How to make transparent background in paint

How to Make MS Paint Turn White Background Transparent

There are many situations where you may want to use images with a transparent background. Images with transparent background stack on each other very well and your particular task may require images with transparent background. However, there is no option to save images with transparent background MS Paint, Windows’ built-in image application.

Many Paint users are confused with an option in Select tool under Image group on Paint’s Home tab. This is the Transparent Selection option that you can toggle on and off. Paint users select this option and hope that their saved image will have a transparent background. Unfortunately, this is not true. Transparent Selection option only works within the Paint application and it only works with the white background. To try this option, follow these steps.

Click the small arrow on Select tool under Image group and check Transparent Selection

Now select an area of the image that contains a part of the image and a part of the white background.

Copy and paste this selection to another area of the image.

You will see that the white part of the selection is transparent. However, when you save the image, the white area of the image will not be transparent.

Fortunately, there is a hack that you can use to have images with transparent backgrounds. However, you need Microsoft PowerPoint for this hack to work. If you have Microsoft PowerPoint installed, you are ready to go. Follow these steps to remove background color of your image.

Insert your image into Microsoft PowerPoint.

Select the image.

In Picture Tools, go to Adjust group and click the Color

Select Set Transparent Color. A color selection tool will be attached to your mouse cursor. Precisely click in your picture on the color you want to remove.

You will see the color being removed instantaneously. Right click the picture and click Save as picture.

Choose PNG from Save as type dropdown menu in the Save As Picture dialogue box.

Note: If the background color is present in other areas of the picture, it will be removed as well.

Your saved picture will have a transparent background.

How to Make a Transparent Background in MS Paint

If you regularly use Microsoft Paint as a basic graphic design tool, you may find yourself wanting to create a transparent background. Perhaps you wish to refine your work by guiding the viewer’s perspective to a certain part of an image. Or maybe you wish to layer a certain image on top of another without any unwanted background mess.

Whatever your reason, understanding how to implement the transparency tool on MS Paint can enhance the overall quality of your work. Fortunately, the process is relatively straightforward.

In this article, we’ll take you on a step-by-step guide on how to successfully activate the transparency tool on MS Paint from your desktop. Plus, we’ll provide advice on any issues you may face while doing so.

How to Make a Transparent Background on Windows 10 using MS Paint

If you’re editing a particular image using MS Paint, you may wish to create a transparent background for an overall more enhanced effect. Here’s how to do it using Windows 10:

How to Make a Transparent Text Background using MS Paint

A transparent text background is often used on MS Paint to elevate a design effect. The feature can add depth to your project and is a handy piece of knowledge to have.

Here’s how to do it:

What to Do when MS Paint Transparent Background isn’t Working

If you’ve followed all the steps towards creating a transparent background but for some reason, the function still isn’t working. For example, you might find that some parts of the area you’ve selected aren’t turning transparent.

More often than not, the issue is due to missing out on one of the steps when using the Transparent Selection tool. For instance, you may have forgotten to tick that box before clicking on Rectangular Selection or Free-form selection.

Fear not, for we have an easy way of fixing this issue. Just follow these steps, making sure not to miss anything out:

If you’ve followed these steps and are still struggling to create a transparent background, then you may want to implement image conversion software. An example of such a system is Microsoft’s Image Converter which can help you refine any issues you may be experiencing with transparency on MS Paint.

Be More Transparent

Adding a transparent background to an image on MS Paint can help you enhance the overall design of your project. Knowing how to utilize this tool can be a crucial part of your graphics editing journey, especially if you’re a beginner. Many people who are just getting started in a graphics design career may choose to use MS Paint as a way of getting to know the editing process before switching to more advanced software.

Do you use MS Paint for your projects? Have you found it easy to create a transparent background? Let us know about your experiences in the comments section below.

How to Make Transparent Background in Paint

Make a Transparent Background in Paint

Paint has an option of ‘Transparent Selection’ under ‘Select’ drop-down, which claims to make the background color of the selected area of the image transparent or opaque.

But this ‘Transparent Selection’ option will only leave your selected part of the image with a white background and not transparent

Please follow these steps:

You will notice that the deleted area of the image turned to white but not transparent. Therefore to make Transparent Background you can use another popular Microsoft software i.e MS Word.

How to Make Transparent Background in MS Word

Making a transparent background of an image in MS Word is too easy, you just need to follow 3 simple steps as mentioned below:

1. Insert the image in a word document.

2. From the top navigation select ‘Format’ and then click on ‘Remove Background’ tab

It will give you a preview of the transparent background image. Click on ‘Keep Changes’ Button to Remove Background

3. Save Image

Right-click the image and select ‘Save as Picture.’ A transparent image will get saved in your computer

How to make a background transparent in MS Paint and Paint 3D

Paint is the inbuilt app of Microsoft Windows it is pre-installed in each version of Window. The app has limited features with a simple interface that make it easy to use. However, Microsoft has added a new version of paint in Windows 10 “Paint 3D”. The new Paint is completely different from the classic Paint with new features, tools, and functioning. In both, Paint and Paint 3D you can make the background transparent. You can make the background transparent by cutting out the foreground area of a picture. Alternatively, by removing an area form an image. Here is how to make a transparent background in Paint and Paint 3D.

How to make a picture’s background transparent in Paint

1. Click the ‘Cortana’ button.

2. Type ‘Paint’ in the search box of Cortana.

3. Select ‘Paint’ from results to open it.

4. Now, click on the ‘File.’

6. Find and select a picture to open.

7. Then, click on the ‘Select’ button.

8. Select ‘Transparent selection’ from the drop-down options.

9. Then, click on the ‘Free-form selection’ in the same dropdown menu.

10. Move the cursor on the picture to select an area to make transparent.

11. Left-click and hold down the button.

12. And select the object.

13. When the rectangle appears on the selected portion, right click on it.

14. Select ‘Cut’ from the menu.

15. After cutting, open a new picture.

16. And paste (Ctrl + V) the paste part on the new image.

17. Left click on the pasted part to adjust and set up.

As you’ve selected the ‘Transparent selection,’ only the object will paste, and all will remain the same in the new image.

How to make a picture’s background transparent in Paint 3D

In the classic Paint app, after cutting the foreground part, it leaves a blank space, and it remains blank if you save and open the image again. In Paint 3D app there is no full layers tool, but you can insert one image on another.

2. Type and search for the ‘Paint 3D’.

3. Select ‘Paint 3D’ from the results to open it.

4. Click on ‘Menu.’

6. Then ‘Browser files’.

7. Find a picture to open.

8. Click an image to open it in Paint 3D.

9. Click the ‘Canvas’ button at the top.

10. Click and turn off ‘Transparent canvas.’

11. Click on ‘Select’ at the top.

12. Move the selection rectangle to an area of the picture to delete.

13. Press ‘ Ctrl + X’ to cut the selected area.

14. Click on ‘Menu.’

15. Select ‘Save as.’

16. Select ‘2D PNG’ for the file type.

17. Click the ‘File name’ field to change the name of your painting.

18. After that, click on ‘Menu.’

19. Select ‘New’ for a new drawing sheet.

20. To open a saved file, open menu> select Open > browse the file and open.

21. To open the transparent picture you saved, open menu > select insert > click ‘select.’

That’s it! The image will fill the transparent area, and you can resize and rotate it to adjust.

How to Make Background Transparent in Paint 3D

An image with a transparent background appears more powerful. You may be wondering why? Well, there is no background to distract you. Secondly, you can create a new image by adding the transparent image on top of any larger image to blend them perfectly.

Most importantly, you can use any color as the background since it is transparent by default.

That’s why making an image transparent makes sense. But how does one do that without installing any third-party software on Windows? That’s where Paint 3D, the updated version of our beloved Paint sweeps in.

First, you need to remove the existing background by selecting the object. The background can be of any color — white, red, pink, black, etc. or any pattern. Then, transparency needs to be added followed by saving the image with transparency.

Don’t worry. We have covered the steps in detail here. Let’s jump in.

1. Select Object Using Magic Select Tool

For that, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open your image in Paint 3D.

Step 2: Click on the Magic Select tool present in the top bar.

Step 3: A selection box will appear. Use the corners or sides of the box to select the portion of the image whose background you want to change. Then click on Next on the right side.

Step 4: Paint 3D will automatically detect the object inside the selection. If you are satisfied with the selection, click Done on the right side. Otherwise, use the Add or Remove tools also present on the right side to modify the selection.

Click on the Add tool and then select the part of the image that you want to add to your selection. Similarly, click on Remove tool and click the area that you want to remove.

Step 5: Once you press the Done button, you will see a new box appears outside the selected image indicating that it’s now a separate object. You can use the various tools present on the box to rotate or flip the image.

2. Remove Background in Paint 3D

Method 1: Delete Background

Step 1: With the image selected, drag it outside of the background using your mouse.

Step 2: Click on the Select tool at the top and select the entire background. You will see dotted lines appear around the selection.

Step 3: Now, either click on the Delete button on the right side or press the Delete key on your keyboard.

Step 4: You will see that the background turns white. Click on the object once and drag it back on the white background.

We have successfully removed the background. It’s time to make the background transparent. For that, follow the steps mentioned in the ‘Make white background transparent’ section below.

Method 2: Using New File

Another way to remove the background is to create a new image. Here are the steps:

Step 1: After the Magic Select tool has extracted the image, right-click on it and select Copy from the menu.

Step 2: Click on the Menu icon at the top and choose New from it. A pop-up will appear asking you to save the previous image. Click on Don’t save.

Step 3: A new blank image will open with a white background. Right-click on it and select Paste from the menu.

Your copied image without its old background will appear on the white background.

Now, it’s time to remove the background altogether.

3. Make White Background Transparent

Finally, when you have your image on a white background, you can make it transparent. For that, click on the Canvas option at the top and enable the toggle for Transparent canvas present on the right side.

Tip:

Once you do so, you will see that the white background disappears and your image becomes transparent.

However, we are not done yet. A very crucial step of saving the image follows.

4. Save Transparent Image

With the background out of the way, it’s time to save our final image. For that, follow these steps:

Step 1: Hit the Menu icon and select Save as from the menu with the format as Image.

Step 2: Next, you need to make sure two things. First, the drop-down box under Save as type should be showing PNG (image). If it’s showing any other format, change it to PNG (image). Secondly, the Transparency box should be checked.

Saving the file in PNG format is extremely important. If you save in JPG, which is different from PNG, you will lose the transparency.

Tip

Step 3: Finally, click on the Save button. You will be asked to assign a name and choose the save location. Congratulations! Your image with a transparent background is ready.

Note:

All Hail Transparency

Making an image transparent is one of the most desirable image-editing features. Fortunately, Paint 3D offers a simple way to achieve that. We hope you didn’t face any issue while removing the background and making it transparent. Do let us know if you need any other help regarding Paint 3D.

Next up: Now that the background is gone, wondering how to replace the background in Paint 3D? Check our simple tutorial on it.

Last updated on 13 July, 2021

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