Want to eliminate the background from an image on your Mac but don’t know where to start? Here in this blog, you will get the complete guide to removing picture backgrounds on a Mac using various methods and tools. Whether you are required to change the background to a transparent one or simply to give your images a professional touch, I have covered various methods.
There are various ways to remove the background from a picture on a Mac. You can either use built-in Mac apps or online background removers. Erase.bg and Pixelbin.io are excellent online background removers available.
Say goodbye to your manual editing and hello to an excellent experience. On macOS Ventura and later, Mac’s background removal feature uses advanced AI technology to isolate subjects and remove backgrounds with high accuracy.
This blog evaluates the top 10 AI tools to remove backgrounds from pictures on a Mac, offering solutions that overcome the challenges of traditional background removal on macOS. Deep dive into discovering the best way to remove image backgrounds on your Mac.
What do you mean by remove background from picture on Mac?
Removing the background from a picture means digitally erasing the entire background of an image, leaving only the main subject (the foreground) with a transparent background. The result can be a transparent image, most commonly exported as PNG or WebP.
TIFF also supports transparency, though it’s less commonly used. HEIC can support transparency on Apple devices, but it is rarely used outside the Apple ecosystem for this purpose.
Modern background removal tools use artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to identify the subject and remove background pixels while attempting to preserve edges and fine detail. Accuracy is high for many photos, but it can drop with complex edges (hair, fur), reflections, or semi-transparent objects.
Common challenges of background removal on Mac:
- Professional tools like Adobe Photoshop often require knowledge of layer masks, selections, and edge refinement for the best results. Built-in Mac tools can struggle with complex edges like hair, fur, or transparent objects.
- Manual removal takes more time, and there is no batch processing for most manual background removers.
- Cost and platform limits may require professional and AI services to require a subscription or paid license, and some advanced features are only available on newer macOS versions. Some apps may be one-time purchases rather than subscriptions.
Remove background on Mac using Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop remains the industry standard for professional image editing, offering unparalleled control over background removal through its selection tools and layers masking capabilities.
Photoshop, which was created for users who need the utmost accuracy, permits extensive manual editing, making it possible to precisely edit even the most complex edges a critical skill for complex subjects like hair.
Compared to automated AI-powered tools, the manual nature of Photoshop background removal can be more time-consuming. For this, there are various steps to follow to remove the background in Photoshop.
Various steps to remove the background in Photoshop for Mac users.
Step 1: Launch Adobe Photoshop and open the image you want to edit. Navigate to File > Open and select your image file.
Step 2: Go to the top menu and choose Select > Subject. Photoshop uses Adobe AI to automatically detect and select the main subject.
Step 3: With the Subject selected, create a layer mask by clicking the Add layer mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel. This will hide the background, revealing the selected subject on a transparent layer.
Step 4: For accurate edge refinement, especially around complex areas like hair, go to Select > Select and Mask. The workspace offers tools to smooth, feather, and shift edges, ensuring a natural-looking extraction.
Step 5: Use tools like the Refine Edge Brush on tricky areas like hair. Adjust sliders like smooth, feather, and contrast, Shift Edge until the edges look natural.
Step 6: Select your output setting, like layer mask, selection, or new layer with layer mask, and click OK.
Step 7: To keep transparency, go to File> Export > Export As and choose PNG.
Built-in program to remove the background from a picture on a Mac
Photos, Preview, and Quick Actions only support background removal starting in macOS Ventura and later. Using these three tools to remove the background is very convenient. They have some limitations. Let’s compare these three built-in programs and learn more in-depth information.
There are three ways to remove the background from a picture on a Mac
- Preview
- Photos with macOS 13 Ventura
- Quick actions in Finder
Remove background from picture on Mac with Preview (Built-in Tool)
If users avoid downloading and installing any software, Preview is a viable option for removing backgrounds from pictures on a Mac. Preview is a built-in application for macOS.
It is not just one simple function, as you can see from its name. Preview also gives everyone the ability to fix and edit pictures. The Preview application, built into macOS, includes an instant Alpha tool that can remove backgrounds from solid-color images.
It’s important to note its limitations. It’s only effective for images with solid backgrounds and struggles with complex edges and transparencies, and it lacks batch processing capabilities.
Two practicals: Preview offers two practical approaches: Instant Alpha (best when background colors differ from the subject) and Smart lasso (manual tracing when colors are similar or instant Alpha fails).
