Learn to remove backgrounds in Photoshop, unlocking professional-looking cutouts in seconds, achieving near-instant, clean background removal.
Removing the background from images is a fundamental skill in photo editing, whether you are creating product images for e-commerce, designing marketing materials, or enhancing personal photos.
Adobe Photoshop offers a variety of tools to accomplish this task, each suitable for different types of images and user expertise levels.
Next, we will provide a detailed step-by-step guide on how to remove backgrounds in Photoshop. Which method is the best for you?
In this section, we will explore the most effective easiest way to remove image background in Photoshop, including the detailed shortcuts to remove image backgrounds.
Quick Selection Tool allows for fast selection by detecting edges based on contrast.
👑Best for: Simple images backgrounds with clear subject edges.
How to Remove Background from Picture in Photoshop Using Quick Selection Tool
1. Open your image you want to edit in Photoshop. Click Select > Select and Mask.
2. Select the Quick Selection Tool (shortcut: W) from the toolbar to roughly select the subject.
3. Then use Select and Mask from the top menu to smooth edges or adjust feathering.
4. Adjust the brush size using the bracket keys ([ or ]) for precision. Or click and drag over the subject to automatically detect edges.
✨Tips: Refine the selection by holding Alt or Option ( on Mac) and brushing over areas to subtract from the selection.
5. Once satisfied, under Output, click Layer > New > Layer via Copy (Ctrl+J/Cmd+J) to isolate the subject on a new layer.
It’s easy to hide or remove white background in photoshop, even with one click.
Pen Tool is ideal for detailed, manual selections, providing the most precise cutouts. You can manually trace the outline of your subject with anchor points and curves.
👑Best for: Images requiring pixel-perfect accuracy (e.g., product photos).
How to Remove Image Background in Photoshop Using Pen Tool
1. Select the Pen Tool (shortcut: P).
2. Zoom in on your subject and start placing anchor points along its edges. You can adjust anchor points with the Direct Selection Tool (A) for fine-tuning.
3. Click to create straight lines or click-and-drag for curves.
4. Complete the path by connecting the last anchor point to the first.
5. Right-click the path and choose Make Selection. Set a Feather Radius (0-2 pixels for sharp edges).
6. Press Ctrl+J/Cmd+J to copy the selection to a new layer.
7. Delete the background layer.
✨Tips: Easily press Ctrl/Cmd + H to hide the path temporarily while checking your work.
The Object Selection Tool uses AI-driven features to automatically detect and select objects within a user-defined area, quickly removing the background.
Unlike the Quick Selection Tool (which relies on edge contrast) or the Pen Tool (which requires manually creating paths), the Object Selection Tool simplifies the selection process, especially for users who value speed and efficiency.
👑Best for: For quickly and easily processing objects with well-defined subjects.
How to Remove Background from Picture in Photoshop via Quick Selection Tool
1. Select the Object Selection Tool (nested under the Quick Selection Tool).
2. Set the Mode to either Rectangle or Lasso from the Options bar.
3. Draw a rough box or lasso around your subject, then released your mouse. Photoshop’s AI will detect and select the primary object.
✨Tips: To add more objects to the same selection, just press and hold the Shift key and drag a selection outline around the object.
In contrast, to subtract an object from the selection, hold the Alt key, or the Option key on a Mac, and drag around the object to remove.
4. Refine the selection using Select and Mask.
5. Copy the selection to a new layer and remove the background.
It’s faster than manual tools for images with high contrast between subject and background.
Selects areas of similar color, making it useful for backgrounds with solid colors but less effective for complex backgrounds.
👑Best for: Non-destructive editing (preserving the original image).
How to delete background from picture in Photoshop with Magic Wand
1. Select the Magic Wand Tool (Shortcut: W).
2. Click on the background to select similar colors.
3. Adjust the Tolerance in the options bar for better accuracy.
4. Press Delete to remove the background.
The Background Eraser tool can identify and remove pixels similar to the sampled color while preserving pixels of other colors in the image.
When used on the background layer, it converts the background layer into a regular layer and then erases the relevant areas to transparency.
👑Best for: Removing solid-colored or gradient backgrounds or extracting images. It's suitable for hair, fur, or semi-transparent objects.
How to Erase Background in photoshop
1. Select the Background Eraser Tool (Shortcut: E).
✨Tips: Use sparingly, as this tool permanently deletes pixels. Duplicate the layer first for safety.
2. Adjust Sampling Options:
3. Adjust the Tolerance in the Options bar (lower values for similar colors, higher for varied hues).
To achieve a more precise erasure effect, you can use a smaller brush size and a lower tolerance value for sampling.
✨Tips: If you find that no matter which "tolerance" setting you try, you can't get the background eraser to remove the background in the image without taking away parts of the subject, please try the "Protect Foreground Color" option.
4. Click and drag over the background. The tool samples colors continuously, erasing pixels similar to your initial click.
Transparent backgrounds are essential for creating professional graphics, logos, product images, or overlays, which can be seamlessly integrated into designs, websites, or marketing materials.
Use the Photoshop Magic Wand to easily remove the background, replacing it with a transparent background, keeping only the subject for versatile use.
1. Open the image and unlock the Background layer.
2. Choose the Magic Wand Tool (shortcut: W, or nested under Quick Selection Tool).
Click on the solid-colored background. Adjust Tolerance (default: 32) to control selection sensitivity.
📝Alternative: Use the Object Selection Tool (Shift + W) and draw a box around the subject. Photoshop’s AI will detect the subject and invert the selection automatically.
3. Press Delete to remove the selected background, revealing transparency.
Clean Up Residual Pixels:
Zoom in and use the Eraser Tool (E) with a hard brush to erase leftover background areas.
Removing backgrounds in Photoshop is a versatile skill that can be mastered through practice. Depending on the complexity of the image, you can choose different tools to cleanly remove the background.