A Guide to Remove White Background In Photoshop

Want to Remove White Background in Photoshop? Do it yourself. It is simple. Use any background in your image and make it eye-catchy. Then, you can make it transparent or cut out the subject to create a composite.

However, there are several ways to remove the white background in Adobe Photoshop. That means there are different tools to select the object on an image.

Here in this article, I will try to explain and illustrate the best 5 methods to remove white backgrounds and replace them with any solid color or place the object on another image.

Besides, I will give you tips on “when and how you can use those tools to get a perfect result.” so let’s dig in.

Remove White Background In Photoshop

With Photoshop, you can remove any bg of an image quickly. But you need to know the exact way to do it. So here, I will discuss “how to remove white background in photoshop” differently. And later, you will also know when we need to remove or not to remove the white background.

The rules of thumbs when you are going to remove background-

  • You need to select the object using Photoshop tools (Pen tool, Lasso tool, Magic Wand Tool) and then inverse the selection to select the rest of the image and delete it. 
  • Or some tools allow you to automatically select an object (Object Selection Tools, Quick Selection Tools) by clicking the mouse.  
  • And the last group of tools ( Eraser Tool ) directly erases the bg. 

Here is the process of removing the background

  • Clipping Path Technique: Pen Tool for Pixel Perfect Selection 
  • Image Masking Technique: Background Eraser Tools – A non-destructive way of selecting Objects 
  • Lasso Tools – Straightforward method require patience 
  • Magic Wand Tool – The fastest process to select anything but not the perfect one.
  • Online tools- Not excellent, but it does not need Photoshop. 

Remove White Background Using Different Tools In Photoshop

Remove White Background

Removing the background of an image in Photoshop is not so hard. When the bg is white, it’s effortless to remove. You can do it easily with fun and joy. But, of course, you need a small practice and patience. There are many tools in Photoshop. But the best tool is the pen tool.

Sometimes, you need to do some retouching and color correction to get the perfect backdrop. Most of the time, we use the Magic wand tool or pen tool to do this kind of work. Thus, here are some differences and exciting techniques to remove the white background in photoshop. 

Like Lasso, Object selection, quick selection, and many more, here I will describe all the methods/techniques so that you can remove the white background from an image. So follow my Techniques and start practicing. Let’s start-

Remove White Background Using Photoshop Pen Tool

open an image in photoshop to remove white background

You need to open an image in photoshop. From the layer palette, you have to pick the Pen tool. A new layer will open when you click on the object’s outline. It’s called a path layer.

Select path layer

For proper selection, zooming in on the photo at 300% is essential as it would give you a perfect view of the object’s outlines. After that,t you can make an ideal path for the object.

Zoom in to make an ideal path

How To Use The Pen Tool In Photoshop

The pen tool is the best tool to remove a backdrop. Because when you outline by using a pen tool, your selection will be perfect. Here I’m using a simple image to show you how to make a proper outline using a pen tool. So, when you practice it, try to choose an easy picture.

How To Use Pen Tool In Photoshop

So let’s start to outline the object. After completing the outline again, go to the starting point. When you reach the starting point, press Ctrl and the Path line.

Path line

How to Remove Image Background After Selecting The Object

Now is the time to give a glossy look effortlessly for a quick and fresh bg transformation. Then press and hold Shift+F6 to apply the feather 0.3px. 

applying the feather 0.5px

After that, you need to add the layer mask to remove white background from an image.

remove white background from an image

Furthermore, to add a solid color behind the objects, you must go to the adjustment layer. And you can choose any transparent color.

How to add a solid color

You can now use any color background you like.

use color background

After finishing the whole work, you need to check everything you have done. If you do the job properly, then the picture will look beautiful. 

Remove White Background Using Background Eraser Tool 

The background eraser tool is one of the most used tools for removing complex white backgrounds like hair, fur, glass, etc.

Ensure that the layer panel is open if you don’t set the layer panel on the right side of your screen. Then go to the top menu bar and Press on the window option. From the window option, you need to set the layer panel. 