Step 1: Launch the preview application on your Mac.
Step 2: Open the image you wish to edit.
Step 3: Locate and click on the “Instant Alpha tool,” which is usually found within the Markup toolbar.
Step 4: Click and drag your cursor over a portion of the unwanted background area. The tool will select an area of similar color, and you should repeat these steps until you get your desired image.
Step 5: Copying with Edit -> Copy is documented; deleting to transparency requires an alpha format (PNG).
Step 6: Save the edited image to preserve your changes.
Another way is if the wanted part and the unwanted part are similar colors. Extra method (Smart Lasso - similar colors/ manual tracing).
Step 1: Launch the preview on your Mac and open the selected image that you need to change.
Step 2: Click the Markup button in the preview toolbar. This will display the editing tools.
Step 3: Click the selection tool dropdown menu and select Smart Lasso from the options.
Step 4: Carefully trace the outline of the subject you want to extract. The Smart Lasso tool will attempt to snap to the edges as you draw and connect to the start and end points.
Step 5: To remove the background, press the delete key. To copy the selected subject, press Command +C. You can then paste it into another document or application. To preserve transparency, convert your image to PNG first.
Step 6: Save the edited image to preserve your changes.
Remove image background via macOS Photos app (macOS 13+ only)
For macOS Ventura (13+) users, the built-in Photos app now offers a convenient Copy Subject feature, enabling you to isolate and copy the subject of an image directly from your photo library. Using the built-in software may save some time and steps. However, the background removal function it offers is limited compared with the tools we mentioned above.
Fully integrated into the macOS Photos experience, this tool simplifies the process to a right click, making it incredibly user-friendly. It’s particularly effective for straightforward subject extractions. This feature is exclusive to macOS Ventura and later versions.
Pros
- Instantly isolate and copy the subject from images.
- Copy and paste the isolated subject into emails, iMessages, and other places.
How to remove the background from a picture on macOS 13 Ventura using Photos
Step 1: Open the Photos app.
Step 2: Select and open the photo you want to edit.
Step 3: Right-click on the subject in the photo.
Step 4: Click copy subject.
Step 5: Paste the subject into Mail, Messages, Notes, or other apps that support images.
Quick Actions in Finder
To remove the image's background, the features lift the subject out of the picture and turn it into a PNG format, which makes the background transparent.
This is useful for designers and developers, but it’s also useful for more casual users who would like to remove the background from a picture. This is useful for designers and developers, but it's also useful for more casual users who would like to remove the background from a picture.
Pros
- Automatically remove image background.
- Can remove backgrounds from multiple images at once.
Steps to remove the background from images on Mac Via Finder
Step 1: From Finder, locate the image or photo you want to remove the background from.
Step 2: Right-click on the image, then choose “Quick Actions.”
Step 3: select “Remove background.”
Step 4: Wait a moment for the image to process. A transparent PNG of the same file will appear in the same folder, titled the original filename plus “Background Removed.”
Online AI tools to remove background from a picture on a Mac for free
MacOS comes with basic background removal tools like Instant Alpha, but they may not handle complex images accurately. If you need cleaner and more precise results, AI background removers can detect fine edges like hair or shadows more effectively. Well, a flexible yet powerful tool called Pixelbin.io and Erase.bg is what you require.
Whether you want to remove the white image background or need a transparent background image, Erase.bg and Pixelbin.io will use the AI technology to create the most satisfying results in seconds with a one-click operation.
There are various professional online background removers rather than using the built-in programs for Mac to remove the background from pictures on Mac. Many professional online background removers offer features like batch processing, custom background replacement, and high-resolution exports. Here, I have picked the top 10 best online background removers for you. Continue reading to learn more.
Table at a glance
| Tool | Free plan available | Ease of use | Output quality | Limitations on the free version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pixelbin.io | Yes | Easy | High | Limited free credits |
| Erase.bg | Yes | Very easy | High | Limited downloads per day |
| Fotor | Yes | Easy | medium-high | Watermark or credit systems |
| Remove.bg | Yes | Very easy | High | Limited free resolutions. |
| Aiarty image matting | Yes | Medium | Hgh | May require sign-up |
| Pixlr | Yes | Easy | Medium high | Ads, lower resolution saves |
| Removal.AI | Yes | Easy | High | Low-res free outputs |
| Canva | Yes (with free account) | Very easy | High | Background remover is a Pro feature |
| Icons8 | Yes | Easy | Medium -high | Limited free edit per day |
| Photoroom | Yes | Very easy | High | Free exports with watermark |
1. Pixelbin.io
Pixelbin is a powerful online platform that offers AI-powered background removal and other image editing tools, accessible on Mac or any other device through a browser. Using advanced AI, it detects and separates the subject from the background for most product and portrait photos; it produces professional-quality results, though very complex images may need manual refinement.
