How to remove the background from a photo
iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac can all do this without an app. Here is how on each, and where they fall short.
What "removing the background" means
A background cutout needs two things: a mask that says which pixels are the subject and which are not, and something to put behind the subject once the rest is gone, usually nothing (transparency), white, or a blur. The masking step used to need Photoshop's selection tools. Phones and computers now do it with an on-device model, in one tap, for a single photo, and the browser tool below does the same for a full-size file or a batch.
On an iPhone or iPad
Open the photo, then touch and hold the subject until a glowing outline appears around it (this needs iOS 16 or later). Once the outline appears, either tap Copy to put just the subject, with a transparent background, on the clipboard, or drag it straight out into Messages, Notes or Mail. There is no button to save it as a PNG file directly from Photos; the fastest way to get a file is to paste the copied subject into a blank Notes page, then export or screenshot it, or use the browser tool below for a proper PNG.
On Android
Most Pixel phones (Pixel 6 and later) and many recent Samsung Galaxy phones support the same idea: press and hold on the subject in a photo, in Google Photos or the Gallery app, until it is outlined, then tap Copy. On a Pixel this is also reachable through Circle to Search: hold the home gesture, circle the subject, and tap Copy. The result pastes as a transparent cutout, not a downloadable file, so if you need a PNG, paste it into an image editor or use the browser tool.
On Windows
Windows 11's Paint app has a one-click Remove background button: open the photo in Paint, click the button in the toolbar (it appears once your image is loaded), and Paint replaces the background with a checkered transparent pattern automatically. Save as PNG to keep the transparency; saving as JPG fills it in with white. If your version of Paint does not show the button, it needs to be updated from the Microsoft Store.
On a Mac
macOS Ventura and later can lift a subject system-wide: open the photo in Preview or Photos, right-click (or Control-click) the subject, and choose Copy Subject. Paste it anywhere to get a transparent cutout. In Preview you can also click and hold on the subject until it is outlined, then drag it onto the desktop to save it as a standalone PNG file, which is the quickest way to get an actual file without a third-party app.
When the built-in tools fall short
These features are made for quick, single-photo edits: they can struggle with busy backgrounds, fine hair or fur, and low-contrast edges, and none of them let you process many photos at once or choose a plain white or blurred background instead of transparency. Stayput's background remover runs an open-source segmentation model (ISNet) inside your browser tab, so it works offline after the model and its runtime have downloaded once, keeps your photo at full resolution, and never uploads anything. Use Make background transparent for a PNG, White background for product photos and headshots, or Blur background for a portrait-mode look.
If you have been using remove.bg, see remove.bg is closing: alternatives.
Questions
Which is better, my phone's built-in cutout or a background remover tool?
The phone feature is faster for a quick share, but it copies the subject to your clipboard rather than saving a file, and it does not offer a white or blurred background. A dedicated tool gives you a real PNG at full resolution and more background options.
Do I need Photoshop to remove a background?
No. iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac all have a built-in way to lift a subject, and a browser-based tool can produce a full PNG without any software installed.
Why does the cutout have rough edges around hair?
Fine hair and fur are the hardest case for any segmentation model, phone or browser. Zooming in and using a tool with a higher-resolution model, or manually touching up the edge afterward, usually helps.
Can I remove the background from several photos at once?
Phone features work one photo at a time. A browser tool that processes files locally can be run on each photo in a batch without waiting on uploads or per-image limits.