Color difference
d = √((R − R₀)² + (G − G₀)² + (B − B₀)²)
The difference ranges from 0 (identical color) to about 441 (black to white).
Make an image background transparent
Remove a white or plain background from a logo, a product photo or a scanned signature, fine-tune tolerance and edges, then download a transparent PNG.
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How does this tool work?
A logo sitting on a white square, a signature scanned on paper, an object shot against a plain backdrop: in each case the background color is known and can be erased pixel by pixel. This tool turns it transparent right in your browser, with a tolerance setting to absorb slight shade variations and edge softening for clean outlines, then saves the result as a PNG.
Every pixel is compared with the chosen background color. The difference is measured in red-green-blue space: the smaller it is, the more the pixel looks like the background. Below the tolerance threshold, the pixel becomes fully transparent; just above it, in the softening band, it becomes partly transparent, which prevents white fringes and jagged, stair-step edges around the subject.
By default, only the part of the background connected to the image edges is erased. The tool starts from all four sides and spreads as long as the color stays close to the background: a white logo on a white background therefore keeps its inner white areas, such as the middle of a letter "o". Turn this option off to also remove enclosed areas, for example the inside of a handle or a ring.
The background color is detected automatically from the border of the image, where the backdrop almost always lies. You can also pick it with a click on the image, or enter it in the color picker.
The result is saved as PNG, the lossless format that keeps a transparency (alpha) channel. If the original image is a JPEG, the export switches to PNG automatically: JPEG cannot store transparency and would replace the erased background with white. WebP, which also supports transparency, remains available when exporting.
This method, called color keying, works for solid or nearly solid backgrounds. For a person in front of scenery, a cloudy sky or a gradient backdrop, you need AI segmentation, which this tool does not do: the background can no longer be reduced to a single color.
How to use this tool
Upload the image
PNG, JPEG or WebP up to 25 MB; the file stays on your device.
Check the background color
It is detected along the edges; pick it from the image if the result is off.
Adjust tolerance and edges
Raise the tolerance if traces of background remain, lower it if the subject starts to fade away.
Apply, then export
Check the result with the before/after view, then download the transparent PNG.
How the tool decides a pixel belongs to the background
For a pixel with color (R, G, B) and a background color (R₀, G₀, B₀):
Tolerance threshold
s = tolerance × 441
Any pixel whose difference is below s becomes transparent.
Opacity kept in the softening band
α = α₀ × (d − s) ÷ (a × 441), for s < d < s + a × 441
a is the softening: opacity rises gradually back to its original value.
- d
- colour distance between the pixel and the background
- t, a
- tolerance and softness, as a fraction (20% = 0.2)
- s
- threshold below which the pixel becomes transparent
- R, G, B
- red, green and blue components of the pixel, from 0 to 255
- α₀, α
- original opacity and opacity after processing
Use cases
Logos and brand identity
Place a logo on any website, slide or document color without a white box around it.
Online stores
Show consistent product photos on your catalog or marketplace background.
Signatures and stamps
Insert a handwritten signature or a company stamp into a PDF or contract, without the paper behind it.
Stickers, icons and collages
Prepare elements to layer in a collage, a thumbnail or a presentation.
Examples
Company logo on a white background
The white square disappears and the logo can be placed on a dark website or a colored business card.
Input
logo.jpg, background #FFFFFF, tolerance 12%Result
Transparent logo.pngScanned signature
The slightly gray paper is absorbed by a higher tolerance; softening keeps a natural stroke for inserting into a document.
Input
Light gray scan, tolerance 25%, softening 15%Result
Ink-only signatureProduct photo on a studio backdrop
The background is removed without touching the bright highlights on the product, which are not connected to the image edge.
Input
Shoe on a plain gray background, edge-connected background onResult
Cut-out productIcon with a hole in the middle
The white enclosed in the center of the ring is made transparent as well.
Input
Black ring on white, "Only the background connected to the image edges" offResult
Fully hollow ringTips and best practices
- Start with a low tolerance and raise it in small steps: too high a tolerance eats into subject colors that resemble the background.
- On a JPEG, compression leaves slightly tinted pixels around the outlines: 10 to 20% softening makes them vanish cleanly.
- Crop the image tightly around the subject first: the less background remains, the more reliable automatic detection becomes.
- Inspect the result against a dark background in the before/after view: a light fringe is far easier to spot than in light mode.
- Keep the original file: transparency is applied to a copy that you download.
Sources and references
- W3C, Portable Network Graphics (PNG) Specification (Third Edition) (opens in a new tab)Page in English
- MDN Web Docs, Pixel manipulation with canvas (opens in a new tab)Page in English
Frequently asked questions
How do I make the background of an image transparent?
Upload the image, let the tool detect the background color or pick it with a click, adjust the tolerance, apply, then download the result as a PNG. Everything happens in the browser, without uploading the file.
Why is my image saved as PNG?
Only some formats can store transparency. PNG keeps it losslessly; JPEG does not support it and would fill transparent areas with white. If your original is a JPEG, the tool therefore exports to PNG, or to WebP if you choose it.
Can the tool cut out a person in a photo?
Only if they stand in front of a plain background, such as a white wall or a studio backdrop. Against varied scenery, the background is not a single color: that calls for AI background removal, which this tool does not offer.
What does the tolerance control?
It sets how far a pixel may differ from the background color and still be erased. A low tolerance removes only the exact background; a higher one absorbs faint shadows, paper grain and compression artifacts.
What is edge softening for?
It creates a gradual transition between the subject and the transparency: pixels close to the background become semi-transparent instead of switching off all at once. Outlines stay smooth, with no white halo or jagged edges.
Why did the white parts of my logo disappear?
The "Only the background connected to the image edges" option is probably turned off, or those white areas touch the image border. Turn the option back on: the fill will start from the edges and stop at the outline of the logo.
Is my image uploaded to a server?
No. The processing runs in your browser, on your device. The image is neither sent nor stored online, which also suits confidential material such as a signature.
Can I undo if I do not like the result?
Yes. Undo with the dedicated button or Ctrl+Z, then apply again with a different tolerance or background color. The preview updates before each application.
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