Learning how to make transparent images will dramatically improve your photo editing game. It may seem difficult, but honestly, the process is so simple and the results are seriously impressive. If you want your images to stand out from the crowd, then you’re in the right place.

We’re here to guide you through the whole process of making an image transparent, and to offer helpful tips and tricks that will add a special spark to your socials. The question is, how do you transform a photo that’s filled with background color into one with transparent areas? To learn how to remove the background from an image, read on.

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How Can You Make an Image Transparent Online?

It takes just a few steps:

Step 1) Open the image in the PicsArt Editor.

Step 2) Tap on the Cutout tool and either manually outline the areas of the image that you want to be transparent, or tap on Select to let AI auto-select the person, face, clothes, sky, or head that you want to keep. Think of it as a kind of magic background remover.

Step 3) Tap on Save to remove the rest, retaining only the parts you highlighted in red.

Step 4) Tap on Next to export the transparent image.

From here on you can use the transparent images to create beautiful aesthetic edits or ultra-shareable memes. The possibilities are endless and it’s all in your hands.

The process is quite simple, but it might seem intimidating at first. If you don’t know what editing software to use or which image formats support transparency, don’t worry, we’ve broken it all down for you below.

How Do You Add a Transparent Image to Another Image?

The whole fun of making the background of an image transparent is the ability to layer it on top of another image, to create your own collage-style edits. You’re essentially making a sticker that you can layer on top of anything. Once you have an image with a transparent background, adding it to another image is really simple. The only rule to keep in mind is that the transparent image should go on top of the other image, otherwise it won’t be visible.

Let’s practice adding a transparent image to another image in the PicsArt Web Editor:

Step 1) Open the Web Editor and click Upload on the left panel to upload the image that you want to make transparent. You can also choose one from the #FreeToEdit image gallery.

Step 2) Click on Eraser to manually select areas of the image that you want to make transparent. Alternatively, you can let the AI Select tool do the erasing work for you in one click. Click on Object or Person to remove those parts of your image.

Step 3) Once you’ve removed all of the parts that you want to make transparent, click Apply on the top right of your screen and Save your new transparent image to your Sticker collection.

Step 4) Open the PicsArt Editor and click on Upload on the left panel to upload the image you want to use as your background or bottom layer. You can also use one of the #FreeToEdit images here.

Step 5) Click on Sticker on the left panel and select the top layer photo (aka the new Sticker).

Step 6) Resize it to cover as much or as little of the background area in your photo.

Step 7) Click to Share or Download it directly to your desktop. Voila! You’ve added a transparent image to another image.

Whether you’re an experienced editor or just getting started, making transparent backgrounds in the PicsArt app is also incredibly easy.

Step 1) Open the PicsArt app and tap the + icon at the bottom of the screen.

Step 2) Select the image you want to edit from your photo gallery or from the #FreeToEdit gallery.

Step 3) Tap the Cutout tool at the bottom of your screen.

Step 4) Tap the Outline tool to manually outline the areas you want to keep, or tap the Select tool to let AI automatically detect and remove areas. PicsArt automatically makes everything transparent leaving only the selected areas intact.

Step 5) Tap Next then Save to download your newly transparent image.

If you save the cutout as a Sticker on PicsArt, you can add it to any background to create a plethora of edits. When you re-open the editor, tap on Stickers and then My Sticker to find all your previously edited images. It’s that easy to make your own stickers.

Can a JPEG or a PNG Be Transparent?

One other thing to keep in mind when creating transparent edits is the format of the image. It all comes down to choosing between JPEG (or JPG) and PNG formats.

JPEG is the most commonly used digital image format in the world. This is mostly due to the fact that JPEG images are small in size and are supported on almost all websites. Sadly, there’s no way to make JPEG images transparent. The format doesn’t support transparency.

On the other hand, while the PNG format is not as widely used, it does support transparent images. Additionally, PNG images have an overall better compression rate than JPEG images. Unlike the JPEG format, PNG’s compression is lossless, meaning no matter how many times you edit the image, it won’t lose its quality.

How Do You Make a JPEG Image Transparent?

crossed out

There is no way to make a JPEG image with a transparent background. You can make the background of an image transparent, but once you download the image as a JPEG, the transparent sections will turn white. Even if you start the editing process with a JPEG image, you should make sure to save it as a PNG before exporting the image. You don’t want your editing work to be wasted.

How Do You Make a PNG Image Transparent?

transparent file format

PNG is the best format when it comes to creating transparent photos. It’s great for preserving the quality of your images and it’s supported on most websites.

In order to create a transparent PNG image, first you need to upload an image to the PicsArt Editor, then select and remove the background from the image using the steps above. Once you’re done, simply save the image you edited as a PNG file and you’re ready to go. In PicsArt, it’ll default to saving as a PNG so can you retain the transparent image.

Now you have an image that is both transparent and high quality. You can add your transparent PNG image to other photos without it getting pixelated.

How Do You Convert a JPEG to PNG Online?

background remover

If you have a JPEG image and want to convert it to PNG, you’ll need to use third-party apps or online tools. There are a lot of online resources that can help you convert a JPEG image to a PNG file, but most of them are also quite limited. However, if you’re using PicsArt, you’ll be able to both convert a JPEG to a PNG and edit the image in the same process. No additional conversion work will be needed.

Open your JPEG file in the PicsArt Editor and apply any necessary edits such as filters, stickers, background removal, etc. When you’re done, simply save the image and PicsArt will convert it to a PNG for you. Remember, PicsArt automatically saves images as PNG files, so you don’t have to worry about any of your transparent images losing their transparency or quality.

Take into account that if you have saved a transparent image as a JPEG and have ended up with a white background, converting it to PNG won’t make the image transparent again. You’ll need to re-edit the photo and then save it as PNG.

Where Can You Find Transparent Background Images Online?

transparent png

If you don’t think your photos are all that, or if you’re looking for an image of something that you can’t capture yourself, then the internet is your friend.

Finding the right images is one thing, but overlaying a transparent image or converting them into transparent backgrounds can be tiring, especially if you want to include a lot of elements. Luckily, there are a lot of images with transparent backgrounds freely available online.

If you’ve ever tried downloading images with transparent backgrounds, then you probably know the feeling of accidentally downloading a fake transparent image. Clicking and downloading an image with a grey checkered background, just to find out the checkered pattern is part of the image and not transparent only after you’ve downloaded the image is super frustrating.

You can avoid this by using editing software that has a readily available catalog of images with transparent backgrounds. If you open the PicsArt Editor and scroll through Stickers, you’ll discover a whole world of transparent images. You can find all types of images with transparent backgrounds by typing in any word or phrase in the search bar.

Now that you know the basics, you can explore the endless possibilities of transparent images and transparent backgrounds. So what will you create with yours?

Make Awesome

PicsArt all-in-one Photo and Video Editor, Collage, and Sticker Maker is the world’s largest creative platform with over 150 million monthly active creators and influencers. PicsArt has collaborated with major artists and brands like The Jonas Brothers, Gwen Stefani, Maroon 5, Lizzo, Meghan Trainor, One Direction, MONSTA X, Warner Bros. Entertainment, iHeartMedia, Condé Nast, and more. Download the app today to level-up your photos and videos with thousands of quick & easy editing tools, trendy filters, fun stickers, and brilliant backgrounds. Unleash your creativity with PicsArt and upgrade to Gold for awesome premium perks.