How to remove image background with Paint or Paint 3D

You don't need to use a third-party background removal tool anymore because the Microsoft Paint app on Windows can remove the background with just one click. Similarly, in Paint 3D, you can use the Magic Select feature to remove the background of an image.

This article will show you how to use Microsoft Paint or Paint 3D to remove the background from an image.

Update the Microsoft Paint or Paint 3D app from the Microsoft Store

The Remove Background feature in MS Paint is part of the Windows 11 Moment 4 update. To get started, make sure you have the latest Windows 11 update installed. To do this, go to Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates. You should also update Microsoft Paint and Paint 3D from the Microsoft Store to get new features.

After installing the update, launch any app and you will see a Remove background or Magic select option on the respective app's toolbar. Using them is very simple, as you can see below.

How to remove image background with Microsoft Paint

The background removal tool in the standard Paint app is powered by AI. You can import any image into your Paint canvas and click the Remove background feature to cleanly remove the background with just one click.

To remove an image background using the Paint application:

1. Launch Paint and import the image you want to edit.

2. In the Command bar, click the Remove background option. Microsoft Paint uses AI to process, detect image elements, and remove backgrounds.

3. You can also use the selection tool to specify a part of the image to remove and then click on the Remove background option.

4. To save the image, go to File > Save as, then choose PNG or JPEG format. Enter a name for the file and click Save. The Paint application will save the file with a transparent background.

Like most AI tools, background removal isn't perfect, but it usually works quite well.

How to remove image background with Paint 3D

You can use the Magic select feature in Paint 3D to remove the background of an image. While the process isn't as simple as the Paint app, it offers better control and more creative options.

To remove the background of an image using Paint 3D:

1. Launch the Paint 3D app and import the image you want to edit.

2. Click the Magic select option on the toolbar.

3. Adjust the focus area to fit the area of ​​the image you want to keep. Even if you want to keep a large portion of the image, the app still needs a little tweaking to determine the background.

4. Click Next.

5. Review the selection to determine if everything is correct. If not, use the Add or Remove options in the upper right corner to further refine your selection.

6. Click Done.

7. Now, select the crop and drag it to one side of the canvas.

8. Using the selection tool, click and drag across the canvas and press Delete to remove the background.

9. Now select the Canvas option on the toolbar.

10. In the right pane, toggle the Transparent canvas option.

11. Now drag the crop back onto the canvas and adjust it to fit the image.

12. To save the image, press Ctrl + S, click Image and then click Save. Name the file and select Save.

The AI-powered Paint and Paint 3D apps in Windows 11 may not deliver perfect results. Especially if the image has a richly detailed background. However, both apps do a great job and create a consistent foundation. They also save you the trouble of using a more complicated image editing tool for quick edits.

Marvin Fry

Update 26 December 2023