How to Remove the Background from Photos on Windows
Windows 11 can remove the background from a photo by itself: open it in Paint and click Remove background, or use the Background options in the Photos app's editor. File Acture's Remove Background does whole batches on your PC and adds what listings need: a white or any color background, cropping to the subject with padding, a square canvas and a file size limit.
Updated September 24, 20264 min read
By the File Acture team
A product photo on a white background, a profile picture without the messy room behind it, a pet cut out for a card: removing the background used to mean an online tool that wanted an upload and a credit for each image. On a Windows PC, it can be done right on the computer.
How to remove a background with Paint and Photos
In Windows 11, open the photo in Paint and click Remove background in the Image group. Paint keeps the subject and makes the rest transparent; save the result as PNG to keep the transparency.
The Photos app can do it too: open the photo, click Edit and look for the Background options, where you can remove, blur or replace the background, then save a copy. Both need an up-to-date Windows 11; Windows 10's Paint and Photos don't have these options.
These are quick for a single cutout. They work on one photo at a time and don't offer a crop around the subject, a square canvas or a size limit, which is what marketplaces and upload forms usually ask for.
How to remove the background from many photos with File Acture
File Acture's Remove Background finds the person, animal or product in each photo you add and places it on a transparent or plain background. The edges follow hair and fur instead of a hard outline, and every result is saved as a new file with “-no-bg” in its name; the originals stay as they were.
It reads JPEG, PNG, WebP and TIFF, plus HEIC and AVIF through the same Windows codecs the Photos app uses, so install Microsoft's HEIF and HEVC extensions if Windows can't show your iPhone photos. The results are saved as PNG, WebP or JPEG.
Which options does it have?
The options sit in the panel on the right and are remembered for the next run.
- Background: Transparent, or Color with a one-click White and any other color.
- Format: PNG or WebP keep transparency. JPEG has no transparency, so it can be chosen once a color is set.
- Crop to subject: trims the empty space around the subject, and Padding leaves a margin of 0–30% around it.
- Canvas: Square 1:1 centers the result on a square, as marketplaces ask for.
- Limit file size: keeps each file under a maximum such as 500 KB or 1 MB.
Tips for clean cutouts
The clearer the subject, the cleaner the edge.
- Contrast helps. A subject that stands out from the background gives the cleanest outline; a white shoe on a white table is the hardest case.
- One main subject works best. With a crowd, everything in the foreground is kept.
- Need smaller files? Turn on Limit file size, or run the results through Compress Images.
- Need a fixed size? Scale the cutouts to the same width with Resize Images.
- Photo for an application form? See the photo size rules for online applications.
Is it safe to use an online background remover?
Online background removers need the photo on their servers first, and many charge a credit for every full-size image. That matters for photos of people, children and unreleased products. File Acture finds the subject on your PC, so the photos are never uploaded; the free version needs an internet connection only to count its runs.
The free version includes 3 runs on each PC, with up to 5 photos per run. For whole catalogs, see pricing.
How to remove the background from photos with File Acture
- 1
Open Remove Background
Choose Remove Background in the sidebar, under Images.
- 2
Add your photos
Drag in your photos or click Choose Files….
- 3
Pick the background
Under Background, choose Transparent, or Color and then White or any color. Pick PNG, WebP or JPEG under Format.
- 4
Frame it
Turn on Crop to subject and set the Padding; choose Square 1:1 under Canvas for listings.
- 5
Remove the backgrounds
Click Remove Background. Each result is saved with “-no-bg” in its name, and Before and After show the difference.
Cut out people and products in whole batches, on your PC.
Free to try · runs on your PC
| Method | Several photos at once | Crop and square canvas | Size limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paint, Remove background | No | No | No |
| Photos, Edit > Background | No | No | No |
| Online background removers | Varies, often paid credits | Varies | Varies |
| File Acture Remove Background | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Questions
Can Windows remove the background from a photo without an app?
Yes, in Windows 11: open the photo in Paint and click Remove background, or use the Background options in the Photos app's editor. Windows 10 doesn't have these options.
How do I put a product on a white background?
In File Acture, choose Color and then White under Background. Add Crop to subject and a square canvas for marketplace listings.
Can I remove the background from many photos at once?
Yes. Add them all to Remove Background and click Remove Background. The free version takes up to 5 photos per run.
Why is my JPEG not transparent?
JPEG has no transparency. Save as PNG or WebP to keep a transparent background, or choose a background color for JPEG.
Are my photos uploaded?
No. The subject is found on your PC and the photos never leave it. The free version goes online only to count its runs.