How to Remove Background from Pictures in Photoshop - 4 Proven Ways

Why remove the background from photos

• Creates a professional look: A clean background makes your image look polished and professional-quality. It eliminates all distractions, resulting in a refined and high-end appearance.
• Emphasizes the subject clearly: The removal of backgrounds from photos effectively draws the viewer's attention toward the subject. This also maintains the focus of the image subject, making it more impactful. This is especially effective in product demonstrations.
• Allow transparency: Transparent backgrounds allow for images to easily be incorporated into multiple projects, designs, and uses. Transparent backgrounds are perfect for logos, thumbnails, or images that will be layered in a new visual.
• Enhances visual consistency: By removing the messy backgrounds, you can create a uniform look across several images. Consistency improves your content's visual identity.
• Boosts branding and marketing appeal: Background-removed images can easily be used for branded templates or ads. This enables you to maintain the style guidelines, making your marketing more cohesive and consistent.
• Privacy protection: Removing background from images can eliminate sensitive and personal details from the surrounding environment. This allows you to maintain privacy when sharing photos online.

Photoshop: A brief introduction

Photoshop is Adobe's flagship software, renowned for image editing, design, and digital art creation. Its standout features include layer-based editing, content-aware tools, and AI-powered object selection. One of its strongest features is accurate background removal, enabling you to isolate subjects with precision using tools such as the 'Remove Background' button and manual masking. Whether you're editing portraits or designing graphics, Photoshop provides you with complete editing control.

How to remove backgrounds from pictures in Photoshop

STEP 1
1. Import your photo

To begin, open Adobe Photoshop and navigate to "File," then "Open," and select an image from your computer that you want to edit. Once it's loaded into the workspace, double-click on the image to unlock the background layer in the Layers panel.

STEP 2
1. Remove background from photos

Way 1: Photoshop background removal tool

Begin by duplicating the image layer to preserve the original. Next, head to the "Properties" panel and click the "Remove Background" button under the Quick Actions section. Photoshop will automatically detect and isolate the subject, removing the background.

Way 2: Quick Selection Tool

To remove the background from a picture in Photoshop, select the "Quick Selection Tool" from the toolbar. Next, click and drag your subject to highlight it. Once selected, press "CTRL+SHIFT+I" on Windows to invert the selection, then hit the "Delete" button to remove the background.

Way 3: Background Eraser Tool

Choose the "Background Eraser" tool from the left-hand panel. Adjust the brush size as needed. After that, click on the background color. As you drag the eraser, Photoshop deletes the background while keeping the subject fully intact.

Way 4: Pen Tool

To remove the background from pictures in Photoshop using the Pen tool, select the "Pen" tool and carefully draw a boundary around your subject. Once done, right-click and choose "Make Selection." Press Delete to remove the background around the selected subject, providing you with greater control over the complex edges.

STEP 3
1. Export the image

Once you have successfully removed the background by the above methods, go to "File," then "Export," and then "Export As." Choose your desired format and resolution, and click "Export" to save the image to your PC.

Why should you pick Photoshop for removing the image background

Here are the reasons why you should choose Photoshop for removing the image backgrounds:

• Advanced selection tools: Photoshop offers advanced tools, such as Quick Selection, Select and Mask, and AI object selection, which enable precise background removal, even around complex edges or hair.
• Multiple background removal methods: From one-click background removal to manual techniques, like the Pen Tool and Background Eraser, Photoshop offers various styles to suit different skill levels and image types.
• Supports transparent backgrounds: Photoshop enables you to export images in formats such as PNG, with transparent backgrounds, making it ideal for logos and web design.
• Editable layers and non-destructive workflow: By using masks and layers, you can easily remove or adjust the background without permanently altering the original image, thereby enhancing editing flexibility.
• Ideal for complex backgrounds: Photoshop handles images with noise or complex backgrounds more effectively than other background removal tools, thanks to its edge refinement and powerful masking features.

Removing backgrounds from pictures using Photoshop is an excellent choice. However, it's complex for beginners and not the fastest option for removing image backgrounds. If you're looking for a faster and easier tool for removing backgrounds from images, consider CapCut.

An easier alternative to remove background from pictures: CapCut

CapCut is a versatile video editing software, known for its powerful editing features. It is also an excellent tool for removing backgrounds from images. It offers features like "Auto removal" and "Chroma key," allowing you to remove various types of backgrounds, such as green screens or complex backgrounds. You can also upload a new background by importing a new one. So, get CapCut today and utilize its advanced editing features to remove backgrounds from pictures effortlessly.

