Extend Photo Background

AI outpainting expands your photo seamlessly. Just describe where you need more space.

Portrait with subject's head cropped too close to top edge — Before

→

Same portrait with extended sky giving proper headroom — After

Extend Photo Background Free

Drop your photo here

or click to browse

Release to upload

Free • No signup

Popular use cases:

YouTube thumbnails
Instagram posts
social media banners
print preparation
photo framing
LinkedIn cover photos
Pinterest pins
presentation slides

Cost: Free No signup required
Time: Instant results in 15-30 seconds
Works on: Any device - browser, phone, tablet, desktop
Powered by: AI-powered photo editing

Scenario	Prompt	Time
Add more sky	`extend the background upward to add more sky`	20s
Widen for banner	`extend background on both sides for 16:9 landscape`	25s
Square for Instagram	`extend to 1:1 square format matching colors`	20s
Print bleed margins	`extend on all sides for print bleed`	30s

How it works

Upload your photo

Drop your image into EditThisPic. JPG, PNG, and WebP up to 7MB. Photos with consistent backgrounds like sky, water, or simple textures extend most naturally.

Expect: Simple backgrounds (sky, solid colors): 20-30 seconds. Complex scenes (detailed landscapes, architecture): may need 2-3 refinements.
Describe where to extend

Type what you need: 'extend the background upward to add more sky' or 'widen the photo on both sides for a banner crop.' Be specific about direction and what should fill the new space. No marking needed - the AI understands directional instructions.

Tip: Mention what's in your background: 'extend with matching cloudy sky' or 'continue the beach sand' helps the AI generate more accurate content.

Copy one of these to get started:

Add more sky above subject extend the background upward to add more sky above the subject, continuing the same sky colors and clouds naturally
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Widen for social media banner extend the background on both left and right sides to create a 16:9 landscape crop for social media, seamlessly matching the scene
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Convert portrait to square for Instagram extend the background on left and right to convert this portrait to a square 1:1 aspect ratio, matching colors and lighting
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Expand for print margins extend the background outward on all four sides to add print bleed margins, continuing the existing textures and colors seamlessly
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4 more prompts

Create wider landscape panorama extend the landscape scene on both sides to create a wider panoramic view, generating matching terrain and sky
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Add more beach or water below extend the background downward to show more beach sand and water, continuing the shoreline naturally
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YouTube thumbnail format extend the background to convert this to 1280x720 YouTube thumbnail format, adding space on the sides while keeping the subject centered
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Pinterest tall format extend the background upward and downward to create a tall 2:3 Pinterest format, matching the existing background style
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Review the result

Check where new content meets the original photo. Zoom to 100% along the seam line. Look for texture continuity, color matching, and natural transitions. Sky and water usually blend perfectly on first try.

Tip: The transition zone is most critical. If it looks seamless at full zoom, you're done.
Refine if needed

If the seam is visible or colors don't match, tap markers along the problem area and regenerate. This focuses the AI on blending that specific boundary. Most simple extensions work without refinement.

Tip: Markers are optional precision tools. Use them when the AI needs guidance on exactly where to improve the blend.

Try it free ↓

Extend Photo Background Free

Drop your photo here

or click to browse

Release to upload

Free • No signup

"Converted my vertical portrait to a YouTube thumbnail in one prompt. The extended sky matched perfectly - couldn't tell where the original ended." @PhotoPro_James

See it in action

Sky extension for better composition

Outdoor portrait had the subject's head too close to the top. Extended upward to add breathing room with matching sky.

Prompt: extend the background upward to add more sky above the subject, continuing the same blue sky and white clouds naturally

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Vertical portrait with tight side margins on gray background — Before

Same portrait extended to landscape 16:9 format with matching gray backdrop — After

Portrait to landscape for YouTube thumbnail

Vertical portrait needed for YouTube. Extended both sides to create widescreen format while keeping the subject centered.

Prompt:

extend the background on both left and right sides to create a 16:9 landscape format, seamlessly matching the plain gray studio backdrop

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Beach photo cropped tight with no margins for printing — Before

Same beach photo extended on all sides with continuous sand, water, and sky — After

Beach photo expanded for print

Vacation photo cropped too tight for frame. Extended on all sides to add margins while continuing the beach scene naturally.