It preserves edges and lighting and exports transparent PNGs for natural blends. Very simple to use the tool, upload an image or paste a URL, and select the picture from which you want to remove the background.
The tool provides you with four samples to test. I had tested one that provides results in a few seconds, including other features like resize, crop, adjust, and rotate. You can replace backgrounds with transparency, solid color, blurred effects, or custom images.
Highlight the subject and create clean, professional compositions for e-commerce, personal projects, real estate, automobile, media and entertainment, and more. This method allows you to remove the background of your picture, but you’ll need to manually save or download the result.
How to remove background from picture on Mac with Pixelbin.io
Step 1: Visit Pixelbin background remover.
Step 2: Upload the image. Select the picture from your Mac where you want the background removed.
Step 3: AI background removal. Pixelbin AI will automatically detect the subject and remove the background.
Step 4: Download the final image.
2. Erase.bg
Erase.bg is an online tool and mobile application that specializes in removing background from pictures, accessible on Mac or any device through a browser. It uses advanced AI technology; it quickly detects and removes backgrounds, often producing clean and professional-looking results.
Its simple interface makes background removal easy for beginners while still being useful for professionals. Erase.bg delivers high-quality background removal in just a few clicks. It supports various formats like PNG, JPEG, JPG, WebP, and HEIC.
Simply upload the image and wait for a few seconds; you will get the best result. Of all the apps I tested, this one was by far the best at removing the background from a picture. Erase.bg is almost exclusively a tool for photographers, e-commerce sellers, designers, and anyone who wants quick, high-quality background removal.
The biggest thing is Erase.bg has going for it is the price. Erase.bg offers competitive pricing and plans suitable for personal to enterprise use.. It enables you to edit the background for profile pictures, resize images at different aspect ratios, and save images in formats as given.
How to remove background from picture on Mac with Erase.bg
Step 1: Visit Erase.bg
Step 2: Upload image, start by uploading the image containing the subject you wish to isolate from its background.
Step 3: Erase.bg automatically processes the image with AI, removing the background within seconds. Accuracy may vary with complex images.
Step 4: Review the result and download the image.
3. Fotor
Fotor’s powerful AI algorithms make your background removal fast and high-quality. With Fotor, you can remove backgrounds from pictures with one click. Free users can try it, but downloading transparent or high-resolution PNGs may require Fotor Pro.
What’s more, it offers a variety of background images and supports various formats like JPG, JPEG, PNG, and WebP. The tool offers creative options after removing backgrounds.
Fotor is available on platforms like Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Most importantly, this image background remover requires no skills. You only need one click to get a transparent background image. After removing the background, Fotor lets you replace it, generate AI backgrounds, or apply blur effects.
How to remove the background from a picture on a Mac with Fotor
Step 1: Visit Fotor Background Remover.
Step 2: Upload your image, and Fotor will generate a background-removed preview. Transparent PNG downloads may require Pro.
Step 3: To perfect the detail, you can try the eraser to clean the unwanted part and keep the part you want.
Step 4: Download it in JPG and PNG.
4. Remove.bg
Remove.bg is an AI-powered tool that automatically removes the background from images in seconds. If you don’t have an image, it provides sample images you can use for testing. If you want to make a background transparent, add a white background to a photo, extract or isolate the subject, or get the cutout of an image, use remove.bg.
It is available on the Web, through browsers, and as apps for macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. The tool is best for individuals, photographers, marketers, developers, e-commerce, media, car dealerships, enterprises, and many more.
Remove.bg has expanded its AI-powered features. And you know what? It really works. I used the Background feature to add another background from the available options, like solid colors and custom uploads. Zoom in/out for more editing of the images.
Remove.bg provides facilities to improve your workflow with plugins and integrations or automations that fit your needs, including Photoshop, Figma, GIMP, and Sketch. The free version is available but limited to low-resolution output. High-resolution downloads require credits or a subscription.
