How to make a picture transparent

How to Make an Image Background Transparent

This method works well even with complex images and requires very little skill.

Replacing the original background of an image with a transparent one is a task often encountered in web design and photo retouching. There are dozens of possible cases where you may need this: removing an unwanted background when publishing photographs on social networks; making goods you sell online look more appealing without the background; removing boring background scenes to later replace them with futuristic backdrops.

Good news! You don’t have to be a graphics genius to render the background of your images transparent. PhotoScissors will do it for you. Here’s how:

Upload the image to PhotoScissors. Deep neural networks process it and render the background pixels transparent automatically.

All done! Now just save the image as a PNG to preserve the background transparency and use the image wherever you want.

Depending on the complexity of the picture and the objects in it, you may need to make a few additional green marks here and there. Make sure to select a smaller marker size for precise adjustments.

As you paint with the markers, the tool renders the image background transparent in real time. The preview window displays the result.

You can also use the Eraser tool to remove unneeded portions of the marker selection

Make a picture transparent in Word

Make the whole picture transparent

If you’re using a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can apply transparency directly to a picture. For more info, see Change the opacity of a picture in Microsoft 365.

Draw a shape first

Fill it with a picture

Adjust the picture’s transparency

For other versions of Word, use this workaround.

Select Insert > Shapes and choose a shape.

Draw the shape in your document, making it the same proportions as the picture you’re about to add to it.

Right-click the shape and select Outline > No Outline.

Right-click the shape again, and then select Format Shape.

In the Format Shape pane, select the Fill icon , and then select Picture or texture fill.

Select File, choose a picture, and then select the Insert button.

Move the Transparency slider in the Format Shape pane to adjust the picture.

Or you may enter a number in the box next to the slider: 0 is fully opaque, the default setting; and 100% is fully transparent.

If your picture is distorted, you can make adjustments to the appearance by resizing your shape or by using the Offset settings below the transparency slider.

You can make one color in a picture transparent by using the built-in transparency feature. Unlike making an entire picture transparent, making one color transparent is possible only in an object that’s inserted as a picture, not inside a shape.

Important: Areas that seem to be a single color (for example, green leaves) might actually be made up of a range of subtle color variations, and you might not get the effect you want. Setting a transparent color works best with simple, solid-color pictures, such as clip art.

Select the picture, and go to Picture Format > Color or Picture Tools > Format > Color.

Select Set Transparent Color.

When the pointer changes, select the color you want to make transparent.

To undo color changes, select Reset Picture in the Adjust group.

Note: When you print pictures with transparent areas, the transparent areas are the same color as the paper. On your screen or a website, the transparent areas are the same color as the background.

Change the transparency of a picture or fill color

If you’re using a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can apply transparency directly to a picture. For more info, see Change the opacity of a picture in Microsoft 365.

For other versions of Word, use this workaround.

Go to Insert > Shapes and choose a shape to use.

Select Shape Format > Shape Fill.

Select Picture and choose the picture that you want.

Select the shape, and go to Shape Format to open the Format Pane.

Select Fill > Picture or gradient fill and then drag the Transparency slider to set the exact percentage of transparency you want.

Make one color of a picture transparent

You can make one color in a picture transparent to hide part of the picture or create a layered effect. Transparent areas in pictures show through the color of the paper or background.

Go to Insert > Picture and add a picture to your document

Select the picture for which you want to change the transparency of a color.

On the Picture Format tab, select Color or Recolor, and then select Set Transparent Color.

Click or tap the color in the picture or image that you want to make transparent.

Note: You can’t make more than one color in a picture transparent. Areas that appear to be a single color might actually be made up of a range of subtle color variations. The color that you select might appear in only a small area, and it might be difficult to see the transparent effect in certain pictures.

You can’t make a picture transparent in Word for the web. You have to use a desktop version of Word (on either Windows or macOS) instead.

Make a picture transparent

Basic steps to picture transparency

In short, the steps for making a picture transparent are:

Draw a shape first, fill it with a picture, and then adjust the picture’s transparency.

