How to Remove a Background in Photoshop
Photoshop has a one-click route and a careful one. Either is wasted if the result gets saved as a JPG.
To remove a background in Photoshop, select the image layer, open the Discover panel, go to Browse > Quick Actions and select Remove Background. Photoshop isolates the subject and leaves it on a transparent background or a masked layer. If you don't have Photoshop, Remove Background does the same job in your browser, and the photo is never uploaded.
Method 1: the Remove Background quick action
This follows Adobe's help page Remove background in your images:
- Select the image layer in the Layers panel. It has to be active and unlocked.
- Open the Discover panel with the search icon in the workspace, or with Help > Photoshop Help.
- Select Browse > Quick Actions, then Remove Background.
To run it on a different layer, select that layer and choose Refresh in the Discover panel. Revert, in the same panel, takes the change back.
Method 2: Select Subject and a layer mask
The quick action makes every decision for you. When you want to check the selection before anything disappears, build it yourself. From Adobe's Detect subject using Select Subject and Add layer masks:
- Select Select Subject in the Options bar.
- Use Add to selection or Subtract from selection to fix any part it got wrong.
- Select Select and Mask to fine-tune the edge in the Properties panel.
- With the subject still selected, select the Layer masks icon in the Layers panel, or choose Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection.
A layer mask hides the background rather than deleting it, so you can go back and change the mask later. If the photo has several subjects and you only want one, Adobe suggests the Object Selection tool instead of Select Subject.
Fixing rough edges
Adobe's tip for a cutout that isn't clean is to paint on the layer mask with the Brush tool, and to start from a high-contrast image.
If the results still look rough, Adobe points to a setting for how these two features run. Adobe's page Improve Select Subject and Remove Background results puts it under Settings > Image Processing on a Mac, or Edit > Preferences > Image Processing on Windows, with a choice of Device or Cloud. Device is the default.
Save it as a PNG, not a JPG
A JPG can't store transparency, so a cutout saved as one gets a solid background back. Save a PNG instead. Adobe's Save images in PNG and GIF formats gives the steps:
- Choose File > Save As and pick PNG from the Format menu.
- Name the file, pick a folder and select Save.
- Choose an Interlace option and select OK.
File > Export > Quick Export as is the faster route. Adobe also suggests saving a PSD working copy first, which keeps your layers and mask editable. What alpha transparency is explains why the format matters, and PNG to WebP makes a smaller file that keeps the transparency, if the site you're uploading to accepts WebP.
How to remove a background without Photoshop
Remove Background runs an AI model in your browser:
- Drop in one JPG, PNG or WebP, up to 25MB.
- Select Remove Background. The first run downloads the model once, about 5MB, then the work happens on your device.
- Keep the result transparent, or put it on white, black or a custom colour.
- Download the PNG.
The cutout comes back at the same pixel size as your photo, as a PNG with -no-bg added to the name. The model is served from babapic and the code that runs it from a public CDN; your photo isn't sent anywhere. It is a small model picked so it can run on your own device, so fine hair and fur may come out rough, and there is no brush for touching up the edge. For that job, Photoshop's mask is the better tool.
Next steps
How to remove an image background covers which photos cut out cleanly and which fight back. For specific jobs, see product photo backgrounds, logo backgrounds or making a photo background white. To trim the result afterwards, see cropping in Photoshop.
FAQ
Where is Remove Background in Photoshop?
In the Discover panel, under Browse > Quick Actions.
Why won't the Remove Background quick action run?
Adobe says the layer must be active and unlocked. Select it in the Layers panel, check it isn't locked, then try again.
Why did my transparent background turn white?
Usually it was saved or converted as a JPG somewhere along the way. Save from Photoshop as PNG and keep it in a format that stores transparency, such as PNG or WebP. Some viewers also show transparent areas as white, so check the file on a dark background before redoing the cutout.
Can I undo Remove Background?
Yes. Select Revert in the Discover panel. If you used Select Subject and a layer mask instead, the background is only hidden, so you can edit or delete the mask.