• Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
    Dedicated community for Japanese speakers
  • 한국 커뮤니티
    Dedicated community for Korean speakers
Exit
1

Photoshop - How to set the background color to transparent?

Explorer ,
Dec 19, 2012 Dec 19, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I am using Photoshop CS5, and I have a black and white line drawings (electrical schematic).  I wish to turn the white background to transparent so I can take the schematic lines and paste them over a colored background.

I have tried using the magic wand tool, but it only selects portions of the background.  I want everything that is white, to be transparent.  In Paint Shop Pro, the command was simply to set the palette transparency to a certain color and you were done.  However, I am trying to learn Photoshop, and I am simply unable to find a way to do this.

I assume this would be a simple task, since it is used extensively in graphics everywhere, I just do not know how to do it.

Any help would be appreciated.

Views

399.0K

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines

correct answers 1 Correct answer

LEGEND , Dec 19, 2012 Dec 19, 2012

Select>Color Range - Select: Highlights - Click OK

If background layer, unlock by dragging lock icon in the layer panel to the trash can

hit delete key

All the white should now be transparent.

If not, post a screen grab with the layers panel open, so we can try something else.

Votes

Translate

Translate
Adobe
LEGEND ,
Dec 19, 2012 Dec 19, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Select>Color Range - Select: Highlights - Click OK

If background layer, unlock by dragging lock icon in the layer panel to the trash can

hit delete key

All the white should now be transparent.

If not, post a screen grab with the layers panel open, so we can try something else.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Dec 19, 2012 Dec 19, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

A bit more of an explaination for the above post.

In order to see a transparent background, the bottom layer must be unlocked which is why it is important to drag the lock icon to the trash can.

When saving the file use a format that supports transparency. PSD, TIFF, PNG are all good candidates, do not use jpg as it does not support transparency.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
Jan 03, 2013 Jan 03, 2013

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Your method worked perfectly!  Thank you for your help with this.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Jan 03, 2013 Jan 03, 2013

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

You're welcome...

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Oct 31, 2013 Oct 31, 2013

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hello All,

Using CS5.

I have a problem - I try to create new file, set background to be "transparent" or I try to creat a new layer, both give me white background.

Is there anything I am supposed to turn on/off? My color mode is RGB 8 bits .

On this note, what color mode should I use in general?

Thank you all so much!

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Apr 27, 2019 Apr 27, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Great tip. Works so simply. Thank you for the tip and succinct answer.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Oct 22, 2013 Oct 22, 2013

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I tried this method but my Mac keyboard does not have a Delete key. I got as far as dragging the padlock icon to the Trash but no further - can you help?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
May 04, 2016 May 04, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

To make background transparent, I go to quick selection tool -> select the item -> inverse -> smooth -> refine edge -> tick smart radius -> radius 3px -> smooth 4px -> tick decontaminate color -> output to (new layer with layer mask)  -> OK.

Usually I do this and my background transparent.

But where is my mistake after I did this the background not change to transparent but pop up layer thumbnail and layer mask thumbnail.

Anyone can fix this?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Mar 12, 2017 Mar 12, 2017

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Screen Shot 2017-03-12 at 3.52.43 PM.pngdo you know why i can't add a transparency to mine?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Mar 14, 2017 Mar 14, 2017

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Two reasons

1) Mode can not be bit map (see documents tab) You can change it by using the menu Image then Mode. Then choose RGB or cmyk

2) Once mode has been changed, then you need to covert the background layer (in the layers panel) to a normal layer by dragging the padlock to the trashcan.

You will now have a checkboard background representing transparency.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jan 05, 2022 Jan 05, 2022

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

LATEST

Kaleido's removebg gave me better quality and freer

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines