How to Cut Out an Image in Photoshop - Explore 4 Different Ways

Why cut out an image in Photoshop

• Eliminate distracting backgrounds: Within seconds, you can isolate the subject of a photograph and eliminate distracting backgrounds to give it a clean and professional appearance. It is a massive advantage to Black Friday product listings in which clean visuals promote buyer confidence.
• Make product photos: You can use solid colors like white or black to have a clean background. In the case of promotions like Black Friday, this will make your products evident in banners and advertisements.
• Design flexibility: You can place cutout objects onto fresh layouts, collages, or marketing campaigns without complications. This will enable you to reconfigure product shots across many designs, without needing to reshoot.
• Focus attention: You can remove extraneous information to ensure that viewers can clearly see the object of interest. This helps maintain the attention of audiences on the subject.
• Creative and artistic edits: You can augment images, apply effects, or create digital art with isolated subjects. This will make your ads have the creative advantage of catching the eye easily.

How to cut out an image in Photoshop - 4 different ways

Here you will find comprehensive tutorials to create image cut outs with the four tools of Photoshop. Therefore, you will be able to cut an image simply using the tool you are used to. Keep reading.

Method 1 – Using the quick selection tool

STEP 1
1. Open and access the tool

Begin by opening Adobe Photoshop and placing the image that you wish to cut out on the canvas. The "Quick Selection Tool" is located on the left toolbar, or you can simply press the W on your keyboard and then activate it.

STEP 2
1. Make the selection

Drag the "Quick Selection Tool" on your object. The tool finds similar pixels automatically and forms a selection out of your brush strokes. Select edges with more precision by adjusting the size of the brush.

STEP 3
1. Refine the selection

Keep sharpening until the whole object is highlighted. In case the tool picks the wrong places, press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and drag to remove the parts. Continue to tune until the choice appears clean.

STEP 4
1. Create the cutout layer

In the selection, right-click and select "Layer" via "Cut" or "Layer" via "Copy." Photoshop will create a new layer, which will contain nothing except your cutout object, and you can design with the isolated image at will.

Method 2 – Using the layer mask

STEP 1
1. Prepare the layers

Open Photoshop and load your picture. Pressing the keys Ctrl + J (Windows) or Command + J (Mac) duplicates the background layer. This is to ensure that you can work on a copy and leave the original secure.

STEP 2
1. Select the object

Highlight the object area using any selection tool like "Quick Selection," "Lasso," or "Pen Tool." Trace the subject carefully to ensure that only the desired parts are picked.

STEP 3
1. Apply the layer mask

Click the "Add Layer Mask" icon at the bottom of the layers panel. As soon as you make a choice, all that is not part of your choice is gone, and the object appears on its own dedicated layer.

STEP 4
1. Refine the masked edges

When necessary, sharpen edges using the "Refine Edge Brush" or the "Brush Tool" to remove the finer details, such as hair or soft textures. You have a cutout image that is now polished and ready to use.

Method 3 – Using the magic wand tool

STEP 1
1. Add and select the tool

Launch Photoshop and add the image to an empty canvas. To invoke the "Magic Wand Tool," which can be found in the left toolbar or which can be invoked by the shortcut W.

STEP 2
1. Adjust tolerance settings

Adjust the tolerance value to the top in the options bar. A larger value will choose a broader selection of tones, which is effective with a complex background, whereas a smaller value will narrow the tones to be used in the simple backgrounds.

STEP 3
1. Select and modify the area

Click on the area on the background or object you wish to isolate. Similar pixels will be highlighted automatically with the "Magic Wand Tool." The "Contiguous "option can be turned on or off to use connected areas only or all similar areas throughout the image.

STEP 4
1. Finalize the cutout layer

When you are content, make a right-click on the selection and select either "Layer" via "Cut" or "Layer" via "Copy." A cutout will be added to a new layer, and it will be easier to create creative edits.

Method 4 – Using the pen tool

STEP 1
1. Open and choose the tool

Load your photo into Photoshop and use the "Pen Tool" on the toolbar, or use the shortcut P. The tool provides you with the highest precision in tracing the outline of objects.

STEP 2
1. Create anchor points

Click on the edges of your subject to position anchor points. Click and drag to change the curve handles with curved edges. Keep on tracing the outline until you have a complete outline of the object, and then complete the path by clicking the initial point.

STEP 3
1. Convert path to selection

Right-click on the path made and make a selection. Radius feathers are required to soften edges, and check. Your object is now very neatly chosen.

STEP 4
1. Generate the cutout layer

In the selection, right-click and choose either "Layer" via "Copy" or "Layer" via "Cut." Photoshop will produce a new layer that will only have your cutout object, which can be further edited.

Although Photoshop provides you with mighty cutout tools, its interface may be complicated and time-consuming to use for novices. You might not be good with sharp edges or you can spend hours polishing details. That is where CapCut comes in with background removal in just a few seconds, Design Agent support, and zero learning-curve custom edits.