Remove White Background Using Background Eraser Tool

Protect The Main Image File

Go to the Layers panel and right-click on the background layer. Then press on the duplicate layer. For making a duplicate layer, you can start again quickly if you make any mistakes.

making a duplicate layer

After that, press the eye icon to close the original layer. 

close the original layer

Make a High-Contrast Background.

Now you must add a bright color to show it clearly. Instead of using a white background and erasing the edges, you can apply a bright color, which will show the areas you have begun to cut out. It works expressly well if the original working bg is a light color.

After cutting out the whole image subject outline, you must add a new backdrop. After that, remove the bold color. So, by pressing the page icon, create a new layer, which shows in the layers panel.

create a new layer

You can use the paint bucket tool to fill the new layer with a bright color. And press on the canvas when you select a new layer.

fill the new layer with a bright color

You must set the new solid color layer below the duplicate image layer. When you start editing the photo, it won’t be visible to the naked eye. So you can drag and put it with the mouse.

duplicate image layer

How to Remove White Background Using Background Eraser Tool

Go to the Tools panel and pick the background eraser tool.

Background Eraser Tool

You can use the background swatch sampling techniques when you put a solid color. But remember that you need to set the bg color next to the main bg. In this case, you can use red.

background swatch sampling techniques

Ensure that you need to select protect foreground color. The Discontiguous setting stops Photoshop from blending the color into the foreground. That helps to keep two layers separate. Furthermore, it always doesn’t work on its own.

Photoshop keeps the layers separate, selecting the foreground color. And confirm that you will not take out any original photos when cutting out the background.

Discontinuous setting to stop blending foreground color

Afterward, the setting is based on your photo. So you need to start with the brush settings in the top menu bar. And if they don’t fit your example, then tweak them.

brush settings

Tolerance is an essential setting. For example, we set the tolerance to 50 percent in this picture. By doing this, you can make the right color balance of the picture’s Bg and object contrast.

Tolerance setting for background eraser tool

When you use this brush, you must remove the hair outline carefully. And you can see the red backdrop that the layer you created earlier. Also, you can see the scarf. Here the scarf contrast is much lower. For that, we have to adjust the brush set.

Removing White Background Using Background Eraser Tool

Remove The Low Contrast Background Areas by Decreasing Tolerance Settings 

If you notice the scarf, its light color is similar to the bg and hair. You need to decrease tolerance, which is in the top menu bar. Set the tolerance to 5 percent, which will work well. You can reduce the brush size in this case. Set the brush size at 30. This will allow you to edit correctly.

Set the tolerance

After setting the tolerance and brush size, you need to zoom in on the finer details. And also, you need to remove the object carefully. Then you can make a balance between tolerance and the size of the brush in different areas of the image.

White Background Removal

Remove The Rest of The Background

After finishing the work, you need to start removing the rest of the white color of the background. Then you can set the tolerance to 50% with a larger brush.

White Background Removal from image

Replace The Background

Now you can replace the background with another solid color or transparent color.

replace the white background

Now you can place your subject on any backdrop you like.

White Background Removal Using Object Selection Tool

An object selection tool is a new tool in adobe photoshop. You can get this in Adobe Photoshop CC. You can use this object selection tool to select a subject in an image. And remove a background.

Let’s Start Removing with Object Selection Tool

First, you need to open a white background image in adobe photoshop. After that, you must select the object selection tool from the toolbar on your screen’s left side.

White Background Removal Using Object Selection Tool

After selecting the object selection tool, you need to select the mood. To select the mood, you need to go to the menu bar on the top of your screen. There are two options, one is rectangular, and the other one is the lasso. If the picture’s subject is easy to select, then you must choose a rectangular mood.

And you can also use the lasso mood when the picture has multiple subjects. So for this picture, I’m selecting the rectangular mood. Because in this picture, I choose only one object. For that, you don’t need to set the mood. You can see this in the picture which is given below.

selecting the mood

Next, you need to draw a loose selection around the object. 

draw a selection around the object

If the selection is not perfect, then you can modify the selection. You need to press the Shift key to make the piece perfect. And also, you need to hold the Option key.

