How to remove the background from an image
Product listings, profile pictures, scanned logos, portraits for a composite: removing the background is the most repeated edit on the web. This guide covers which background to ask for depending on the use, which format to save and how to avoid the white halo around hair.
Transparent, white or coloured: which to choose
- Transparent (PNG): for composites, presentations, logos and shops that place the image on their own background. Heavier than a JPEG.
- White: the marketplace standard (Amazon requires pure white RGB 255,255,255 on the main image). Airpic exports JPEG or PNG on white with no halos.
- Colour: for listings with a brand background or to unify a series of photos taken in different places; enter the colour as hex.
Why hair gets a halo and how to avoid it
A binary cut-out (in/out) cannot represent a hair half a pixel wide: it either keeps it with background attached or removes it. High-resolution segmentation models (BiRefNet) produce a mask with gradual transparency, and foreground estimation corrects edge colours so hair does not drag the green or blue of the original background. Airpic applies both at full resolution and uses the 2048-pixel model for large photos.
Which photos work best
Subject in focus with contrast against the background, even light, no motion blur. Hard cases are glass, smoke, water and objects the same colour as the background: the model decides from context and may fail in semi-transparent areas. For objects with holes (a chair, a bicycle), check the result at 100 %.
Step by step on Airpic
- Upload the image (up to 50 MB; JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC).
- Choose a transparent, white, black or coloured background.
- Process and inspect the edges with the comparator; the checkerboard shows transparency.
- Download as PNG (transparency) or JPEG (solid background).
FAQ
Which format keeps transparency?
PNG and WebP keep the alpha channel; JPEG does not. If you need a transparent background, download PNG.
Does it work for Amazon product photos?
Yes: ask for a white background and download as JPEG. Amazon requires pure white, the product filling at least 85 % of the frame and a longest side of 1600 pixels or more; upscale first with Upscale image if needed.
Can I remove the background from several images at once?
On the website images are processed one at a time; for batches, the Airpic API accepts the same endpoint with a credit code as Bearer.
How much does background removal cost on Airpic?
Previewing is free; downloading uses your free download of the month or one standard credit (from €0.099 in the 100 pack).