6 Quick and Easy Methods to Remove Background in Photoshop
There are times when you need to replace a background of an image with something else. For example, for a product shoot, businesses often prefer using a white background so that the focus stays on the product. This, for sure, can be done quickly in a photo studio.
However, if you do not have access to a photography studio or some solid background, you can still edit the background of your image using Photoshop. There are a couple of methods in Photoshop that you can use to remove the background of an image. The methods include:
- Manual
- Automatic (AI-powered options)
Let us dive right into it without wasting any further time!
How To Remove Background in Photoshop?
There are a couple of distinctive ways by which you can remove the background from an image using Adobe Photoshop; some of them are explained below.
Method 1: The Object Selection Tool
The Object Selection Tool has been in the limelight since its launch in 2022. This tool, indeed, is every user's favourite tool. The Object Selection Tool uses Adobe Sensei AI Technology, which takes care of the hassle of selecting the subject in your image. Here is your guide on removing the background from an image using Photoshop's Object Selection Tool:
Step 1 - Launch Photoshop in your system and select the Object Selection Tool from the Toolbar on the left side of your screen.
Step 2 - After selecting the tool, hover your cursor on your subject and sit tight as it turns blue. Move your cursor in tiny circles if it does not turn blue immediately.
Step 3 - Now, your subject is ready to be selected. To erase the background from the image, press the Shift key while selecting the objects you wish to keep. The shortcut will automatically select the objects from your image.
Step 4 - The next step is selecting and clicking On Inverse to invert your selection. Here, your background will be selected instead of the objects.
Step 5 - You will need to unlock the objects in your image. It will depend on whatever you want the background to be.
Step 6 - After following the above step, you will need to click again on the lock icon on the right side of your image's layer to unlock it. And in case you do not have any other layer, the layer name will pop up as "Layer 0."
Step 7 - Click on the Eraser Tool and start erasing the background. You do not have to stress over Photoshop erasing your selection.
Bravo! Your image's background is now erased using the Object Selection Tool with Photoshop.
Method 2: Using Quick Action
This method has to be the quickest and easiest method listed in this guide. The in-built Quick Action tool in Adobe Photoshop has been one of the most popular features introduced in 2021. It is an excellent pick for when you need to remove the background from an image quickly and are not too concerned about perfection.
It is suitable when you have a relatively high contrast between the subject and the background, along with some simplistic lines. Given below are the steps on how you can remove background with Photoshop using the Quick Action Tool:
Step 1 - Open your image in Adobe Photoshop, right-click on the Background layer, then click Duplicate Layer.
Step 2 - A dialogue box will appear where you must assign a name to your layer and click OK. After that, click on the icon that resembles an eye on the left side of the original layer to turn off that layer.
Step 3 - Now, head to the Properties Panel by going to Windows and then Properties.
Step 4- The next step is to go to the Layers panel and click on the new layer. And then, in the Properties Panel, which is located above the Layers panel, select the Remove Background option under Quick Action.
And just like that, the background from your image is removed.
Method 3: The Background Eraser Tool
The Background Eraser tool is amazing when you wish to remove the background from an image using Photoshop but wish that Photoshop did the heavy lifting for you. To get more control, you might have to invest some more time to achieve satisfactory results.
The Background Eraser Tools works well when used for high contrast images. The steps to remove the background from an image using the Background Eraser Tool are given below:
Step 1 - Launch Photoshop on your system and open the image you wish to remove from the background. Then, right-click on the Background layer and then select the Duplicate layer.
Step 2 - A dialogue box will pop up, name your layer, then hit OK. After that, you will need to click on the icon that resembles an eye on the left side of the original layer to turn off the layer.
Step 3 - The next step is to select the Background Eraser Tool from the toolbox present on the left side of your screen. The tool might be below the Eraser tool. You are supposed to select and then hold the Eraser tool so that a drop-down menu appears where you can select the Background Eraser tool.
Step 4 - From the Tools menu top of your screen, click on the icon that looks like a brush to get the brush panel and change the hardness to 100 percent. You can pick whatever size works for you. You can easily adjust it by using the square brackets to increase or decrease your brush size.
