Remove background from a PNG
PNG input is the easy case: no compression artefacts to fight, and the format can already hold the transparency you are adding.
Loading the editor…
Clean edges to start from
PNG is lossless, so there are no compression artefacts around the subject to clean up before you begin.
Canvas position preserved
Trimming is off by default on this page, so the subject stays exactly where it sat on the original canvas.
Handles existing transparency
A PNG that is already partly transparent loads fine; the areas you cut simply become transparent too.
How to remove a PNG background
- 1
Load the PNG
Drag it in or paste it. Screenshots pasted straight from the clipboard work well here.
- 2
Mark the subject
Box what should stay. For a screenshot, that is usually one interface element or a logo.
- 3
Run and check
The checkerboard shows the transparency. Zoom your browser if you want a closer look at the edge.
- 4
Export
PNG keeps everything lossless. Switch on trimming if you want the empty space removed.
Removing a white background from a PNG
A white background in a PNG is not transparency — it is white pixels. Removing it means the same segmentation work as any other background, not a colour-key trick.
That distinction matters for anti-aliased edges: a logo drawn on white has pale pixels blended along its outline. After a cutout those can read as a faint halo, which a thin erase stroke along the edge removes.
Screenshots and interface elements
Screenshots are a good fit because they are usually PNG, usually high contrast, and usually contain one obvious element you want.
For a rectangular element, a focus box plus the cutout is often overkill — a plain crop would do. The cutout earns its place when the element has rounded corners, a drop shadow, or an irregular outline.
Logos and flat graphics
Flat vector-style artwork cuts out cleanly because the boundary between subject and background is unambiguous.
If you have the original vector file, use that instead — a cutout from a raster PNG can never be sharper than the pixels it came from.
Common jobs this handles
Screenshots
Isolate an interface element from the screen behind it.
Logo cleanup
Turn a logo saved on white into one that works on any colour.
Layered exports
Cut a subject out of an exported PNG without returning to the source file.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove a white background from a PNG?
Load the file, mark the subject and run the cutout. The white pixels become transparent. If a pale outline remains, erase a thin band along the edge.
Does my PNG lose quality?
No. PNG is lossless both as input and as export, so the subject's pixels are unchanged.
My PNG already has transparency. Is that a problem?
No. Existing transparent areas stay transparent, and the areas you cut become transparent as well.
Can I keep the original canvas size?
Yes, and on this page that is the default. Switch to Trim to subject if you would rather crop the empty space away.