How to Remove the Background of a Picture — Complete Guide

Imagine that you have taken a fantastic picture. Everything is perfect, from lighting to your pose. The only problem is your background — it detracts from the image’s primary focus and undermines it. Frustrating, right? It’s a typical issue that has long bothered photographers, artists, and designers. If you are unfamiliar with the apps, the question “How to remove the background of a picture” must also frustrate you. But don’t fret; we have all the answers! 

Removing a picture’s background or changing an Instagram story’s background color unlocks creative possibilities. It lets you separate your subject and put it in an entirely new setting, adding a professional touch to your artwork, designs, or images. 

Learning the craft of backdrop removal is a talent worth developing — if you want to produce exceptional photographs, eye-catching graphics, or aesthetically compelling collages. So let’s start learning. 

How to Remove the Background of a Picture in 4 Simple Steps 

Here are four simple steps to remove a background from a photo:

Step 1:  Select the photo-editing software or app of your choice. Photoshop and Canva are two common choices.

Step 2: Open the image on your app to which you want to remove a background.

Step 3: Find a feature or tool that lets you add or modify the background. You can use Photoshop’s “Layers” panel to add a layer for the background.

Step 4: Now, you can upload or share your image.

Best Methods for “How to Remove the Background of a Picture”

Fortunately, several methods and technologies are present to help in this endeavor. Several possibilities range from sophisticated photo-editing apps like Adobe Photoshop to user-friendly web pages. The smooth separation of the subject from the backdrop is the common objective of all methods, each with a unique quality.

But for those wanting a more automated approach, AI software is in every person’s hands today. With them, you can remove the background and make your pictures more appealing with such precision. They are now popular options for people looking for a simple and quick fix.

So, continue reading to explore all the details about this revolutionary approach. We will reveal the essentials of how to remove the background from a picture. Ready to step up your Instagram game? Read on.

How to Remove the Background of a Picture in Photoshop

You may easily remove the undesirable backdrop from your image with free image background remover: Adobe.

To learn “how to remove the background of a picture in Photoshop”, open the photo in Photoshop. Here, find the layer panel on the right side of your screen. You can duplicate the present layer by hitting Command+J on a Mac or CTRL+J on a Windows computer.

You’re almost there. Look for the “Remove Background” icon on the Quick Actions window. Click on it, and Photoshop will handle the rest. Your subject will remain unaltered while the application will automatically remove the background.

While using it, remember that it is a quick and easy way to remove a background. You may not get smooth borders on your picture. So, if you are okay with it, it is worth trying.

Here are two Adobe Photoshop features that will benefit you:

Quick Selection Tool

It’s a handy tool that rapidly detects where the subject area closes and the background commences in your image using cutting-edge technology.

This tool performs well when there’s a distinct difference between the main object you choose and the background behind it. However, it could become confusing if the colors or patterns are too similar. And you may have to spend much time adding or removing portions of the selection.

After utilizing the quick selection tool to create the initial selection, you may expand or reduce it. Doing this will give you more control over the image’s inclusion or exclusion from the selection.

If you are wondering how to remove the background of a picture using this tool, here are the six easy steps to get started:

1. Go to Photoshop and open your image.
2. On the Photoshop Toolbox, locate the Quick Selection Tool on the menu on the left. Try finding it alongside the Magic Wand Tool.
3. Enable “Enhance Edge” by clicking the Settings box. Doing this can improve the quality and smoothness of your selection’s edges.
4. Move over the region you wish to pick while clicking the tool. The Quick Selection tool will check for related tones and attempt to locate the selection’s borders.
5. If you want to add more items, simply click and drag to another location.
6. You can also erase parts of the tool selection that picked more than you intended. Hold the Option or Alt keys while moving over the portion you wish to eliminate on a Mac or Windows computer.

How Do You Remove the Background From an Image Using Background Eraser Tool

Background Eraser tool is the answer for “How do you remove the background from an image.” The software allows users to remove backdrops from pictures where the subject and the background have apparent differences in depth. It picks up the color in the brush’s center and chooses pixels with the exact or a similar color. You can move your mouse over them to select what you want to exclude from your image’s backdrop. Here’s how:

1. Launch Photoshop and open your image.
2. Search in the Photoshop Toolbox for the Background Eraser Tool. If you click and hold the Eraser tool or press the “E” key, you can open the Eraser submenu containing it.
3. Ensure that the brush is the suitable size. Using the menu bar or the bracket keys [ or ], you can modify it. Smaller brushes are essential for precise regions since larger brushes operate faster. You can also enlarge an area to focus on a particular detail.
4. Make sure that a large value is selected for the brush hardness. Fuzzy edges may result in unwanted markings. To change the difficulty level, press Shift and either bracket key simultaneously.
5. Set “Find Edges” as the Limits option in the menu.
6. When you want to erase a color, put the brush’s center over it and click. The tool will keep some colors while removing all matching stains within tolerance limits.
7. The tool’s tolerance decides how many colors it can erase. Start the tolerance values at 25, then modify as necessary.
8. Keep in mind that the tool erases any similar color it is placed over if the crosshairs are not on the background color you intended to erase. 
9. By default, the Background Eraser Tool has the setting to Continuous Sampling, indicating that it is continually sampling colors as you drag the brush.

How to Remove the Background of a Picture on iPhone?

