How to Remove the Background from an Image in Windows 11

The Problem

You need a product photo on a clean background, a headshot for a profile, or a logo without its white box. Windows 11 can do this in Paint and Photos, and both process the image on the PC.

Quick Checks First

Update Paint and Photos from the Microsoft Store (Library → Get updates). Background removal arrived in Paint version 11.2309 and in recent versions of Photos.
Pick a clear photo. A sharp subject against a plain, contrasting background gives the cleanest cut. Hair, glass, and smoke are the hardest.
Work on a copy so the original stays intact.

Step 1: Remove the Background in Paint

Right-click the image → Open with → Paint.
On the Home tab, find the Image group and choose Remove background.
Paint detects the subject and removes everything else, leaving a transparent background (shown as a checkerboard or white).
To limit the cut to one part of the picture, use Select → Rectangle around the subject first, then choose Remove background.

Step 2: Save It with Transparency

Choose File → Save as → PNG picture.
Name the file and save.

Do not save as JPG. JPG cannot hold transparency, so the background comes back as solid white.

Step 3: Use Photos for Blur, Remove, or Replace

Photos offers more control over the result:

Open the image in Photos and choose Edit.
Choose Background. Photos selects the background automatically.
Choose Remove, Blur, or Replace (a solid color), and adjust with the Background brush if it missed part of the subject.
Choose Apply, then Save as copy.

These AI editing tools are not offered in every region.

Step 4: Fix Rough Edges

Halo around the subject: redo the cut on a photo with more contrast between subject and background, or select a tighter rectangle in Paint before choosing Remove background.
Parts of the subject removed: in Photos, paint them back with the Background brush set to add to the subject.
Cut is too tight on hair: a slightly blurred background (Photos Blur) often looks more natural than a full removal.

A folder of product photos to cut out? Quick File Converter removes backgrounds from images on the PC with a local AI model, with nothing uploaded. Its image tools also resize, crop, compress, convert, and watermark, so you can prepare a batch of photos in one place.

Step 5: Put the Cut-Out on a New Background

In PowerPoint or Word: insert the PNG. The transparency is kept, so it sits on the slide or page background.
In Paint: open the new background, choose Paste from (under Paste), and pick the PNG.
For a solid color: Photos' Replace option does it in one step.

FAQ

How do I remove a background from a picture for free on Windows 11?

Open it in Paint and choose Remove background. Paint is included in Windows 11, and the feature runs on your PC.

Why does my cut-out have a white background after saving?

It was saved as JPG, which cannot store transparency. Save as PNG instead.

Is Paint's background removal available on Windows 10?

Background removal in Paint is a Windows 11 feature. On Windows 10, Photos may offer background tools after an update from the Microsoft Store.

Can I remove backgrounds from many images at once?

Paint and Photos handle one image at a time. Batch work needs a separate image tool.