How Can You Quickly Make An Image Background Transparent?

A transparent image background has no color or a square-shaped border, and can easily fit into your website or marketing design. However, not all pictures have a background like this by default; you have to edit them in special programs. Learning how to create transparent backgrounds quickly can boost your editing and designing workflow, and help avoid spending resources on hiring professional editors. Read further to learn the basics of image manipulation. Find out the top tools to remove background from photos in less than a minute.

Why do you need a transparent background?

When you have a logo in JPG or JPEG format and open it in a browser or preview tool with a white background, it might seem like the image is transparent. But if you try to place it on a colored background, you’ll see a white square surrounding the logo. This happens because JPG and JPEG files don’t support transparency. 

So, which file formats should you choose to meet the necessary requirements? PNGs and GIFs can have transparent backgrounds. Moreover, you can easily edit visuals and isolate foreground objects from JPG and JPEG images with the help of BG removal tools. 

Overall, you might need background-free pictures for several reasons. Here are some examples:

• To use a logo on a colored website background or integrate it into your branding. While you can have a version of your logo with a transparent background, it might not be easy to find one of someone else’s. For instance, a logo of a payment system you’re using or a partner company you’re collaborating with. 
• To use the same image numerous times in your content plan: with a background and without. In the second case, you can also add a colored outline to the main object or some of your brand elements to integrate a picture into your project.
• To prepare images for product catalogs. Unnecessary background details might distract customer attention from the product and increase the possibility of people skipping indistinct goods. 

How to make an image background transparent with the help of graphic editing software

An essential way to remove picture backgrounds is to use a graphic editing software—Adobe Photoshop, for example. Depending on the time you’re willing to spend on the process and complexity of your image, there are different approaches to editing. Let’s focus on the most common and beginner-friendly tools—Magic Wand and Magnetic Lasso.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open an image in Adobe Photoshop.
2. Create a new layer. You can do this by clicking on the square icon in the layers window or choosing Layer → New Layer.
3. Drag and place this new layer below the image layer.
4. Start removing the background from a photo using the Magic Wand tool. It automatically identifies and selects the background. Then, you can eliminate it by clicking on Delete. 

Sometimes, the Magic Wand tool is not the best option, e.g., when an image has complex details and object shapes; the tool might identify foreground image parts as the background. In this case, using the Magnetic Lasso tool would be better. 

5. Select the Magnetic Lasso tool from the menu and carefully trace the object with it. 
6. Invert the selection (Ctrl+Shift+I) and delete the background by clicking on Delete.
7. After making an image transparent, save it as a PNG. To do that, click File → Save as…, and choose the PNG format.

Using Adobe Photoshop allows you to be in control of the whole background removal process. So, if you aim for the most precise results, this could be the best option. However, the process can take a lot of time, especially if you aren’t familiar with the software. Besides, purchasing a subscription to Adobe Photoshop just to create images with transparent backgrounds can be an expensive option.

How to make images transparent online

Photo editors that work with transparency can also come in the form of online tools. Unlike Adobe Photoshop, these tools don’t provide as many image editing options and usually focus on one feature—quick picture background removal. 

Despite the abundance of such tools on the web, they all work in a nearly similar way:

1. You register manually or using your Google or social media accounts.
2. You upload an image with the background you want to remove.
3. You preview the result and adjust it with the help of additional editing options. 
4. You download the high-quality result. 

The main benefit of these tools is that they are easy to work with and deliver results faster than graphic editing software. They can also be completely free or require a budget-friendly subscription. Besides, even if the photos require extensive editing, using the BG removal tools will quicken the whole process.

1. Depositphotos Background Remover

If you want to quickly make an image transparent, Depositphotos Free Background Remover available at depositphotos.com might be your go-to option. The tool has a simple user interface, so even if you are a beginner in editing, you won’t have to spend much time figuring out the process details. The remover works with JPG, JPEG, and PNG images with a file size up to 15 MB. To edit results, you can use the Erase and Restore brushes.

Depositphotos Background Remover delivers a background-free image in a couple of seconds and offers a free download in standard quality. To download an HD version, you must purchase an affordable pricing plan or use one free HD download available every 30 days.

2. Slazzer

Slazzer doesn’t require you to register or pay for background removal as long as you’re working with small-sized images. But if you decide to download the results in high resolution, you’ll have to create an account. The first two HD-quality images are free. Afterward, you have to purchase either credits or a monthly subscription. The tool works with JPG, JPEG, and PNG files with a maximum weight of 12 MB.

Slazzer also offers a small and simple editor that helps you adjust an image before downloading it. You can place an isolated object on a new background, and adjust the foreground using the restore and erase brushes. The program also supports bulk removal, which is an excellent option for those who want to process numerous pictures, e.g., for product catalogs. 

3. Remove.bg

Remove.bg is a simple and beginner-friendly removal tool to use. You just need to register, upload an image, and preview the result before downloading. The tool supports PNG, JPEG, and JPG images weighing 12 MB maximum. You can download standard quality images for free or opt for one free HD download. To save more HD results, you can purchase credits or a monthly subscription. 

Moreover, the tool offers additional editing options with background brushes and new BG placement. You can delete or restore picture parts and pick a new background from the template section, or download your own.

To sum up

Knowing how to remove an image background quickly can simplify the whole content preparation process, allowing you to focus on more visually and manually complex tasks. It is possible to create images with transparent backgrounds using graphic editing software and special online tools. Both options provide high-quality results, but using web-based background removers is more beginner-friendly and quick.