How to Remove Background in Photoshop! (Fast & Easy)

Chrisnd Graphics
27 Feb 202403:55

TLDRIn this tutorial, learn how to swiftly remove the background from an image using Photoshop CC 2022. Begin by opening the image in Photoshop and using the Quick Selection Tool to select the subject. Deselect the background and refine the selection, particularly around complex areas like hair, using the refine Edge brush tool. After adjusting the selection, output it to a new layer with a layer mask. You can then change the background to any color desired. To save the image as a PNG, ensure the background layer is unchecked and navigate to 'File' > 'Save As' or 'Export', then choose PNG as the file type. Rename the file if necessary and save, leaving the settings at default for a clean PNG output.

Takeaways

  • 🖼️ Open Photoshop and import the image by dragging and dropping it into the workspace.
  • 🔍 Use the Quick Selection tool to select the subject of your image.
  • 📏 After selecting, use 'Select Subject' from the top menu for more accurate selection.
  • 🔎 Zoom in to ensure all parts of the subject are included in the selection.
  • ➖ Click 'minus' to deselect any unwanted background parts.
  • ➕ Click 'plus' to ensure the entire image is selected.
  • 🎭 Go to 'Select and Mask' to refine the selection, especially around complex areas like hair.
  • 👁️ Set the view to 'Overlay' with red color and 100% opacity for a clear view of the selection.
  • 🖌️ Use the 'Refine Edge Brush Tool' to clean up any unwanted parts, like hair strands.
  • 📋 Click 'Refine Hair' at the top to automatically remove unwanted parts from complex areas.
  • 🔲 Choose 'Output to' and select 'New Layer with Layer Mask' for a clean extraction.
  • 🎨 You can now change the background to any color you prefer.
  • 💾 To save as a PNG, uncheck the background layer and navigate to 'File' > 'Save As' or 'Export'.
  • 🔄 Change the 'Save as type' to PNG, rename the file if desired, and save with the default settings.

Q & A

  • What is the first step to remove the background in Photoshop CC 2022?

    -The first step is to open Photoshop, then navigate to the folder containing the image and drag and drop the image into Photoshop.

  • Which tool in Photoshop should be used to initially select the subject of the image?

    -The Quick Selection Tool should be used to initially select the subject of the image.

  • How do you ensure that every part of the subject is selected in the Quick Selection Tool?

    -After selecting the Quick Selection Tool, you should zoom in on the image and manually adjust the selection to ensure every part of the subject is included.

  • What should you do if you accidentally select the background with the Quick Selection Tool?

    -If you accidentally select the background, you can click the 'minus' button to deselect the background part.

  • How do you refine the selection around complex areas such as hair?

    -You can use the 'Refine Edge Brush Tool' with the 'Refine Hair' option selected to clean up the unwanted parts around complex areas like hair.

  • What is the purpose of the 'Select and Mask' option in Photoshop?

    -The 'Select and Mask' option is used to fine-tune the selection, especially to deal with complex edges and refine the selection.

  • What is the output setting to choose when you want to save the image with a transparent background?

    -When saving the image with a transparent background, you should choose 'New Layer with Layer Mask' as the output setting.

  • How can you change the background color of the image after removing the original background?

    -After removing the original background, you can add a new layer below the subject layer and fill it with any color you want to use as the new background.

  • What steps should you follow to save the image as a PNG file with a transparent background?

    -To save the image as a PNG file with a transparent background, you should uncheck the background layer, go to 'File' and click 'Save As', then choose 'PNG' as the file type and click 'Save'.

  • What is the difference between 'Save As' and 'Export' in the context of saving a Photoshop file?

    -'Save As' is used to save a copy of the file with the same format, while 'Export' allows you to save the file in different formats suitable for different uses, such as web or mobile.

  • How do you ensure that the saved PNG file retains the transparent background?

    -To ensure the PNG file retains the transparent background, you should uncheck the visibility of the background layer before saving and make sure the 'PNG' file format is selected.

  • What happens if you forget to uncheck the background layer before saving as a PNG?

    -If you forget to uncheck the background layer before saving as a PNG, the background will not be transparent and will appear as a solid white or other default color.

