How to remove the background of a picture

Backgrounds play a crucial role in photographs. They set the scene and can significantly affect the overall impact of an image. However, there are times when the background doesn’t quite align with what you’re looking for, right? This is where tools like our Background remover come in handy–they offer a convenient and efficient way to remove or replace backgrounds, allowing you to create high-quality visuals with ease. 

Today we’ll explain to you how these tools work and how they can enhance your creative process.

What is the background of a picture?

What’s the deal with picture backgrounds? Well, think of them as the stage for your main act. They’re not the star of the show, but they set the scene, giving context and depth to your picture. Without them, it’s like having a pizza without toppings—it’s just not the same. So when we talk about the background of a picture, we’re referring to the part of the image that lies behind the main subject or subjects. This part of the picture often serves to set the scene or context for the primary focus of any given image.

For example, in a portrait photograph, the background might be a wall or a landscape, while the subject could be your best friend or a group of people. In a product photograph, the background might be a plain surface or a studio setting, while the product itself would be the main subject.

The background of a picture can be a game-changer. It makes the image more visually appealing but, in some cases, backgrounds can be distracting too. This is where background removal tools come into play.

When do you need to use a background remover?

If you’re working with images for a website, social media, or graphic design, you may want to erase image backgrounds. This will make your subject stand out, with nothing else to distract you or your audience.

Another reason is to focus on the principal object or person. Sometimes, you might want to isolate the subject to use it in a different context or combine it with other images. For example, when you’re creating a collage, you might need to remove the background of each of the individual pictures first. This technique is also good when working on templates and branding materials.

In some cases, the background in a picture can be messy or not bright enough, making  the image not look as good. Removing the background from an image can improve its overall look and feel, making it more visually striking and engaging.

Finally, a background remover can be a useful tool for creating a homogeneous look across multiple images.

Tips to remove the background from a photo

Not so long ago, removing backgrounds was a time-consuming task that required design software like Photoshop. Picture this: you’ve been carefully selecting the area you wanted to erase with the lasso tool, only to find that after countless minutes, you had left a chunk unselected. 

But, thanks to background removers, erasing any background is a snap. However, some tips will help you get a neater result.

• Choose high-quality images: Higher-quality photos have more detailed pixels, making it easier for the tool to distinguish between the subject and the background. This clarity ensures cleaner edges and a more accurate cutout.
• Contrast is key: Avoid complex backgrounds with colors or textures similar to your subject. Images where the subject contrasts sharply with the background are easier to edit.

• Consider the lighting: Lighting plays a crucial role in how the background remover tool performs. Images with even lighting are ideal, as shadows and highlights can sometimes confuse the tool.

• Save and export correctly: How many times have you incorrectly downloaded a JPG thinking it was a PNG? Make sure you download a format that conserves transparency, like PNG, so that your image can be seamlessly integrated into any new background or design without a white box around it.

Tool to remove the background from a picture with AI

Now that you know the basics of using background removers, it’s time for us to introduce our Background remover — an easy and intuitive AI-powered tool that you can use to erase the background from any of your photos or from the pictures in our library. It’s simple: All you need to do is follow these steps.

• Upload your image in JPG or PNG format, with a minimum resolution of 224px x 224px and a maximum size of 8 MB. You can also select an image from our library. Remember the tips we covered earlier.

• Let the magic happen: Once uploaded, our Background remover will automatically erase the background from your image, letting you see the before and after. If you’re removing the background from an image in our library, you’ll find the Remove background button on the left side.
• Download your image as a ready-to-use PNG file. Remember that removing the background already counts as 1 download. 

Once your image is background-free, you can replace it with other cool background ideas. 

If you wonder how background removers work, the answer is rather simple: it’s AI magic! Using advanced technologies like image segmentation and deep learning, these tools analyze an image’s pixels, colors, and patterns to distinguish the foreground from the background. But AI’s work doesn’t stop here. Once you’ve removed your image’s background, you can create a suitable one using AI tools, like AI image generators.

3 creative uses for the Background remover you hadn’t thought of

As you can guess, a simple background change will make your subjects stand out. We’ve already mentioned some of the possibilites a tool like this can bring you, but there are many more! Here are 3 unique ways to use this tool that you might not have thought of yet.

1. Refreshing your LinkedIn profile photo

Your LinkedIn profile is often the first impression you make on potential employers or business connections. So, if you really want to make a good impression, you need to work on it a bit. Ideally, you want to do so in little time and with minimal effort. You also want to avoid any other sort of awkward content in the background so that your profile picture looks neat and professional, right? Freepik Background remover can help you eliminate any distracting elements in just one click and give you this as a result…

2. Revamping your logo

If you’ve changed your brand colors or style, updating your logo’s background can give it a fresh look without a complete redesign. Sometimes, you just need to try different textures or vibrant backgrounds to make your logo pop, and you’ll be surprised by the outcome. This technique is especially useful when creating marketing materials or social media posts to ensure your brand is visually consistent and appealing.

3. Perfecting product labels

Launching a new product? The packaging is your silent salesperson if you think about it. Eye-catching product labels can help you stand out on the shelves, but sometimes, we really struggle to find the one. Freepik offers a massive choice of content where you can find inspiration for any type of product labeling. And now, once you’ve your own label, you can edit it easily with many tools and features, including our Background remover. With this simple tool, you can isolate your product images and overlay them on various background designs. This allows you to visualize how your labels will look in different settings.

You can use it when aiming to create a minimalistic style or a bold and colorful design or when you want to test different options until you find the perfect match.

We’re eager to see how you transform your images into new ones with the power of background removers!