How to remove the background from a photo for free

• Start with contrast. A subject that stands out from its background, like a dark jacket against a light wall, gives the cleanest edges. A busy background in similar colors is harder for any tool.
• Use a sharp, well-lit photo. Motion blur and deep shadows smudge the line between subject and background.
• One clear subject works best. Group shots and scenes full of objects make it harder to tell what the subject is.
• Crop first. Cropping close to the subject with Crop Image removes clutter and often improves the result.
• Check hair and fur. Fine strands are the hardest part. Zoom in before you use a cut-out for print.
• Keep it as PNG. If you save the cut-out as a JPG, the transparent area is filled with a solid color, because JPG has no transparency.
• Need a smaller file? WebP also supports transparency and is usually much smaller than PNG. Convert it with the Image Resizer & Converter.

Windows 11: Paint and Photos

Paint in Windows 11 has a Remove background button in its toolbar: open the image and click it, or select an area first to work on just that part. Microsoft added it in an update in late 2023. The Photos app can also blur, remove or replace a background: open a photo, choose Edit image (Ctrl+E) and look for the Background options. Microsoft says this processing happens on your device. Menus can change between app versions, so yours may look a little different.

Mac

On recent versions of macOS (Ventura and later), Control-click an image in Finder, choose Quick Actions, then Remove Background. If you don't see it, look under More.

iPhone and iPad

In iOS 16 and later, open a photo, touch and hold the subject, then let go to see options such as Copy and Share. Apple says this works on iPhone XS, iPhone XR and later models.

These built-in tools are great for a quick cut-out on your own device. UtilOrb's runs in the browser instead, so it also works on a work laptop, a Chromebook or someone else's machine, as long as the browser supports WebGPU.