- Starting the AI engine
- Getting the AI model
- Finding the subject
- Cutting out and cleaning the edges
0.0 s
Tip: pick Erase or Restore and paint on the picture. Zoom in with + or Ctrl and the mouse wheel (pinch on a phone) for fine edges.
How to remove the background from a photo
- Choose a photo, drag it onto the box or paste it with Ctrl+V. JPG, PNG, WebP and AVIF all work.
- Leave the mode on Auto, or pick Person or Product if you know what is in the picture.
- Wait for the four steps to finish. The timer shows how long it is taking.
- Check the result. Turn on "Compare with the original" and drag the slider to see what was removed.
- Fix any mistakes with Erase and Restore, then choose a background and download.
Editing tools
Automatic cut-outs are rarely perfect around hair, fingers and thin straps, so the editor gives you a brush for the last few percent. Erase removes anything the AI kept by mistake. Restore paints the original photo back where too much was removed. Change the brush size and softness with the sliders. A soft brush blends better on hair and fur, while a hard brush is good for straight product edges.
Zoom in with the + button, Ctrl and the mouse wheel, or two fingers on a phone. Use Move, or hold the space bar, to drag the picture around. Every stroke can be undone with Undo or Ctrl+Z, up to 20 steps back.
The Edges tab has two sliders. Smooth edges softens a jagged outline. Shrink or grow edge pulls the outline in to remove a thin halo of the old background, or pushes it out if the edge was cut too tight.
In the Background tab you can keep the background transparent, fill it with a colour or gradient, use a blurred copy of the original photo for a portrait look, or put your own image behind the subject. The Shadow tab adds a soft drop shadow, which makes product photos look less flat.
Download options
| Option | Good for |
|---|---|
| Original size | Keeping the full photo with a new background |
| Crop to the subject | Stickers, logos and cut-outs for slides |
| Square 1080 x 1080 | Instagram posts, WhatsApp display pictures and shop catalogues |
| Portrait 1080 x 1350 | Instagram portrait posts and product cards |
PNG and WebP keep the transparent background. JPG has no transparency, so transparent areas become white. Large photos are reduced to 2,500 pixels on the longest side before processing.
Which mode should you pick?
| Mode | Use it for | Download |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Most photos. It picks a model for you. | 44 MB, plus 26 MB if it needs the portrait model |
| Person or portrait | Selfies, ID-style photos and people against a busy background | 26 MB |
| Product, pet or object | Things for sale, animals, cars, food and logos | 44 MB |
Tips for a cleaner cut-out
- Use a sharp photo where the subject stands out from the background in colour or brightness.
- Keep the whole subject in the frame. Cut-off arms or product corners confuse the model.
- For products, a plain wall or table behind the item gives the cleanest edges.
- If the edge shows a thin line of the old background, move Shrink or grow edge one or two steps to the left.
- For hair, zoom in and use Restore with a soft brush rather than a hard one.
What it does well and where it struggles
The tool works best on one clear subject: a person, a product, a pet or a vehicle. Glass, smoke, fine net fabric and hair against a similar colour are hard for any automatic tool, and you may need the brush there. Group photos can lose people at the edges of the frame.
Speed depends on your device. In our tests in November 2026 on a desktop computer with Chrome, a 1392 x 752 photo took about 7 seconds with the portrait model and about 21 seconds with the object model once the models were saved. The first use takes longer because the model has to download. Phones are usually slower, so keep the tab open while it works.
Common uses
- Product photos for online shops. Amazon, for example, asks for a pure white background on the main product image, which you can set with the white swatch.
- Profile pictures for LinkedIn, WhatsApp or a company website.
- Cut-outs for YouTube thumbnails, posters, school projects and presentations.
- Replacing a messy room behind you with a plain colour or a blurred background.
Privacy
Your photo is processed inside your browser. It is not sent to ToolsRiver or to the model providers. The model files download from Hugging Face and the AI engine from the jsDelivr CDN; after that, the browser only needs them again if you clear its storage.
Frequently asked questions
Is the background remover free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on the number of photos.
Why does the first photo take longer?
The AI model (26 or 44 MB) downloads the first time and is saved in your browser. Later photos skip that step.
Why did it remove part of my subject, or the whole photo?
The model could not tell the subject from the background. Try the other model from the Edges tab, then use Restore to paint back anything that is still missing.
How do I get a white background for a product photo?
Click the white swatch in the Background tab, choose JPG or PNG and download. Square 1080 x 1080 works for most shop listings.
Can I use my iPhone photos?
Photos shared from an iPhone are usually JPG and work. If you have a HEIC file and your browser cannot open it, convert it first with our image format converter.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes, in a recent version of Chrome, Safari or Firefox. It is slower than on a computer, and very large photos may run out of memory on older phones.