How to Remove the Background From an Image

A transparent cut-out is the starting point for so much: product listings on a clean white page, a profile picture that drops onto any color, a logo that sits on any background. Removing the background is the step that frees a subject from its original scene.

How background removal works

The tool identifies which pixels belong to the subject and which belong to the background, then makes the background transparent. It works best when the subject stands out clearly — a product on a plain surface, a person against a simple wall, a screenshot with a solid color behind it. Busy, cluttered backgrounds are harder because the line between subject and scene is fuzzier.

Refining the edges

• Use an erase brush to remove leftover background the auto-detection missed.
• Use a restore brush to bring back parts of the subject that got cut.
• Soften the edges slightly so the cut-out blends naturally onto a new background.

Saving the result

Export as a PNG to keep the transparency, or place the subject on a solid color if that's what you need. Because the whole process can run in your browser, your images — including product shots you haven't published yet — never get uploaded.