How to remove background from picture on Mac with Remove.bg
Step 1: Visit Remove.bg
Step 2: upload an image from which you want to remove the background.
Step 3: It will detect and remove the background automatically.
Step 4: Click the Download button and save your removed background picture.
5. Aiarty image matting
Aiarty image matting is an AI-powered background remover based on advanced AI algorithms. It uses AI-powered edge refinement to generate more precise alpha mattes. With powerful AI-driven features, the tools allow for precise background removal, including fine details like hair, fur, and semi-transparent objects.
Aiarty image matting supports both Windows and macOS with standard, lifetime, and commercial licenses to meet your needs. It is suitable for commercial projects, personal portfolios, product photography, or social media content.
It provides additional features like edge refinement, manual editing tools like erasers and brushes, batch processing, and high-resolution exports up to 10,000 pixels. Once the background is removed, you can replace it with transparency, solid colors like white, a custom effect like a blur, or other images.
I tested the AI with default settings, but you can switch the AI models and hardware in the top right menu. It took longer than free tools, which are faster but lower in quality. You can also make a mask to silhouette the AI-matted object and then fill the space with something else.
How to remove background from picture on Mac with Aiarty image matting
Step 1: Download and open Aiarty Image matting on your Mac.
Step 2: Drag and drop your photos into the software, which can process multiple images simultaneously for batch processing.
Step 3: Choose the appropriate AI model (e.g., AlphaStandard V2 for higher accuracy), then click start to remove the background automatically.
Step 4: Refine the edges and transparency using four manual options, and mask the alpha curve if needed.
Step 5: Optionally, click background effects to add a solid color or upload a local scene. This is especially useful for e-commerce (white backgrounds) or official ID photos.
Step 6: The export settings section is used to configure PNG transparency, quality, and destination folder. Click single export to export individually or batch export for bulk saving.
6. Pixlr
Pixlr background remover is an online tool that automatically erases backgrounds from pictures. Just upload your images, and your backgrounds are removed within seconds.
The tools allow you to fix any small areas or bring back parts of the background using simple tools like Draw (paint over areas), Magic (one-click removal of uniform areas), and Lasso( select specific areas). After background removal is complete, Pixlr allows you to customize your image to fit your project requirements.
Select a transparent background to layer your image on any design or add a white or black background for a clean finish. Whether you’re designing social media graphics, creating promotional content, or editing product photos, Pixlr’s flexibility makes it easy to adapt your images for a wide range of creative projects.
I used the draw tool, where you can select either restore or remove mode, adjust the brush size to your liking, and simply draw over the areas you want to refine. And for the quick fix, the Magic Tool helps remove sections with a single click, especially when areas share the same color.
How to remove the background from a picture on a Mac with Pixlr
Step 1: Visit Pixlr Background remover.
Step 2: Click to upload the picture from your Mac.
Step 3: The AI tool will automatically detect and remove the background.
Step 4: Download the image.
7. Removal.AI
Removal.AI is a fully automated background remover tool where you can instantly get an image with a transparent background. It allows you to replace the image background with a solid colour or another image background.
The tool is straightforward to use. Simply drag and drop your images or upload your photo and let the magic happen. Whether you’re a photographer, a creative graphic designer, an innovative marketer, or running a dynamic eCommerce store, Removal.AI is ideal for your specific needs.
It performs especially well at removing backgrounds from cars, making it a strong choice for automotive marketers and photographers. If you are a car dealer, you can improve your studio-like images for your online catalogs using this fast and smart background remover for cars.
How to remove background from picture on Mac with Removal.AI
Step 1: Visit Removal.AI
Step 2: For single images, visit the Removal.AI website. For bulk processing, launch the Removal.AI desktop app and open your image folder.
Step 3: Drag and drop the folder of images into the bulk uploader to start background removal automatically. For the website, drag and drop a single image to process.
Step 4: Download the image.
8. Canva
Canva background remover speeds up editing by detecting the foreground and isolating the subject with one click. It works on a range of images, including people, animals, and any other objects.
You can upload images in JPG or PNG formats, or choose from Canva’s built-in stock library. If you’re using HEIC/HEIF formats, consider converting them first. After removing the background, the tools provide the facility to make precise adjustments to your images and achieve a perfect cutout. You can refine the edges by erasing or restoring specific parts of the image.
