{"id":145460,"date":"2021-07-29T20:13:36","date_gmt":"2021-07-30T00:13:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techsmith.com\/learn\/?post_type=tutorial&p=145460"},"modified":"2026-01-28T16:20:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T21:20:26","slug":"remove-background","status":"publish","type":"tutorial","link":"https:\/\/www.techsmith.com\/learn\/tutorials\/snagit\/remove-background\/","title":{"rendered":"Remove a Background"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Snagit offers multiple ways to remove a background or background color from an image and replace it with transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip: Start with a transparent Canvas.<\/p>\n\t

Select Image menu > Canvas Color<\/strong> (Windows) or Change Canvas Color<\/strong> (Mac). Click the canvas color preview, select the transparent (checkerboard) option, and click OK<\/strong> (Windows) or Apply<\/strong> (Mac).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Remove Background Option (Mac)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Remove Background option on Snagit for Mac automatically removes the background of photos and still images, even when the background is not a solid color.
\"Photo \"Photo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Right-click or control+click an image and select the Remove Background<\/strong> option.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. To remove additional details, select the Eraser<\/strong> tool. See Eraser Tool<\/a>.
    \"Eraser<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    This option works best on images where this is a high level of contrast between the subject and the background. It may not preserve fine details on the subject, such as individual whiskers or hairs.
    \"Photo \"Photo \"Photo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Fill Tool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Fill tool<\/a> replaces one color with another color or with transparency. The Fill tool works best when the background you want to remove is a solid color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    \n

    \"Fill<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    \n
      \n
    1. Click the Fill<\/strong> tool in the Snagit Editor toolbar.
      \"Fill
      Note:<\/b> If the tool is not visible in the toolbar, click the More<\/strong> dropdown.<\/div> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. In the Properties panel, click the Fill<\/strong> dropdown and select Transparent<\/strong> (checkerboard pattern).
      \"Select<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Click the background of the image to replace the color with transparency.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      The Canvas appears under transparent areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n\t

      Tip: Adjust the tolerance for a better result.<\/p>\n\t

      If the background is not a solid color, Snagit might fill too little or too much of an area with transparency. Press Ctrl+Z<\/strong> (Windows) or Command+Z<\/strong> (Mac) to undo the previous fill, drag the Tolerance<\/strong> slider to adjust the fill amount, and try again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      For more information, see the Fill Tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      Invert Selection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The Snap to Object<\/strong> and Invert Selection<\/strong> options allow you to remove the color around irregular shapes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      \n

      \"Selection<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      \n
        \n
      1. Click the Selection<\/strong> tool in the Snagit Editor toolbar.
        \"Selection
        Note:<\/b> If the tool is not visible in the toolbar, click the More<\/strong> dropdown.<\/div> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. In the Tool Properties, select the Freehand<\/strong> shape.
        \"Freehand<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Select the Transparent<\/strong> background fill option.
        \"Transparent<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. Click and drag to draw a selection around a shape or icon you want to preserve in an image.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      5. Click Snap to Object<\/strong> to bind the selection to the edges of the selected element.
        \"Snap<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      6. Right-click (Windows) or Control+click (Mac) and select the Invert Selection<\/strong> option.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      7. Press Delete<\/strong> to replace the inverted selection with transparency.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        The Canvas appears under transparent areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        For more information, see the Selection Tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

        Magic Wand Tool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        The Magic Wand tool<\/a> makes a selection based on the color where you click. The Magic Wand works best to select and remove backgrounds that are a solid color or have only a slight color gradient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
        \n

        \"Magic<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

        \n
          \n
        1. Click the Magic Wand<\/strong> tool in the Snagit Editor toolbar.
          \"Magic
          Note:<\/b> If the tool is not visible in the toolbar, click the More<\/strong> dropdown. <\/div> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        2. In the Properties panel, select the Transparent<\/strong> background fill option.
          \"Transparent<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        3. In the image on the Canvas, click the color you want to remove.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        4. Adjust the Select<\/strong> slider in the Tool Properties to select more or less color adjacent to your image.
          \"Slider<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        5. To include all instances of the selected color(s) in the image, click to enable Global Color Selection<\/strong> in the Tool Properties.
          \"Global<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        6. Press Delete<\/strong> to remove the selection.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          The Canvas appears under transparent areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          For more information, see the Magic Wand Tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

          IMPORTANT<\/strong>
          To maintain transparency, save the image to a file format that supports transparency: CUR, GIF, ICO, PNG, TIF, or SNAGX.<\/div>\n\n\n\n