This process is demonstrated in the video. For more details on this procedure and other methods, click a procedure heading below to expand it and see the details.

Detailed steps for transparency

Select Insert > Shapes. Choose a shape from the gallery that opens.

Draw the shape in your document, making it the same proportions as the picture you’re about to add to it.

Select the shape. Click Format > Shape Outline > No Outline.

Right-click the shape again, and then click Format Shape.

In the Format Shape pane, click the Fill icon , and then click Picture or texture fill.

Click the File button. In the Insert Picture dialog box, locate the picture file that you want to insert. Select the picture and then select the Insert button.

Move the Transparency slider in the Format Shape pane to adjust the picture.

Or you may enter a number in the box next to the slider: 0 is fully opaque, the default setting; and 100% is fully transparent.

If you change the original size ratio of your shape by dragging it, the picture you insert into the shape may be skewed. Also, some pictures may not fit perfectly into certain shapes. You can make adjustments to the appearance of your picture by resizing your shape or by using the Offset settings below the transparency slider.

You can make one color in a picture transparent by using the built-in transparency feature.

Unlike making an entire picture transparent, making only one color transparent is possible only in an object that’s inserted as a picture, not inside a shape. If your picture is inserted in a shape as fill, as described above, the Set Transparent Color option is not available.

Important: Areas that seem to be a single color (for example, green leaves) might actually be made up of a range of subtle color variations, and you might not get the effect you want. Setting a transparent color works best with simple, solid-color pictures, such as clip art.

Double-click the picture, and when Picture Tools appears, click Picture Tools Format > Color.

Click Set Transparent Color, and when the pointer changes, click the color you want to make transparent.

In the picture below, the leaves are composed of several colors of green, so only part of the leaves are made transparent, which makes it difficult to see the transparent effect. Repeating the process with a different color will remove the transparency from the first color. To undo color changes, click Reset Picture in the Adjust group.

Note: When you print pictures with transparent areas, the transparent areas are the same color as the paper. On your screen or a website, the transparent areas are the same color as the background.

How to make a picture transparent

Best for: Making a photo background transparent online for free

OS: Any (with internet access)

Price: Free

Unlike most of the other programs here, LunaPic is an online program specifically designed to remove backgrounds from images. It’s a free tool, which is great for photo editors on a budget, but, despite its simplicity, it’s not the most intuitive software. The link to remove the entire background (instead of a selected color) is available but isn’t very obvious to a user who doesn’t know to look for it. Also, while the program can automatically turn your photo’s background invisible, its trim function isn’t very precise and leaves some of the background or may cut out some of the edges of the main subject of the image.

Key features:

One-click feature to make a selected color transparent

One-click feature to create a transparent background

Pros:

Provides a way to remove image backgrounds for free

Convert to a transparent background online with no download

Cons:

Lacks many photo editing tools

Automated trim to remove background isn’t very precise

remove.bg

Best for: Quickly removing an image’s background online

OS: Any (with internet access)

Price: Free

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5, 15 reviews

remove.bg is an online program that allows users to remove backgrounds or convert a white background to transparent. This free web app allows users to make a picture background transparent in a single step. You can download a preview PNG file of your image without paying for anything or creating an account. If you want to download an HD image, though, you’ll need to create a free remove.bg account.

Key features:

One-click background removal

Pros:

Simple user interface

Fast background removal

Free preview image download without account

Cons:

Requires users to sign up to download HD images

Lacks photo editing tools

No customizability on background removal

Adobe ® Express

Best for: Creating images from templates on a mobile device

OS: Any desktop (with internet access), iOS 14.0 or higher, Android OS 8.0 or higher

Adobe® Express is Adobe’s online and mobile photo editing platform. It’s essentially designed to be a lighter, more user-friendly alternative to Photoshop® for users who want to create images for social media, websites, PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, and print media. Along with the ability to get a transparent background for an uploaded image, it also includes multiple templates for different platforms and media.