Prompt:

extend the background outward on all four sides to add print margins, continuing the sandy beach, ocean water, and blue sky seamlessly

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If something looks off

AI changed the wrong area or something I didn't want changed

Why: The AI couldn't determine exactly which edge you meant from description alone. This happens when your photo has multiple possible extension directions.

Try: Tap a marker on the specific edge where you want extension, then regenerate with the same prompt

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Tip: Markers tell the AI 'I mean THIS edge specifically.' Use them when description alone is ambiguous.

Visible seam where extended area meets original

Why: The lighting or texture in the generated area doesn't perfectly match the original. Common with complex backgrounds.

Try: extend the background with seamless blending, matching the exact lighting and texture of the original photo

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Tip: Tap markers along the visible seam line and regenerate - this focuses the AI on that specific transition zone.

Extended sky has different color than original

Why: The AI generated a generic sky instead of matching your specific sky tones. Sunset skies and golden hour are especially tricky.

Try: extend the sky matching the exact color gradient and warmth of the original sky, from [describe your sky colors]

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Tip: Be specific: 'matching the warm orange sunset gradient' works better than just 'matching the sky.'

Extended area looks too smooth or artificial

Why: The AI simplified the texture instead of continuing the natural grain and detail from your photo.

Try: extend the background with realistic detail matching the texture, grain, and noise level of the original photo

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Tip: 'Matching the grain' preserves the authentic look. Photos have subtle noise that AI sometimes smooths out.

Pattern doesn't continue naturally (bricks, tiles, etc.)

Why: Geometric repeating patterns are harder for AI to extend while maintaining alignment and perspective.

Try: extend the [brick/tile/pattern] background continuing the same pattern alignment, scale, and perspective

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Tip: For architectural patterns, mentioning 'maintaining grid alignment' helps the AI match the geometric structure.

Extended landscape has wrong perspective

Why: The AI generated new landscape elements that don't match the horizon line or depth of your original scene.

Try:

extend the landscape matching the original horizon line and depth perspective, continuing naturally from the existing scene

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Tip: Landscape extensions work best when you specify what's at that depth: 'continue the distant mountains' or 'extend the nearby grass.'

Quick answers

Do I need to mark where to extend the background?

No! Just describe what you want: 'extend upward to add more sky' or 'widen on both sides.' The AI understands directional instructions like up, down, left, right, and all sides. Only use markers if you need to refine the transition after your first attempt, but most extensions work without them.

How do I extend a photo for social media without cropping my subject?

Type 'extend the background on both sides to create a 16:9 landscape format' (for YouTube/Twitter) or 'extend to 1:1 square format' (for Instagram). The AI adds matching background content while keeping your subject intact. This is AI outpainting - it generates new content rather than stretching or cropping.

Is there a free AI tool to extend photo backgrounds without login?

Yes, EditThisPic lets you extend photo backgrounds with AI for free, no signup required. Just upload your image, describe what you want ('add more sky' or 'widen for banner'), and download the result. No watermarks on your extended photos.

How much can I extend a photo background?

For best results, extend up to 50% of the original dimension in any direction. Simple backgrounds like sky or solid colors can extend more. For larger expansions, extend in stages: extend once, then extend the result again. Complex scenes may need refinement passes for seamless results.

What backgrounds work best for AI extension?

Simple, consistent textures extend most seamlessly: clear sky, clouds, water, sand, grass, out-of-focus bokeh, and solid colored walls. Complex patterns like detailed architecture or crowds are harder because the AI must generate believable continuation. For complex scenes, be specific in your prompt about what should continue.

Can I use this for print preparation and bleed margins?

Absolutely. Type 'extend the background on all four sides for print bleed margins.' Professional printing requires extra margin that gets trimmed during cutting. This adds that margin by generating matching content rather than leaving blank space or stretching your image.

Ready to extend your photo background?

Free to try. No signup required.

Extend Photo Background

How it works

Upload your photo

Describe where to extend

Review the result

Refine if needed

See it in action

Sky extension for better composition

Portrait to landscape for YouTube thumbnail

Beach photo expanded for print

If something looks off

Quick answers

Related Tools

Ready to extend your photo background?