How to remove a background from a photo without uploading it
Cut out a subject on a transparent, white or coloured background in your browser, with tips for cleaner edges, hair and product photos.
Updated: 3 November 2026
Removing the background from a photo is useful for product pictures, profile photos, logos and design work. Many online services ask you to upload the photo to their servers. You can do it in your browser instead, so the picture never leaves your device.
Two ways to remove a background
The Background Remover has two modes, and choosing the right one gives a much cleaner result.
- AI cut-out: an AI model finds the subject, such as a person, an animal or a product, and removes everything else. It works on busy backgrounds.
- Colour mode: you click the background colour and the tool removes similar colours, with a tolerance setting. It is best for plain backgrounds such as a white wall or a scan on white paper, and it is exact where it works.
Step by step
- Open a photo. JPG, PNG, WebP and iPhone HEIC files work.
- Press “Remove background”. The first time, the AI model (about 19 MB) is downloaded; after that it is kept for next time.
- If the edges need work, change the edge setting. For a plain background, switch to colour mode, click the background and raise the tolerance until the edge is clean.
- Choose a transparent, white or colour background and the file type, then download.
Choose the right file type
A transparent background only survives in PNG and WebP. JPG has no transparency, so if you need a JPG, choose a solid background such as white. If you saved a PNG and later need a JPG for a website or an upload form, the Image Converter (JPG, PNG, WebP) fills the transparent areas with a colour you pick when it converts. Large PNG files can be heavy, so run the result through the Image Compressor if the file is for the web.
Tips for a cleaner result
- Start with a sharp, well-lit photo where the subject contrasts with the background.
- Leave some space around the subject. A subject that fills the whole picture may not separate well.
- Check the edges at full size, especially around hair and fur, and adjust the edge setting rather than accepting the first result.
- For a plain background, try colour mode first. It is often cleaner than the AI for scans and product shots on white.
What to expect
The AI model is deliberately small so that it runs on any phone or computer, with no account, watermark or daily limit. The cost is that fine details such as hair, fur or glass can look soft or rough. Paid services with larger models often do better on difficult photos, so if the cut-out matters commercially, check it carefully or use a different method for those images. Common uses are a product photo on white for a shop, a profile picture on a transparent background, and the white background for a Passport Photo Maker.