How to Remove Background from a Picture in iPhone or Mac?

Whether you're a pro photographer or a social media enthusiast or just want to crop that annoying wire out from your aesthetic photo, it's important to know about image editing.

One of the most common editing requirements is to remove the background of an image. And no it doesn’t have to be on complex tools. You can do that in a few quick and easy steps right on your phone.

In this article, we will show you how to remove backgrounds on iPhone and Mac.

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How To Remove Background from Picture on iPhone

Removing Backgrounds Using “Photos” on iPhone (iOS 16/17)

This is how to remove the background from your iPhone free of any cost:

1. Open the photo in your iPhone “Photos” app
2. Click and hold the subject you want to keep. You will see a moving outline around it. For example, the outline around the cupcake in the image below. When the outline shows you can do one of the following three things:

• Drag & drop: You can hold and drag the now separated subject off to its new background. To do that, use another finger to open the destination app with the new background and drop the subject there; Or
• Copy & paste: When the outline shows, you will see “Copy l Share” options appear on top of the subject. If you click “Copy” you can then go to your new background and click on “Paste”; Or
• Share: When you click "Share," you will see a prompt with options of apps and platforms existing on your phone. These options include editing apps, mail, notes, etc., all of where you can share, copy-paste, or drag-drop the extracted subject.

Removing Backgrounds Using “Files” on iPhone (iOS 16/17)

If your image is in the “Files” app on your iPhone, you can also remove the background from it right from there. This is how you can do it:

1. Open the photo in your iPhone “Files” app
2. You can simply press and hold the image from the file items until the popup window appears. You will see an option below “Quick Actions”
3. To remove your background, click "Remove Background" from the options. The new file will then be available in the same folder with a transparent background
4. You can also use the same "copy," "share," or "drag & drop" option as in the Photos app

Removing Backgrounds Using “Safari” on iPhone (iOS 16/17)

What if you want to use a picture you saw on the internet without its background? Do you need to download it first to remove the background from your iPhone? Well, now there is no need to if you have an iPhone with iOS 16 and above. You can do it right from Safari itself in 2 simple steps:

1. Tap and press on the image. You will see a popup window with options. Select “Copy Subject”
2. Go to your destination app and paste it there. And you have your background-less image!

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How to Remove Background from Picture on Mac

To remove the background from an image on a Mac, you can use a built-in app called "Preview." Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Open the image using the “Preview” app on your Mac
2. Click on the "Show Markup Toolbar" button. It looks like a toolbox icon and is located in the top toolbar
3. You will see a toolbar section popup under it. On the left-most corner, there is a “Selection Option”. You can select the “Lasso Selection” from the four alternatives if you want a free hand drawing the outline around your subject
4. Now drag and select the main subject leaving out the background you want removed
5. Click the "Crop" button in the toolbar to remove your background

If you own a Mac running macOS Ventura, you can remove that wire running behind your beautiful mountain photo without any hassle.

1. Simply right-tap on the image
2. Click on “Quick Actions”
3. Then click on “Remove Background”. You will find a new file created without the background

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How to Remove Image Background Using Magic Studio’s Background Remover

And finally unlocking simplicity at its finest, you have the easiest option of all: a one-click solution!

1. Go to Magic Studio
2. At the top, you will see “Tools” that will open a drop-down menu upon clicking
3. Select “Background Remover”
4. Now, with a mere click on "Upload picture," watch in awe as the background of your image disappears like a magician's act. Magic Studio, indeed!

And the marvel doesn't stop there. You're presented with a myriad of background color options to choose from, including a transparent one. The cut-out is nothing short of a work of art – precise and immaculate. No sign-up, no payment needed.

Now that you know how to remove backgrounds, what are you going to edit next? Personally, I’m going to place this horse next to my friend’s serious faces.

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