Key features:

Pre-made image templates for social media

Image resizing and cropping

Convert from JPG to PNG or PNG to JPG

Pros:

User-friendly for beginners

Works on any desktop with a compatible browser

Easily remove backgrounds from images

Cons:

Requires a monthly subscription

Lacks advanced photo editing tools and features

How to create a transparent background with Picverse Photo Editor

Here’s how to make an image background transparent with Picverse Photo Editor:

Install Picverse Photo Editor on your computer and open the program.

Click the Open photo button or drag and drop your image into the program.

Open the Change Background tab on the right.

Choose Automatically to have the background automatically removed.

Or click Manually for the manual background selection and click an object to select it. Click Continue.

When you’re done, click Finish.

Save your edited image.

How to make the background of a picture transparent with Adobe ® Photoshop ®

If you’re comfortable with Photoshop®, you can create a transparent background in just a few steps:

Open your image file in Photoshop®.

Click on the Layers panel in the Window menu.

In the Layers panel, click on the Background layer and click OK.

Choose the Magic Wand tool from the Toolbar.

From the Options bar, click on Select Subject.

Using the Magic Wand, make any refinements you want to the subject.

Go to the Select menu and choose Inverse. This will select your background.

Delete the selected area (your background) and save the image.

How to make a white background transparent with Microsoft Paint

Here’s how to give an image a transparent background in MS Paint:

Open MS Paint on your desktop or navigate to CanvasPaint.org in your preferred browser.

Click the Select button and choose Transparent selection.

Choose Free-form selection.

Hold the left button down on your mouse while you trace the area you want to keep in your image.

When you’re done, a rectangle will appear on your image. Right-click on it and select Cut.

Open a new page in Paint and paste the image you just copied. Save your new project.

How to make a picture’s background transparent with Canva

Transparency is easy with Canva, especially if you already have a white background:

Go to Canva and start a new design.

Upload your image and double-click it to import it into your design.

If you have an existing background, select it and click the trash icon to delete it. If you don’t have a background, make sure that your background color is set to white.

Click the Download button at the top right of the screen. Choose the option to save your file as a PNG, and it will download with a transparent background.

Summary: How to choose the right program for you

With the reviews and info in this article, you should now have everything you need to know how to make the background of a picture transparent. But how will you decide which program is the best for you? Here are a few considerations that may help narrow down your choices:

Features: Do you just need to make a white background transparent on an existing image? Or do you need a program that can automatically select your image’s subject and cut the background out for you? What about other editing tools? After you cut out your background, what other tools will you need to finish your project?

User interface: If you’re not a pro photo editor, you’ll want to choose a program that’s user-friendly and won’t leave you feeling frustrated. If you’re a veteran creator, you may want to make sure that your chosen program has all the tools that you need for your image editing projects.

Price: Do you have the budget to pay for a monthly or annual license? Do you need a free program, or can you afford a one-time lifetime license? Find the program that does what you need within your budget.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a PNG background transparent?

Use Picverse Photo Editor:

Import your PNG using the Open photo button.

Open the Change Background tab.

Remove the background automatically or manually.

Save your edited PNG.

Does a PNG file have a transparent background?

PNG (short for portable network graphics) is a type of image file used by web designers and graphic designers because it offers the option to create images with fully or partially transparent backgrounds. In fact, PNG is the only image file format that supports transparent backgrounds.

How to Make an Image Background Transparent?

Get it done in a minute with PhotoWorks or try other handy ways

Full support for Windows 11, 10, 8, 7

How to Make the Background of a Picture Transparent in 2022

Need to save a picture with a transparent background for your creative blog or online shop? Or your gorgeous photos just turned out mediocre because of a so-so background and it needs to be wiped out now? I agree, erasing a background without damaging the main object may seem challenging at first. Well, listen here, I’ve got a number of different way-outs you can easily try. They are meant for both for new and advanced users and involve various programs like Paint, PowerPoint and Photoshop.

Now here are all the 7 ways for making a background transparent:

If you are a newbie at image editing, check out the way with PhotoWorks. This automatic photo editor has an intuitive workflow, so you will make the background transparent in just a few strokes of a special brush. The best part is you can easily add background to pictures too. Pick one from the collection or insert your own picture, click the button and your new image is ready!