Furthermore, you need to select the mask option in the Right bottom corner of your pc screen. 

select the mask option to change white background

Then your object selection is made. And you can change the white background easily.

change the white background

White Background Removal Using Magic Wand Tool

White Background Removal Using Magic Wand Tool

Mainly, the Magic wand tool helps you remove white background of an image without distracting the subject lying on the bg. With the magic wand tool, you must select the subject part of the image with a solid color.

Afterward, the magic wand tool helps you change and remove the selected area in many ways. From the background, the layer removes the lock. 

removes the lock

Press the Magic Wand Option On The Toolset

Magic Wand Option

You need to choose the magic wand tool from the toolbar on the top left of your pc screen. Or you can press the Shift+w key. If the magic wand tool is not visible, you must try to find it below the quick selection one.

To do that, you can press and hold on to Quick selection until a window pops up, which will help you choose the magic wand tool.

Press a Single Click On That Area Which You Need To Remove

Remove the White Background

When the bg of your picture is white, and you want to remove it, you can select the background with the magic wand tool. Then, with another click, you can easily inverse the selected area.

Removing the White Background

Removing the White Background

When removing the white background, it’s better to check the duplicate layer. Make sure that you have already chosen the duplicate layer.

Next, look at the entire bg and press the left mouse button. Click and hold the shift key and choose the parts of the bg which the magic wand tool missed, like the shadow areas.

If you want to inverse the selection and highlight the object only, press the Shift+Ctrl+I button. When selecting the bg, press the Delete button to make it transparent.

Cancel The Selected Area

Deselect Option

Press on the selection area which you want to deselect. Now you can think that How can I recognize that? You can identify that area by the dotted line boundary.

After that, You need to click on the select option in the top menu bar. After pressing the select option, you can see the Deselect Option. Press on the Deselect option to disable the selection area.  

Or, if you want to go a short way, you need to press the Ctrl+D Button on your keyboard. Doing that will delete all the selected parts of your image.  

For Clean The Photo, You Can Use Eraser Tool

Use Eraser Tool

If the image bg has an intense color, you can remove it with a single click. Moreover, using the eraser tool, you can remove the tiny elements. You can also enlarge the image. Keep in mind that you don’t save the picture in jpg format.

This format will substitute the background transparent to white. That will defeat the whole purpose of image editing. Instead, go to the File and save the picture in PNG format.

The background transparency will be preserved when you save the photograph in the PNG format.

Lasso Tool To Remove The White Background

Lasso Tool To Remove The White Background

First of all, I can say that this is an effective tool. You can remove the background by using this Lasso tool. It’s easy to work with complex backdrops and objects.

Select The Lasso Tool

Select Lasso Tool

Go to the toolbar and Press on the Lasso tool. After that, you must add the Lasso tool to select a point on the picture.

Select The Subjects Outline

Outline The Subjects Using Lasso Tool

This process can be started by making a duplicate bg layer that you can use as a guide later on. The lasso tool is particularly suitable for selecting complicated bg and objects.

The area you have chosen with the lasso tool is usually one you want to preserve. Next, When the bg is empty, you can press on the Move tool and adjust the selected area. 

Make a Layer Through Copy

Make a Layer Through Copy

You need to go to the menu bar at the top. In the menu bar, you can see the layer option. Press the layer option, and you can see the new option in the dropdown box. After that, again, you need to click on New.

Then another dropdown will be open. For making a layer, you can see the layer via the copy option in the dropdown box. Press on the Layer via Copy

Or you can do it by using the command option on mac and ctrl for windows. Click on ctrl+j. It will change your present selection to a new layer. You can transform, rename, or adjust the newly created layer without changing the original one.

Lock the Lower Layer

Lock the Lower Layer

To secure the content of your layers, you can lock the layer entirely or partially. When the layer is locked, a corresponding icon shows right. After locking the layer, the icon will be colored.

But a partial lock will be displayed in its shape. Remember that you don’t need to save the photo in JPG format.

It makes all the selections transparent to white due to how this format is coded. You can permanently save the image in PNG format.