Even with no design experience, you can get gorgeous product shots for your e-commerce site or create a collage of images. You can try the background remover once for free, but continuing to use it requires a Canva Pro subscription. A Canva Pro subscription offers unlimited background removal and access to premium tools.
How to remove the background from a picture on a Mac with Canva
Step 1: Visit Canva Background Remover.
Step 2: Select the “Upload your image” button or easily drag and drop your files into the section.
Step 3: Click on the image, then choose “Edit image” from the top menu. Under that, select Background Remover to erase the background in seconds.
Step 4: Download the image.
9. Icons8
Icons8 remove the background automatically in one click. Quick, easy, and hassle-free—perfect for anyone who wants professional-looking images in seconds. The tool provides precise background removal, maintaining your image’s original size and quality.
Full-quality image exports may require a subscription. You can also replace transparent backgrounds with white or any other solid color according to your needs. It works with a wide range of image types, including logos, signatures, portraits, and product photos.
This is crucial for professional use, like marketing materials, presentations, or product photos. Images are available primarily in PNG format, which supports transparency and is ideal for further design use. Users can remove backgrounds from three images for free. To process more, choose from one of the subscription plans.
How to remove the background from a picture on Mac with Icons8
Step 1: Go to the Icons8 background remover and upload an image you want to edit.
Step 2: The tool will automatically remove its background
Step 3: Download the image.
10. Photoroom
Photoroom AI is a photo editor that specializes in removing backgrounds from images, along with features like image scaling, blurring, object removal, and more. It is widely used by eCommerce sellers, marketing teams, and content creators. It's especially popular for product photography and automated image editing.
Features like batch editing, advanced image editing tools, high-resolution exporting, and flexible resizing options are unlocked with the premium plan. Photoroom makes it simple for users to remove backgrounds from photos, enabling creative customization and results that look professional.
Features like object removal, batch editing, and background replacement are designed to help you produce better product photographs for e-commerce sites such as eBay, Amazon, and others. You can use Photoroom on the Web, iOS, and Android devices.
How to remove the background from a picture on Mac with Photoroom
Step 1: Visit Photoroom Background Remover.
Step 2: Choose a photo and upload the image from the Mac’s files.
Step 3: Photoroom AI will automatically process the image and remove the background.
Step 4: Download the image.
Pixelbin.io vs Mac preview: Which is the best background remover
Preview is primarily an image viewer with a simple background removal feature, not a dedicated background remover. Background removal is not its main function; if you require a high-quality image, you may need to repeat the process multiple times, making it time-consuming.
However, Pixelbin.io's background remover allows you to remove the background from a picture in high quality with just one click.
Pixelbin.io performs better than Preview in all of the following areas
- Removing background from images on Mac without losing quality.
- Providing you with an eraser tool for perfect details.
- Upscaling, format optimization, compression, etc.
FAQs
To remove a background from an image on a Mac, use the built-in Preview app by opening the image, selecting the Markup toolbar, using the instant alpha tool to select and drag over the background, and then pressing Delete (or Edit > Delete) to remove it. Save the image as PNG to preserve transparency. There are various AI tools, such as Pixelbin.io and Erase.bg, that can help remove the background from a picture.
To remove background items on a Mac, first consider whether you mean image backgrounds or background processes/applications. For image background, in macOS Ventura or later, right-click an image in Finder and choose Quick Actions > Remove Background. Or, in Preview, use the Instant Alpha tool from the Markup toolbar. For background processes, go to System Settings> General > Login Items and turn off unwanted items or use Activity Monitor to quit processes.
To remove a background from a picture on an Apple device, open the photo in the Photos app, tap on the subject to create a white outline, then tap Copy, Save as Sticker, or Share to export the subject with a transparent background.
Yes, Macs have a built-in background removal feature called “remove background.” It is a quick action available by right-clicking an image in the Finder. Additionally, you can use the Instant Alpha tool in Preview for more manual control or use the background removal features within the Pages app.
There are multiple websites you can rely on to remove image backgrounds. You can select from popular online tools like Pixelbin.io, Erase.bg, etc., while if you prefer a free online background remover with versatile features, these two tools are good options, though advanced use may require a subscription.
No, Erase.bg is incompatible with all image file types on Mac; it primarily supports common formats like PNG, JPEG, JPG, and WEBP for input and output.
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