Applies To
Excel for Microsoft 365 Outlook for Microsoft 365 PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 Excel 2024 Outlook 2024 PowerPoint 2024 Excel 2021 Outlook 2021 PowerPoint 2021 Excel 2019 Outlook 2019 PowerPoint 2019 Excel 2016 Outlook 2016 PowerPoint 2016 Office 2016
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Try it!

Remove the background from a picture to highlight the photo's subject or remove distracting detail.

  1. Select your photo.

  2. On the Picture Format tab, select Remove Background.

  3. From the Background Removal tools:

    • Select Mark Areas to Keep and draw on the areas you'd like to save.

    • Select Mark Areas to Remove to draw around what you'd like to take out.

  4. Select Keep Changes when you're done.

  5. If you'd like to save your edited image as a separate file, right-click the photo and select Save as Picture.

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Remove the background of a picture​​​​​​​

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