Way 1. Turn a Photo Background Transparent in PhotoWorks

If you prefer simple user-friendly editors over complex software just like me, then this method is for you. There are many easy-to-use programs that have their own ups and downs, but I suggest picking PhotoWorks. Its toolkit is very extensive and can be compared to top photo editors.

Now here are the steps for making a background transparent in PhotoWorks:

Step 1. Pick the ‘Change Background’ Tool

Open the Tools tab and choose Change Background.

Pick the ‘Change Background’ tool from the list

Step 2. Mark the Areas You Want to Separate

Select the Object brush and make a few strokes near the object’s edge to separate it from the background. The software will place a green selection. Now point out the background with the other brush and it will be marked with a red color.

A couple of strokes will be enough to remove the background

Step 3. Tweak the Selection

Once done, the software will convert the background to transparent automatically. Use the same brushes to correct the selection edges if necessary.

If the object gets mixed with the background, make a few more strokes to fix that

Step 4. Save Your Image with Transparent Background

Click ‘Save with transparent background’ to keep the new image as a PNG file.

Save your picture as a PNG to add a new background later

Simple as that! No more cumbersome selections, just a few strokes and everything’s done. I bet you want to try it out with your own images? Use the link below to download:

Way 2. Make Transparent Background with Paint

You may be not experienced in photo editing but you heard about MS Paint for sure. This extremely simple image editor is built into all Windows systems, and it has been a lifesaver for many users. You will be surprised, but you can edit the background or even make it transparent with this program as well. If your computer is running Windows 7 or higher, then you should already have Paint.

Here are the steps for this program:

Step 1. Choose ‘Transparent Selection’

Click Select and put a tick for Transparent Selection. Now pick Free-form selection from the list.

Since you will be doing a manual selection, pick something with simple lines

Step 2. Select the Object

Trace the object with the Free-form selection.

Try making the selection in one step, otherwise you’ll have to start all over again

Step 3. Give Your Image a Transparent Background

Click Cut in the top left corner or just press CTRL+X on your keyboard to cut out the selected area. Now open a different JPG picture or a transparent canvas and paste your object there.

We placed the object to the new, more suitable background

In Microsoft Paint, it all depends on your precision, because you won’t be able to adjust anything in the process. The software will crop exactly by the line you made, so if your hand is not steady, better to take the method with the paint-over selection.

Have a RAW pic that you want to give a transparent background, but need to turn it into a more convenient format first? Learn how to convert RAW photos to JPEG files with no effort at all.

Way 3. Remove a Photo Background in PowerPoint

If you often use PowerPoint for making presentations, then this way is for you. PowerPoint is a part of Microsoft Office package and lets you not only make slideshows, but also perform basic edits for the pics and other content you use in them.

Need to turn a background transparent for an image slide in PowerPoint? Then follow these steps:

Step 1. Choose ‘Remove Background’

Click your image, then go to the Picture Format tab and select Remove Background. PowerPoint will separate the object from the background automatically.

PowerPoint is smart enough to determine the background automatically

Step 2. Correct the Automatic Replacement

The violet color lets you see all the lines and define the selection

Step 3. Save Your Image as a PNG File

When done, click outside of the image to apply the changes, then save your image as a PNG file to preserve transparency.

Don’t forget to save your image as a PNG file to keep transparency

Keep in mind that this way will work only if you have Office 2010 or later.

This is a nice working method if you need an image with a transparent background for one of your presentations. However, if the picture is required for other purposes and you want to use the software that’s meant to edit images in the first place, then I suggest skipping this method.

Way 4. Create Transparent Background in Photoshop

Photoshop is one of the most popular image editors, so it’s not a surprise that this software is on our list. Photoshop is suitable for a variety of tasks: from simple crop-here-insert-there to complex photo retouching. If you have some design in your mind, 99% it can be made with this program.

If you have an Adobe subscription, then here are the steps for making the background transparent in Photoshop:

Step 1. Pick ‘Quick Selection’ from the Toolbar

Choose Quick Selection and set its size.

