Remove the background from an image
Cut the subject of a photo out of its background. The model runs on your device, so the photo isn't uploaded. Save it as a PNG with a transparent background, or put white or a colour behind it.
How to remove a background
- Paste a photo with Ctrl+V, drop a file on the page or press Load.
- Press the Remove button in the line that appears under the options bar (the Remove background button on the bar does the same).
- The background turns into a checkerboard, which means transparent. At the start of the options bar, keep it transparent or pick White or a colour; one picked before the removal is kept.
- Save it as PNG or WebP to keep the transparency, or copy it.
One undo (Ctrl+Z) brings the background back, and arrows, text and other marks you added stay where they are. On the other pages, pick the Cutout tool, next to the Read tool at the end of the tools (on a phone, swipe the toolbar to it), and press the Remove background button on its bar.
Download size and speed
A background removal model (BiRefNet) runs in your browser. With no model files stored, it needs 48.3 MB (6.6 MB of that is the runtime, which face detection uses too). The page asks before downloading missing files. Removal works offline once they're stored. Where the browser can use the graphics card (WebGPU), removal takes a few seconds. Elsewhere it runs on the processor at a lower resolution, which on a phone can take much longer.
What works well, and what doesn't
People, products, animals, cars and other clear subjects in front of a background that stands apart from them. It has a harder time with hair against a busy background, with glass and other see-through things, and with a subject in the colours of what's behind it. On a text-heavy screenshot without a clear subject, little may be left but some of the text.
FAQ
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The model runs in your browser, and the photo never leaves your device.
Why is the background white in my JPEG?
JPEG can't store transparency, so the transparent background is saved white, as the Save menu says when you pick JPEG. Save as PNG or WebP to keep it transparent.
Can I put another background behind it?
White or any colour, from the swatches at the start of the options bar. For a gradient, padding or a shadow around the cut-out, use the Frame tool.
Can I fix the edges by hand?
No. There's no brush to bring back or remove parts of the cut-out.