There are several benefits of changing and deleting the backgrounds of your Instagram stories or random pictures. Want to learn how to remove the background of a picture on iPhone? Let’s review some of the top choices for iPhone users and go through them step-by-step so you learn how they work. 

How to Remove the Background of a Picture Shortcut

You can download the background remover shortcut app as an iPhone user. It will allow you to remove the background easily. Use a specific shortcut to use the Adobe API to recognize and remove backgrounds from the images on your phone. 

However, remember that you cannot enhance or tidy up a modified image’s edge if the shortcut doesn’t edit your photo precisely. Here are some tips:

1. Install the shortcut app on your phone.
2. After downloading, you may need permission to utilize a third-party app. To use this, go to settings, select shortcuts, and turn on the “Allow Untrusted Shortcut” checkbox.
3. Now, you can access it online or in the shortcut app gallery.
4. Give that shortcut a name you want, such as BG Remover.
5. To authorize and add the shortcut to your library, click the “Add Untrusted Shortcut” option.
6. Now, you can use the app to remove the background.
7. You can select a picture from the gallery and give permission to the app to access your photos.
8. To save the picture to your gallery, touch the image, click the Share icon, and then select the “Save Image” option. To save your modifications, do this before hitting “Done” on the image.

How to Use the Preview App on Mac to Remove Backgrounds

Although it isn’t made particularly for editing images on iPhone – it’s helpful if you copy your iPhone pictures to your computer or sync them via iCloud.

If you own a Mac, you are probably already familiar with Preview, which is frequently used for document marking and taking screenshots. But Preview also contains some interesting photo-editing features. Instant Alpha, its built-in tool, can assist you in erasing backgrounds from your images. 

Let’s look at six steps to how to remove the background of a picture on an iPhone and translate them to Preview:

1. Open Preview on your Mac and select the image you want to edit.
2. Click on the Markup button from the toolbar. It has the appearance of a pen tip.
3. Search for the Instant Alpha button that resembles a magic wand and click on it.
4. Select the area of the backdrop you want to erase by clicking and dragging your cursor over it. The Preview app will automatically choose adjoining pixels of the same color. The region you select will be highlighted in pink color.
5. Tap the Delete key on your keyboard to erase the pixels from the image.
6. If necessary, carry out steps 4 and 5 to eliminate the whole background. You might need to repeat this process several times to completely remove the backdrop because Preview only eliminates portions of the selected area.

How to Remove the Background of a Picture Using PhotoScissors 

The PhotoScissors app is accessible on iPhone and iPad. For Mac users who want a web-based alternative, there is also a desktop variant. However, there’s one restriction: you cannot save your modified photographs in the free edition. You start with five credits in the free version and can change one image per credit. 

Here’s how to remove the background of a picture using PhotoScissors:

1. Go to the app and upload the image to remove the background.
2. The app will mark a green mask on the primary subject (your photo).
3. To choose an image from your smartphone to upload, open the app and press the folder icon.
4. The app will mark the image with a green mask that you want to remove.
5. Keep in mind that anything the green mask covers will be part of the final cut-out, while anything outside the mask will eliminate to create the background.
6. Use your finger to trace over certain aspects you wish to emphasize and put in the cut-out if the application doesn’t apply appropriately.
7. Last, tap to examine the photo without the background if you’re pleased with the mask.

How to Remove the Background of a Picture Using Pixel Cuts

With the right tools, you can remove a picture background easily. For example, Pixel Cuts lets you do it in three simple steps. Here’s how:

1. Snap a photo, or you can also select from your gallery.
2. To eliminate the background, scroll your finger down the slider.
3. After removing the backdrop, you can, if necessary, tidy up the cut-out’s edges. To use the editing tools Erase and Restore, select Refine.

How to Remove the Background of a Picture in Canva

Learn how to remove the background of a picture in Canva by following these three steps.

1. Open Canva 

Go to Canva and upload a photo you want to change the background. You can do it by searching for it in the toolbox “What will you design today.” You will see the “Projects” option on the left side of the screen. Click on it to select your desired project.

2. Click “Edit Photo” from the Menu

After you open the project in Canva, select the image you want to remove the background from. Search for the “Edit Photo” link at the upper left corner of your screen. Tap the edit photo link to access your chosen image’s editing option. Once you do this, you will see the edit options on the left side of your Canva dashboard.

3. Select the Background Remover Tool

Select the Background Remover tool once you have access to the editing option. Using this tool, you can erase the background of your image, keeping only your main subject. And that’s it. It is that simple to remove a backdrop with Canva.

How to Remove the Background of a Picture – In a Nutshell 

Poor backgrounds or unfamiliarity with photo-editing tools should not hinder your photographic creativity. After traversing through this comprehensive guide, you now have multiple techniques to remove backgrounds from images through Adobe Photoshop, Canva, or a dedicated app like PhotoScissors.

But while you’re pushing boundaries in photography and visual storytelling, why not expand your reach and share your exceptional work with a wider audience on Instagram? That’s where Path Social comes in. We have an exclusive in-house platform of Instagram influencers and a proprietary AI targeting algorithm to track all your Instagram metrics, ensuring you build an Instagram audience that is authentic and lasting. 

So, why limit your stunning visuals to your local network when they can captivate audiences worldwide? Start growing and gaining Instagram followers today. The world awaits your next captivating image!