Step 5 - Now, set the Sampling to Continuous in the tools option bar at the top of your screen. You can spot this option after the first three icons near the brush size option.
Step 6 - After that, set the Limits to Find Edges and the Tolerance somewhere around 20 to 25 per cent. PS: The lower the tolerance, the fewer the colour variations. And vice-versa.
Step 7 - You can start erasing the background around your subject with the help of the Background Eraser Tool by selecting and then holding it as you move the brush around. The aim here is to keep the crosshair within the tool to refrain from touching the subject.
We also recommend zooming in for precision. Also, do short strokes with the brush to use the Undo feature when things go wrong. Moreover, in some difficult areas, you might also need to adjust your brush size.
You can do so by going to the toolbar option at the top, or you could use the square brackets to adjust your brush size. And in case the resizing option does not work for you, and it erases your subject, first undo the action.
Then, go to the toolbar at the top of your screen and adjust the Sampling to Once, the Limits to Discontiguous and the Tolerance to 10 per cent. It will result in your brush using only the colours under the crosshair and will not resample as you move along.
Method 4: The Pen Tool
One of the most common methods of removing background from an image with Photoshop is by using the Pen tool. People prefer the Pen tool as it gives them maximum control over the results. But, it is indeed time-consuming as well.
The Pen tool works flawlessly when the contrast between the subject and the background is not too high or when the above-given methods do not give you the desired results. Anyway, here are the steps to remove the background from an image using the Pen tool:
Step 1 - Open your image in Photoshop and right-click on the background layer. Then, click on the Duplicate Layer. A dialogue box will appear; you need to add a name to your layer and click OK.
Step 2 - Now, click on the icon on your left side that looks like an eye to turn the layer off. After that, pick the Pen tool from the toolbox on the left side of the screen and start marking the edge of your subject and then click to head start the first anchor.
Eventually, start working with your subject by adding anchors to outline your subject. If you want to make a curved line, you can click-hold-drag and then move your mouse to adjust the curve.
PS: To adjust the anchor points or any directional lines for fine-tuning, go to the Direct Selection tool in the Path Selection tool. And if you wish to undo an anchor, you can do that by going to File and selecting Undo.
Step 3 - Once you have completed your path, save it. Go to the Window menu, select Paths to see the Paths panel, select the three-bar menu, and click on New Path. After that, name your path.
Step 4 - Now that you have saved your path, right-click on your new path, click on Make Selection, and then hit OK. It will show you where your path was by giving you an outline.
Step 5 - Because we do not want to delete our subject, the next step is selecting and clicking Inverse. And now, to delete the background from an image, press Delete.
Hurray! You are all set now.
Method 5: The Magnetic Lasso Tool
If the Pen tool feature on Photoshop feels too labour intensive, you can use the Magnetic Lasso tool to remove the background from your image. It is a perfect feature when the subject has a high background contrast and some complex edges.
And if you wish to save time using this feature, the edges get detected. Here is how you can make the most out of the Magnetic Lasso tool to remove the background from an image:
Step 1 - Open your image in Adobe Photoshop, right-click on the Background layer, and select the Duplicate layer. A dialogue box will appear where you are supposed to name your layer and click OK. After naming your layer, select the icon that looks like an eye to turn off the layer.
Step 2 - Now, go to the toolbar on the left side of your screen and select the Magnetic Lasso Tool. Start drawing along the edge of your subject, and you will see that as you move your cursor, the tool will draw the path for you.
Step 3 - Move your cursor around and ensure the subject is well-marked. Now, save your Selection by clicking on Selection and then hitting Save. Then, assign a name to your Selection.
Step 4 - To delete the background from your image, head to Select and click on Inverse. And finally, click on Delete. Your background is now deleted.
PS: If unsatisfied with the outcome, you can redo the process.
Method 6: The Quick Selection Tool
As the name suggests, the Quick Selection Tool is one of the fastest ways of removing the background from an image. We recommend using the Quick Selection Tool when the subject is relatively contrasted, or the image has some intricate details.
And also, if you are short of time but need good enough accuracy. The steps for removing the background from an image using the Quick Selection tool are as follows:
Step 1 - Launch Photoshop on your system and open the image you wish to remove from the background. Now, right-click on the Background layer and select the Duplicate layer.