Best free and easy background removal tool - CapCut desktop

CapCut desktop video editor is the most powerful, free, and easy background removal tool. Its Design Agent feature allows you to slice out images with accuracy in a few clicks. Its "Design Agent" feature allows you to make precise cuts of images in a few clicks. In the auto removal and custom removal, you choose the extent of control you desire. To achieve smooth finishes, polish edges with strokes, glow, or feather effects. This cleans up your images, making them cleaner and more professional for social media, e-commerce, or creative projects. Get CapCut today and have a learning curve cutout experience.

Key features

• Design Agent: CapCut's Design Agent is powered by Seedream 4.0 and Nano Banana, which allows you to cut out any element in an image with pixel-perfect accuracy.
• Auto background remover: Quickly and automatically remove distracting or messy backgrounds with a single click. The tool isolates the subject automatically and yields a clean result.
• Custom edge editing: You can create optional strokes, glow, and feathered removal edges, with cutouts that appear natural. This renders detailed features, such as hair or soft surfaces, to appear more real and smooth.
• Custom text editing: You can add or edit text on your cut-out pictures with a flexible design. This provides you with the freedom to generate ads, banners, or social posts within a short time.
• High-resolution export: You can export your edited images in high-resolution, professional quality without losing their details.

Method 1: Cut out an image using Design Agent

STEP 1
1. Access Design Agent and enter the text prompt

First, launch CapCut and access the "Design Agent" from the left vertical bar. Now, when you are on the design agent interface, import your own image and select "AI tools," select "Remove."

STEP 2
1. Custom cut out

Next, draw the area you want to cut out. Once selected, click the check mark button and "Generate."

STEP 3
1. Download your image

Once everything looks perfect in your image, go to the "Download" tab present in the top right corner. Next, download your picture in the desired format, resolution, and quality to save it to your local device.

Method 2: Cut out the image using auto removal

STEP 1
1. Import the image

To begin, open CapCut and create a new project. Next, click "Import" and select an image from your device that you want to edit. Alternatively, drag and drop the image onto the timeline.

STEP 2
1. Remove the image background

Click on the image on the timeline to select it. Then, go to the "Remove BG" feature under the video section. After that, click "Auto removal" to automatically remove the image background. Once removed, you can add a background of your own choice. If the auto removal effect isn't ideal, you can use the "Custom removal" option.

STEP 3
1. Export the image in high resolution

Once you're satisfied with the final results, click the "three-lines" icon located above the photo and select "Export still frames." Then, choose your preferred format (PNG or JPEG) and click the "Export" button to save the image to your computer.

Useful tips for better cut-out results

• Always do non-destructive work: It allows you to conceal or reveal portions of your picture without losing the original information. Edges can be refined at any time, unlike permanent erasing. CapCut also provides non-destructive editing with custom edge controls, which gives you flexibility even without Photoshop.
• Adjust the details: You can make accurate selections and eliminate harsh lines by zooming to bring results into focus. This measure is beneficial in addressing problematic zones. The auto remover in CapCut will automatically detect fine details, making it easier to achieve quick results when needed.
• Apply feathering and smoothing: Feathering softens edges, while smoothing reduces hard lines. The two adjustments help seamlessly integrate your subject into new backgrounds. CapCut adds on this with edge refinements, such as glow or feather refinements, to instant polish.
• Integrate complex image tools: No one tool handles all images. It is recommended that you overlay techniques. CapCut makes this easier by automatically detecting and adjusting it to a single location.
• Save selections: This saves you tedious work when editing similar pictures. The selection can be reloaded whenever necessary. In CapCut, the same consistency can be created through the saving of projects and easy re-editing.

Conclusion

Learning how to cut out an image in Photoshop will enable you to produce cleaner and more professional images of products, advertisements, or creative work. You were introduced to four useful techniques: Quick Selection, Layer Mask, Magic Wand, and Pen Tool, which allow you to control edges and details. Nevertheless, Photoshop may be time-consuming, particularly for novices. And that is where CapCut is the smarter option because it provides free auto removal, Design Agent support, and zero learning curve custom edge editing. Use CapCut and see how easy it is to cut out an image with a few clicks.

FAQs

1
1. What is the fastest method to cut out an image in Photoshop?

The quickest image cutout process in Photoshop is through the Quick Selection Tool. All you have to do is drag the subject, and Photoshop automatically identifies edges. It is effective on photos where the contrast between the subject and the background is vivid. In case you want even faster results with no manual work, you can go ahead and use CapCut Design Agent and auto remover, which automatically isolates your subject with a single click.

2
1. What is the difference between the Quick Selection and Magic Wand tools for cutouts in Photoshop?

The Quick Selection Tool in Photoshop detects textures and edges based on brush strokes, giving you more control. The Magic Wand Tool selects pixels of similar color with one click, making it better for simple, uniform backgrounds. If you need precision with minimal effort, CapCut's Design Agent combines both accuracy and speed.

3
1. How to cut out an image with a transparent background in Photoshop?

Select your subject, then select Layer, using Cut/Copy in Photoshop. Lastly, erase or delete the background layer. This forms a clear cutout. In case you need a quicker workflow, CapCut can remove backgrounds and save in high-resolution, transparent PNGs within a few seconds.