Outlines

00:00

🖼️ Removing Background in Photoshop CC 2022

This video tutorial guides viewers through the process of removing the background from an image using Photoshop CC 2022. It starts with opening the image in Photoshop and using the Quick Selection tool to select the subject. The user is instructed to refine the selection by deselecting the background and ensuring all parts of the image are selected. A dialogue box allows for adjustments, particularly around the hair, using the refine Edge brush tool with a red overlay. The output is set to a new layer with a layer mask, and the final step involves saving the image as a PNG with a transparent background. The video concludes with instructions on how to save the file in PNG format, either by saving as a copy or exporting with the correct file type and settings.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Photoshop

Photoshop is a widely used image editing software developed by Adobe Inc. It is known for its powerful tools that allow users to manipulate and enhance digital images. In the video, it is the primary tool used to demonstrate how to remove the background from a photo, which is a common task in graphic design and photography.

💡Quick Selection Tool

The Quick Selection Tool in Photoshop is used for making rough selections of objects in an image quickly. It works by identifying edges and allowing the user to 'paint' over the area they want to select. In the video, this tool is used initially to select the main subject of the image, which is the first step in removing the background.

💡Select Subject

The 'Select Subject' feature in Photoshop is a more advanced selection tool that automatically detects and selects the main subject of an image. It is particularly useful when the subject is distinct from the background. In the video, this feature is used after the initial selection to ensure that every part of the subject is selected, including intricate details.

💡Zoom

Zooming in on an image in Photoshop allows users to work on finer details. It is an essential function when making precise selections or adjustments. The video script mentions zooming in to ensure that every part of the subject is accurately selected, which is crucial for a clean background removal.

💡Deselect

To deselect a part of an image in Photoshop means to remove it from the current selection. This is done using the 'minus' option in the selection tools. In the context of the video, deselecting is used to remove the background from the selection, which is the goal of the tutorial.

💡Select and Mask

The 'Select and Mask' option in Photoshop provides a more refined way to adjust selections, particularly useful for areas with complex details like hair or fur. The video demonstrates using this feature to clean up the selection around the subject's hair, ensuring that no unwanted parts of the background are included in the final selection.

💡Refine Edge Brush Tool

The Refine Edge Brush Tool is a specialized tool in Photoshop used for fine-tuning selections, especially around complex edges such as hair. The video script instructs using this tool to 'paint' over the subject's hair, which helps to remove any unwanted background details that may have been included in the initial selection.

💡Output to New Layer with Layer Mask

In Photoshop, 'Output to New Layer with Layer Mask' is an option that creates a new layer based on the current selection, with the selected area visible and the rest masked out. This is a crucial step in the video as it finalizes the background removal process and prepares the image for a new background or further editing.

💡PNG Image

A PNG (Portable Network Graphics) image is a type of file format that supports transparent backgrounds. It is often used when the goal is to remove the background of an image entirely. In the video, the final step is to save the image as a PNG to maintain the transparent background.

💡Save As

The 'Save As' command in Photoshop allows users to save a copy of their work under a new name or format without altering the original file. This is mentioned in the video when instructing how to save the edited image as a PNG with a transparent background.

💡Export

Exporting in Photoshop refers to the process of saving or converting the image into a different format or specification. It is an alternative to 'Save As' and is mentioned in the video as another method to save the image in the desired format, such as PNG.

Highlights

Learn how to quickly and easily remove the background in Photoshop CC 2022.

Open Photoshop and navigate to the folder containing your image.

Drag and drop the image into Photoshop to open it.

Select the Quick Selection tool with the Plus option.

Use the Select Subject feature to quickly select the main object in the image.

Zoom in to ensure all parts of the image are accurately selected.

Deselect the background by clicking the minus button.

Refine the selection by clicking on the Select and Mask option.

Adjust unwanted selections using the refine Edge brush tool.

Choose the 'Overlay' view and set the color to red for better visibility.

Click 'Refine Hair' to clean up selections around complex areas like hair.

Output the selection to a new layer with a layer mask for non-destructive editing.

Change the background to any desired color for your final image.

Save your work as a PNG with a transparent background by unchecking the background layer.

Navigate to File > Save As to save your image, or use the Export function.

Change the 'Save as type' to PNG and rename the file if desired.

Leave the settings as they are and click 'OK' to finalize the save.

This method provides a fast and efficient way to remove backgrounds for various applications.

The step-by-step guide ensures that users of all skill levels can follow along easily.

The use of layer masks allows for flexibility and non-destructive editing.

The final PNG image can be used for web or print with a transparent background.