A dialogue box will appear where you need to assign the name for your layer and once you do so, click on OK. And then, turn that layer off by selecting an icon that looks like an eye.
Step 2 - Go to the toolbox on the left side of your screen and select the Quick Selection tool under the Object Selection Tool.
Step 3 - Start painting the subject, and you will spot marching ants as you paint. To adjust the size of your tool, you can use square brackets.
Step 4 - In case you think you have painted outside your subject, press and hold the Option key (for macOS) or Alt key (for Windows), and you will spot “+” or “-“ symbols that indicate your selection. Paint on the part of your selection you wish to remove as you hold the Option or Alt key.
Step 5 - Save your Selection by selecting and then Saving the selection. Then, assign a name to it.
Step 6 - After saving your selection, the next step is to remove the background and to do so, you need to go to the Select option and Inverse. After that, hit Delete.
Your background is now successfully removed.
These were a couple of methods of removing the background from an image using Photoshop. However, if you do not wish to go through any of this hassle, you could also try Erase.bg.
Remove Background From PNG, JPG, JPEG and WebP Images with Erase.bg:
Erase.bg is a savvy AI background remover and editing tool that helps edit your images precisely. With Erase.bg, anyone can easily remove background from an image regardless of technical skills.
You can also use Erase.bg to remove the background from PNG, JPG, JPEG and WebP images. To remove background from these formats, you need to either access Erase.bg through the website or download the Erase.bg Application from the App Store (for iOS users) or Google Play Store (for Android users).
Here's how you can remove background from WebP, PNG, JPG and JPEG images using Erase.bg:
Step 1 - Click on the dialogue box that reads "Upload Image," or drag and drop the image on the page.
Step 2 - A message will appear on the screen that says, "Uploading image, please wait…" and during this time, Erase. bg's AI will perform its wonders to remove the background from the image of your choice.
Step 3 - If you want to remove something or edit the image, you will see an Edit option on the top right corner of the Background Removed image.
Step 4 - Download the image in your chosen format to your preferred destination.
Wasn't that too quick and easy?
FAQs
How do I isolate an object in Photoshop?
If you wish to isolate an object in Photoshop, you can do so by following these steps:
Step 1: Select the Object Selection tool from the toolbar present at the left side of your screen.
Step 2: In the Options menu, pick Rectangle or Lasso as your selection mode.
Step 3: Move the cursor over your image that you wish to select and then click in order to automatically select the object for you.
Step 4: Now, go to Settings in the Options bar and pick add to, subtract or intersect, if you need any more refinement to the image.
What is the fastest way to remove background in Photoshop?
If you wish to remove the background from an image quickly, we recommend using the Quick ACtion tool in photoshop. Here rae the steps you need to follow:
Step 1: Launch Photoshop on your system and open the image you wish to remove the background of. Now, right-click on the Background layer and select the Duplicate layer. A dialogue box will appear where you need to assign the name for your layer and once you do so, click on OK. And then, turn that layer off by selecting an icon that looks like an eye.
Step 2: Go to the toolbox in the left side of your screen and select the Quick Selection tool which is under the Object Selection Tool.
Step 3: Now, start painting the subject and you will spot marching ants as you paint. In order to adjust the size of your tool, you can use the square brackets.
Step 4: In case you think you have painted outside your subject, press and hold Option key (for macOS) or Alt key ?(for Windows) and you will spot “+” or “-“ symbols that indicate your selection. Paint on the part of your selection you wish to remove as you hold the Option or Alt key.
Step 5: Save your selection by going to Select and then Save Selection. Then, assign a name to it.
Step 6: After saving your selection, the next step is to remove the background and in order to do so, you need to go to the Select option and then Inverse. After that, hit Delete.
How to make an image transparent on Photoshop?
If you wish to make an image transparent on Photoshop, you need to adhere to these steps:
Step 1: Launch Photoshop on your system and open the image you wish to make transparent.
Step 2: Select the layer you wish to make transparent by going to the Layers tab.
Step 3: Now, select the opacity level from the box that is on the top of the Layers tab. The standard is 100 percent but you can bring it to 0 percent too, if needed.
Step 4: Now, simply save your image.
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