Key features

• Auto removal: CapCut's "Auto removal" feature utilizes AI to remove backgrounds with no manual effort required.
• Custom removal: You can use the "Custom removal" tool to draw the specific parts and remove them while keeping other parts intact.
• Chroma key: Remove solid colors, such as green screens, using the Chroma key feature, and replace them with a background of your choice.
• New background upload: Once the background is removed, easily insert a new background image layer below the subject layer to create customized scenes.

Method 1: Remove backgrounds from pictures 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. Once the image is in the timeline, it is ready for editing.

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. It lets you use a brush to erase or restore specific parts of the image. This is perfect for overlapping elements or complex backgrounds.

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.

Method 2: Remove image background using chroma key

STEP 1
1. Import the image

Start by opening CapCut and creating a new project. Then, click "Import" to select an image from your device for editing, or simply drag and drop the image directly onto the timeline. Once the image is placed on the timeline, it's ready for editing.

STEP 2
1. Remove a solid color background

If your image has a slide background, such as a green screen, click the "Chrome key" option to remove the background using the color picker easily. Adjust the intensity and shadows as desired.

STEP 3
1. Export the image

Once satisfied with the final results, click the "three-lines" symbol just above the photo and select "Export still frames." Next, choose your desired format (PNG or JPEG) and click the "Export" button to save the photo to your PC.

Removing background from images: Addressing common mistakes

• Mistake 1: Using low-resolution images

Solution: Low-quality images pose a challenge for both AI and manual tools in accurately detecting edges. Therefore, it is recommended to always use high-resolution images with clear separation between the subject and background for optimal results.

• Mistake 2: Relying only on auto removal

Solution: Auto removal backgrounds aren't perfect, particularly for complex or messy backgrounds. Therefore, it is essential to review the cutout and use custom removal tools to refine the edges. CapCut offers a "Custom removal" option that allows you to fine-tune the removal if you're not satisfied with the auto removal.

• Mistake 4: Choosing the wrong background color for green screen removal

Solution: Using a background color that is too similar to the subject's skin or clothing can result in parts of the subject being removed. So, pick a background color that contrasts well with the subject. CapCut's "Chroma key" feature enables you to remove the green background with a single click, offering options to adjust intensity and shadows for refining the tricky edges.

• Mistake 3: Ignoring fine details

Solution: Subjects with hair or intricate outlines mostly lose the details in rough cutouts. You can use CapCut tools, like masking or erasers, to manually adjust and preserve these areas.

• Mistake 5: Forgetting to export with transparency

Solution: Saving your image in JPG format will flatten the background. Therefore, it is recommended to always export in PNG format if you want to maintain a transparent background. CapCut allows you to export in PNG format with 8K resolution.

Conclusion

Learning how to remove backgrounds from pictures in Photoshop enables you to create visually appealing and polished visuals for a wide range of applications, such as graphic design and branding. In this article, we explored the benefits and the four proven ways to delete backgrounds using Photoshop, including the Background Remover tool, Quick Selection, the Pen tool, and Background Eraser. Although Photoshop is an excellent tool for removing backgrounds, it is complex and not the fastest option. So, if you want a user-friendly alternative with a quick background removal effect, choose CapCut. It offers features, like "Auto removal" and "Chroma key" to help you remove backgrounds easily. Download CapCut today and utilize its advanced editing features for effortless background removal in pictures.

FAQs

1
1. How do I know which background removal to use in Photoshop?

Photoshop offers various background removal options, like the Background Removal tool, Quick Selection, Pen tool, and Background Eraser. The choice of the method depends on the complexity of your image. For example, if you're new and your background is simple, use the Background Removal tool for automatic background removal. Meanwhile, use the Pen tool for clean, straight-line cuts and the Background Eraser for softer edges, like hair or fur. If you want a faster method for background removal, use CapCut, which offers "Auto removal" for automatically removing backgrounds with one click.

2
1. Can I remove the background from images in Photoshop online without a subscription?

Yes, you can delete backgrounds with Photoshop online; however, it offers limited features compared to the desktop version. The "Remove Background" quick action is available, but advanced features, like the Pen tool or Eraser, aren't. Additionally, continuous access to the online version requires an Adobe ID. If you want to remove backgrounds from images for free, CapCut is the best choice, as it offers multiple free options for background removal.

3
1. How to add a new image background on a PC for free?

Using CapCut, you can easily remove the existing backgrounds using the "Auto removal" or "Chrome key" options present under the "Remove BG" section. When the background is removed, import the new background and place it in the timeline below the actual image. So, CapCut offers a quick and easy method to add new image backgrounds on a PC for free.