Remove Background from Photo
Describe your new background, not what to delete. 'Clean white studio backdrop' beats 'remove background' every time.
How it works
Upload your photo
Drop your image into EditThisPic. JPG, PNG, and WebP up to 7MB work best. Higher resolution photos give the AI more detail to work with, especially around hair and fine edges.
Mark the entire background
Tap to place markers across all areas of the background you want replaced. Cover corners, areas between arms and body, gaps in hair, and any other background peeking through. Unmarked areas stay untouched.
Describe your new background, not the removal
This is the most important step. Don't write 'remove background'—the AI already knows that from your selection. Instead, describe what should appear: 'clean white studio backdrop' or 'soft blurred outdoor bokeh in warm tones.' Be specific about color, texture, and lighting direction.
Generate and review edges
Tap generate and examine the result at full zoom. Check hair boundaries, clothing edges, and any semi-transparent areas like glasses or loose fabric. These are where background removal typically needs refinement.
Refine problem areas if needed
If edges look rough, add more markers to those specific spots and regenerate with added detail like 'maintaining all flyaway hair strands' or 'preserving the transparent edge of sunglasses.'
"I spent years cutting out backgrounds in Photoshop. Now I just write 'transparent background with soft edges' and grab coffee." @ProductPhotoSarah
See it in action
Product photo cleanup
Handmade jewelry photographed on a kitchen table. Replaced cluttered background with professional white for Etsy listing.
pure white seamless studio background with soft even lighting, no shadows
LinkedIn headshot upgrade
Casual selfie with messy apartment visible behind. Transformed into professional headshot with corporate-appropriate background.
smooth medium gray gradient background, professional photography studio quality, subtle vignette at edges
Complex hair extraction
Curly-haired model against busy foliage. Preserved every curl and flyaway for use in composite artwork.
completely transparent background maintaining all curly hair texture, individual strand detail, and natural soft edges with no color fringing
If something looks off
Hair edges look choppy or have a hard cutout appearance
Why: The AI needs more guidance about the hair texture. Generic prompts don't capture the wispy nature of hair strands, so the AI defaults to hard edges.
transparent background preserving all individual hair strands and flyaway details with soft natural edges
Color halo or fringing around the subject
Why: The original background color is bleeding into edge pixels. This happens when markers don't extend slightly past the visible edge or when you don't specify clean edges.
pure white background with no color contamination at edges, clean separation
Part of the subject got removed with the background
Why: Your markers touched the subject, telling the AI to replace that area too. The AI only sees marked zones, not object boundaries.
Keep the same prompt but remove markers from subject areas and regenerate
Background still visible in gaps (between arm and body, hair gaps)
Why: You missed marking those interior areas. Many people only mark the outer background and forget the holes.
Add markers to all interior gaps and use: consistent [your background choice] filling all gaps and openings
New background lighting doesn't match subject
Why: You described a background but not its lighting. The AI defaults to neutral lighting that may clash with strong directional light on your subject.
soft gray gradient background with lighting matching subject, light source from upper left
Quick answers
Why does describing the new background work better than saying 'remove background'?
When you say 'remove background,' the AI knows what to eliminate but must guess what replaces it. By describing 'clean white studio backdrop with soft lighting,' you give explicit instructions about what pixels to generate. This produces more accurate results because the AI understands the exact color, texture, and lighting you need instead of making assumptions.
Can I get a truly transparent background for use in other software?
Yes. Describe 'completely transparent background with clean edges' and download the PNG result. The transparency is preserved in the file. For best results with hair or fine details, add 'preserving all edge detail and hair strands' to your prompt.
How do I handle subjects wearing colors similar to the background?
Be extra precise with your markers, staying clearly within the background areas. In your prompt, add contrast cues: 'pure white background distinctly separated from the cream-colored shirt.' The AI uses these hints to maintain boundaries between similar tones.
What's the best background color for product photos?
Pure white (#FFFFFF) is standard for Amazon and most marketplaces. Describe it as 'pure white seamless background with professional product lighting' for clean results. For lifestyle brands, 'soft neutral off-white with subtle warmth' feels more approachable while staying versatile.
Why do I get a white halo around dark hair?
The original background color mixed with edge pixels. Fix this by extending markers slightly into the hair edge and using: 'transparent background with no white fringing or color contamination at hair edges, pure clean separation.' The explicit mention of the problem tells the AI exactly what to avoid.
Ready to remove background?
Free to try. No signup required.