You can find the save as an option in the list of formats in the menu bar. A PNG file keeps its transparency that can be used for different purposes.

Quick Selection Tool to Remove White BG

Adobe photoshop for removing the white background

First, you must open an image on Adobe Photoshop to remove the white background. Then, go to the “file” option.

open in photoshop to remove white background

After pressing on the file option, a dropdown box will be open. Then there is an “Open Option.” Click on the “Open” option and choose an image from a folder where you put some pictures.

The image is now open in photoshop. Here I’ll show you how to remove the white background using the quick selection tool.

make a new file

Next, you need to make a new file. Go to the “file” in the menu and click on the “New” option. 

select transparent

Keep in mind. In the background contents option, you have to select transparently. Then click on Ok. 

Quick Selection Tool to Remove White BG
Open Quick Selection Tool to Remove White BG

Then go to the original photo. After that, select the QUICK SELECTION TOOL icon and click on it. Drag the cursor on the subject and click on it. The whole subject’s outline will be selected. 

select the QUICK SELECTION TOOL icon
click on the Move tool icon

Furthermore, You need to open another file side by side. To do that, you need to go to the “Window” option in the menu bar. And select the Arrange option. After that, Press on the 2-UP Vertical option. Then you can see two files are open on your monitor screen. 

Process to  Remove White BG using Quick Selection Tool
Process to  Remove White Background using Quick Selection Tool

Afterward, go to the toolbar and click on the Move tool icon. Next, click on the subject which you selected before. And then drag the subject on the created File. 

Final Image

remove white background in Photoshop using quick selection tool

That’s how you can easily remove the white background by using a quick selection tool.

Automated Online Tools and Softwares:

You can use much online automated software for white background removal. By using an automated online tool, you can remove the white background. However, using an automated online tool, you can’t delete multiple subjects’ bg. In this tutorial, I have used only one subject image.

Make background white by Automated Online tool

Press on the photo upload button and try to make an outline and remove the background. This tool has a red brush for selecting the bg and a green brush to select the main subject. So you need to drag the red brush in the bg.

And drag the green brush is in the foreground photo. Ironically, you can see the main subject will be selected. But the selection is not good if you use this online automated software.

Which is Best for White Backdrop Removal

The above-described selection tools of Adobe Photoshop are effortless to learn and work with. In addition, you can use the lasso, magic wand, background eraser, quick selection, or pen tool for white backdrop removal.

But every tool has some limitations, and the results are different. Some are easy, and some are a little hard to use. So here, we will show you a comparison and contrast of the tools. 

Pen Tool vs. Background Eraser Tool. 

To create a selection for complex or sharp-edged images like mobile, ball, plate, egg, ring, garments, furniture, etc., we use it mainly known as the clipping path. It is effortless and accessible. This tool will help you to make a good shape of the object. And it will allow you to remove any backdrop.

The Background eraser tool is used to select the complex, blurred, or transparent soft edges images where the pen tool fails to select—hair, muslin fabrics, fur, glass, furry doll fabrics, etc. The outstanding result of the eraser tool is known as the Photoshop Image Masking Service.

Pen Tool vs. Lasso Tool

In general, two sets of features need to be taken into consideration. The first one is the lasso tool, and the second one is the pen tool. By using a pen tool, you can outline the subject. And you can give a perfect shape to the subject.

As a result, you can easily remove the white background. The Lasso tools help you draw any form you want “manually.” The Lasso tool helps to draw a border-free object within an image. After selecting the object, you can soften the edges with the feathering effect.

Quick Selection Tool vs. Object Selection Tool

The quick solution tool in Photoshop is a helpful tool for selecting a specific object in the picture. This method is beneficial for selecting and painting the object in the picture. Suppose you could use the tool to select objects outlined and remove the background.

Or adjust the bg color when there is an object in the image. We usually do not use this tool for our photo editing. If you are a newcomer and want to work with this tool, you can try it yourself. On the other hand, Selecting an object is one of the most manual tasks in Photoshop. It is used to make the shape of an object.

We use this tool to remove the background. And these tools are typically used for object selections. Object selection involves various recent changes, including selecting any object of an image and removing the backdrop. 

