How to Remove Unwanted Background in Photoshop,
Therefore, removing an unwanted background in Photoshop is a fundamental skill with several methods, each best suited for different types of images.1 Here’s a breakdown of the most common and effective techniques:
How to Remove Unwanted Background in Photoshop,
I Quick & Easy Methods (Best for clear subjects and simple backgrounds):
- “Remove Background” Quick Action (Newer Photoshop Versions):
- Therefore, open your image in Photoshop
- Therefore, in the Properties panel (usually on the right, or go to Window > Properties), locate Quick Actions.
- Therefore, click the “Remove Background” button. Photoshop uses AI to automatically detect and mask the subject.
- Refinement: This is a great starting point, but you might need to use a mask to refine the edges (see “Working with Layer Masks” below).
- Object Selection Tool:
- In other words, select the Object Selection Tool from the toolbar (it might be nested under the Quick Selection or Magic Wand tool).
- Drag a marquee selection around your subject, or simply hover over the subject, and Photoshop will automatically detect it.
- In other words, once the subject is selected, you can:
- Click the “Select and Mask” button in the Options bar at the top to refine the selection (highly recommended for precision).
- Go to Select > Inverse to select the background, then press Delete (this is a destructive method).
- Click the “Add Layer Mask” icon at the bottom of the Layers panel (a white rectangle with a circle inside) to hide the background non-destructively.
How to Remove Unwanted Background in Photoshop,
- Quick Selection Tool:
- In other words, select the Quick Selection Tool from the toolbar.
- Click and drag over the subject you want to keep. Photoshop intelligently expands the selection to similar colors and textures.
- To subtract from the selection: Hold down the Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) key and drag over the areas you want to remove.
- Refinement: Once you have a decent selection, click “Select and Mask” in the Options bar to refine it.
- Magic Wand Tool (Best for solid color backgrounds):
- In other words, select the Magic Wand Tool from the toolbar (it might be nested with the Quick Selection tool).
- In other words, click on the background area you want to remove. The Magic Wand selects contiguous areas of similar color.
- Adjust Tolerance: In the Options bar, adjust the “Tolerance” value. A lower tolerance selects fewer colors, and a higher tolerance selects more.
- Add to selection: Hold Shift and click on other background areas you want to include.
- Refinement: After selecting the background, go to Select > Inverse to select your subject, then apply a layer mask or delete.
II. Advanced & Precise Methods (Best for complex subjects like hair or intricate edges):
How to Remove Unwanted Background in Photoshop,
- Select and Mask Workspace (Most powerful for refinement):
- However, after making an initial selection with any of the tools above (Quick Selection, Object Selection, Lasso, etc.), click “Select and Mask…” in the Options bar (or go to Select > Select and Mask…).
- This opens a dedicated workspace with powerful tools:
- View Mode: Change the “View Mode” (e.g., Overlay, On Layers, On Black) to see your selection clearly against different backgrounds.
- Refine Edge Brush Tool: This is crucial for handling hair and other soft, intricate edges.16 Paint along the edges of your subject, and Photoshop will intelligently refine the selection.
- Global Refinements: Use sliders like “Smooth,” “Feather,” “Contrast,” and “Shift Edge” to fine-tune the overall selection.
- Refine Hair: (Newer versions) A one-click option to automatically refine hair.
- Output Settings: Choose to output your refined selection as a “Layer Mask” (recommended for non-destructive editing), “New Layer with Layer Mask,” or other options.
Photoshop Adjustment Layer,
- Pen Tool (For crisp, vector-based selections):
- However, select the Pen Tool from the toolbar.
- Click around your subject to create anchor points and drag to create curves. This creates a vector path that is incredibly precise.
- To close the path, click on your starting anchor point.
- Convert to Selection: Right-click on the path (in the Paths panel, Window > Paths) and choose “Make Selection…” (you can add a feather radius if desired).
- However, Apply Layer Mask: With the selection active, click the “Add Layer Mask” icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.
- Benefit: Pen tool selections are vector-based, meaning they are infinitely scalable without losing quality. This is ideal for product photography or logos.
- Background Eraser Tool (For semi-automatic removal with more control):
- However, select the Background Eraser Tool from the toolbar (it might be nested under the Eraser tool).
- However, in the Options bar:
- Sampling: Choose “Continuous” (samples continually as you drag), “Once” (samples the color under the crosshairs once and erases similar colors), or “Background Swatch” (erases areas matching the current background color).
- Limits: Set to “Find Edges” to prevent erasing parts of your subject.
- Tolerance: Adjust this to control how wide a range of colors the tool erases.
- Click and drag over the background. Keep the crosshairs of the brush on the background color, avoiding your subject.
Camera Raw Filter Photo Editing,
III. Working with Layer Masks (Crucial for non-destructive editing):
Above all, regardless of the selection method you choose, applying a Layer Mask is generally the best practice for background removal in Photoshop.
- How it works: A layer mask is a grayscale thumbnail attached to a layer. White areas on the mask reveal the layer’s content, while black areas hide it. Gray areas create semi-transparency.
- Editing the mask:
- For instance, select the layer mask thumbnail (click on it in the Layers panel).
- Above all, use a black brush to paint over areas you want to hide (parts of the background that remain).
- For instance, use a white brush to paint over areas you want to reveal (parts of your subject that were accidentally hidden).
- For instance, use a soft brush for smooth edges and a hard brush for sharp edges.
- Above all, adjust the opacity of your brush for subtle blending.
Photoshop Filter Tutorial For Beginners,
General Workflow & Tips:
- Duplicate Your Layer: Always duplicate your original image layer (Ctrl+J or Cmd+J) before making any destructive edits. This preserves your original image.
- Zoom In: Zoom in significantly (Ctrl/Cmd + Plus) to see details and make precise selections, especially around intricate areas.
- Use Multiple Tools: Often, the best results come from combining tools. For example, use the Quick Selection tool for a rough selection, then refine it with Select and Mask or the Pen Tool
- Check Edges: Pay close attention to the edges of your subject. Look for any “halo” effects (remnants of the old background) or jaggedness.
- New Background: Once the background is removed (leaving transparency), you can add a new background by placing another image or a solid color layer below your subject layer in the Layers panel.
- Save as PNG: If you want a transparent background for future use, save your image as a PNG file. JPEG does not support transparency.
By understanding these tools and techniques, you can effectively remove unwanted backgrounds from your images in Photoshop, from simple cutouts to complex extractions.
