app.
General Online Tools
There are also an abundance of online tools that can be accessed through a browser and are not specific to any system.
The first is Photopea. This is an online tool that mirrors most functions of Adobes photoshop. It is one of the best photo editing programs, available on all devices, and is mostly free.
The first step is to open the image within Photopea by uploading it to the website.
Once the photo is uploaded, right click on the image and choose the “Remove BG” option.
As Photopea is a free and powerful tool they do unfortunately limit you to one background removal per day unless you have a premium account. Some other online services online may also limit your daily use.
Other options are to use a background removal tool on other websites such as Canva, Adobe, or Pixelcut. Again, the background remover option is often a paid feature.
Troubleshooting
Since each tool is programmed differently, there may be some that do not achieve the result you desired. This is why knowing how to use multiple of these tools can be beneficial.
Below we will display an example of an image that did not work out well in Microsoft Paint. This is because the program had trouble identifying the background in this edited image.
Instead of just accepting that this image may not be the best candidate for this type of editing, we can instead try a different tool to see if we can achieve better results.
In this instance, we uploaded the image to Pixelcut.ai. As this is a different developer than MS Paint, their program was able to give us much better, but not perfect results.
Thankfully, the majority of programs will offer you a brush or eraser type feature, where you can erase any imperfections. Below you will see the initial removal with the Refine option where we can edit imperfections, the eraser tool Pixelcut offers us to make it perfect, and the final image.
Need Help?
Since there are so many different ways to do this process, one may be easier than another, locate the subject more accurately, or be more convenient based on what devices you own.
Finding the best one that works for you may take some trial and error.
We are happy to assist you if that is the case!
If you have questions about tools to remove the background from an image, or our other services, please call or email. We’re happy to assist you! Feel free to use our contact form to send us a message. Thank you!