Our object has clearly visible lines, so we will use Quick Selection

Step 2. Select the Object You Want to Keep

Click the area you want to save. Photoshop will place a selection automatically without touching the background. Continue clicking to cover up the whole area.

This method is similar to the one where you place strokes to mark the areas

Step 3. Tweak the Selection Edges

Automatic selection can fail sometimes, so switch to ‘Subtract from selection’ and correct the edges. Better to do this with a smaller brush.

Use a smaller brush to select small or less visible details

Step 4. Make a Photo Background Transparent

We need to inverse the selection: right-click it and choose Select Inverse. Your background will be selected now instead of the object. Then just press Delete on your keyboard to erase it.

Remove the background just by pressing the Delete button

The process of making a background transparent in Photoshop is rather simple, especially when you’re creating a logo or some similar design with visible edges. But once you have your image where the lines between the object and surroundings are not that obvious, you will have to use manual selection with the lasso. Otherwise the automatic tool will most likely fail to determine the edges and will select large, unneeded areas.

If you are trying to remove the logo from a picture, because you lost the original image, then better check out this guide on how to get watermarks off pictures. It suggests other, more simple methods, than just erasing the whole background.

Way 5. Erase a Photo Background in Publisher

If you use Microsoft Publisher from the Office package to do different designs for calendars, posters, greeting cards and so on, then here is the way for you. It often happens that you want to make a transparent background for one of your designs to add something extra later. You don’t have to turn to Photoshop here: you can remove the background right in Publisher.

Here are the steps:

Step 1. Import Your Image

Pick a layout and add your photo.

Stretch your photo if you don’t need the white template frames

Step 2. Open ‘Picture Tools’

Click Picture Tools and choose Recolor.

Find Recolor in Picture Tools

Step 3. Turn the Background Transparent

Select Set Transparent Color and click the color area you want to erase. The software will replace this area with a transparent one.

Try to be precise with the click or the program will pick a new area after the second click

This way is only suitable for pictures with a plain background. Otherwise you will get white spots all over the image.

This method of making photo background transparent in Publisher is rather easy and lets you erase the background just by making a click. But if you want to tweak the selection edges or change the transparency level, I’m afraid you’ll have to try some other way.

Way 6. Make a Transparent Background in GIMP

Want a powerful and multifunctional photo editor but prefer to save your money? Meet GIMP, a program similar to Photoshop that you can get for free. When it comes to making a transparent background, the editor can easily do that even with photos that have complicated backdrops. Check out our quick tutorial to learn more about how to work with this editor:

Use GIMP to make the background of your pic transparent

GIMP offers a handy way to erase any type of background. However, the editor isn’t intuitive, and it would be difficult for you to figure it out without a tutorial. The same goes for the program’s other features. So in case you prefer easier interfaces and aren’t planning to switch to professional programs, GIMP might get you frustrated. But if you are a professional or studying to become one, this free photo editor would become a great Photoshop alternative for you. Check out a detailed GIMP tutorial to learn some more tips on this way!

Want to enhance several images but don’t have much time? Learn how to edit multiple photos at once and polish up a whole batch of pictures in mere minutes.

Way 7. Turn a Photo Background Transparent Online

If you prefer online editors to desktop ones and have a stable connection at home or wherever you edit, try remove.bg. It is a photo processor that erases the background from your photo automatically the moment you import it. That makes it the easiest way of making the background of a photo transparent. Let’s dive into the tutorial so you can get a better feel of the editor:

Turn the background of your image transparent online

It takes no effort to get a transparent backdrop on a photo with contrasting colors or an isolated background in this online service. But while editing photos with a complicated background, remove.bg often makes mistakes. So you will regularly have to erase some parts of the background manually. The same will happen if you work on a photo where both the objects and the backdrop have similar colors.

In this detailed 2022 list of 7 simple methods for making a background transparent, you will surely find your go-to editor. Then, all you have to do is follow our steps and make a convenient pic you can overlay on any background you want.