Automated Tool Vs. Magic Wand Tool

Automated tools help you make the shape of an object’s outline of an image. It is a simple and easy process to remove the white background. But this tool is not enough to make the perfect shape of an object.

And if you can’t make an ideal shape of an object, then you can remove the backdrop, but the object doesn’t look right. You can use a magic wand tool to select a particular area of an image. By using this tool, you can remove the background.

This tool is one of the oldest selection tools in photoshop. Sometimes it’s hard to outline an object, and it won’t make a proper shape of an object. So foremost, I recommend using a pen tool to make the selection and shape of an object.

The pen tool is the best tool to remove white bg. You can create a pixel-perfect selection only with the pen tool. Thus it is the primary tool for any Photoshop editing needs.

Which Tool is Perfect to Remove White Background From Hair Area

When you remove an image’s white backdrop, the image has a person as a subject. And obviously, the subject has hair. Now, what type of tool can you use to remove the white color bg?

For that type of background removal, you need to use the background eraser tool, image masking. Because the subject of the picture has hair, without a Bg eraser tool, you can’t remove the soft-edged hair area properly. 

Keep in mind that, Advance image masking helps you get accurate results than clipping path when the subject has a soft edge like hair. Because with a clipping path, you can’t make a proper outline around the hair or fur. But with a clipping path, you can make a perfect outline of a subject if the subject doesn’t have fur or hair. 

You need to give proper concentration when the subjects have hair. Masking tools help you to get a realistic image.

White Background Removal For Portrait Photo

White Background Removal For Portrait Photo

Usually, we use white backdrops in portrait photos. Sometimes, We use solid or transparent colors. You can’t use a white background when taking pictures of a model. In that case, you need to make the model’s picture natural.

So You can remove the white background at that time. And put a solid color bg in the image. As a result, your image looks pretty good. In this image, I use solid color bg. Because in this picture, if I use a white backdrop, it doesn’t look good. That’s why white backdrop removal is essential.

white backdrop removal

White Background Removal For Product Photo

White Background Removal For Product Photo

If your products, clothes, and jewelry color are closed to white color in an image, you need to remove the white background. You need to remove the white backdrop because these things don’t look attractive. Suppose you took a photo of a white t-shirt. You can remove bg in that case. And add a solid color. Because of the solid bg, it will be nice to look at.

White Background Removal For Garments

When We Need to Remove White Background

If you want to use any other color bg, use the subject images in image composite, or use it in any other photoshop editing need, you need to remove the white bg. If you get your pictures on A transparent background, you can do anything or change the bg as required. For instance, you’d like to use a gray color. Then you can remove the white and place a gray color backdrop on it. 

When Not to Use White Background Removal?

When you edit a photo for E-commerce websites such as Amazon and eBay, you don’t need to remove white bg. Because, in the E-commerce business, everyone always uses a white Bg in the product photo. The white color makes the product look attractive. It grabs a customer’s attention.

Moreover, If a photograph looks beautiful on a white bg, you don’t need to remove the white background. Sometimes we can see people use different colors in their product photos. It distracts the focus on the subject.

That is why customers don’t want to buy products from their sites. Using the white backdrop, you can perfectly show every detail of the products.

White Background Removal Service at Graphic Experts India

If you are looking for the best background removal service, I recommend you keep faith in Graphic Experts India. You can go through the website. If you think it is a good Photoshop Editing services provider and services are good, then you can submit an order or request a quote. 

You can get two free trials for testing quality. As a result, you can observe whether services are good or not. So, I am talking about the white background removal service. 

Professional Photoshoppers work in this company perfectly. The photoshop pen tool is used here to remove the bg of an image. Additionally, you will get quality services, on-time delivery, and a money-back guarantee here.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we learn how to remove the white background from photoshop in many techniques with different tools. And we have found that we can acquire the best result with the pen tool. So always try to remove the white background with a pen tool to achieve better results. To learn more photoshop-related work, follow our website and comment if you have any questions about this tutorial.

You may also read:

Leave a Comment

Need Photoshop Services?