iPhones have quietly become decent at background removal. Depending on what you need, the built-in option might be all you ever use — or it might drive you mad. Here are the three methods I use, and when.
1. Lift the subject in Photos (quickest)
On recent versions of iOS, open a photo, then touch and hold on the subject until it glows. Lift your finger and choose Copy or Share. You can paste the cut-out straight into Messages, Notes or another app.
Great for: quick stickers and memes.
Not great for: anything where you need a specific size, a clean edge you can check, or a new background. You also can't easily save it as a transparent PNG file in some apps — it depends where you paste it.
2. Use the Files app or Shortcuts
Some iOS versions let you remove the background from an image in Files via Quick Actions, and the Shortcuts app has a "Remove Background" action you can chain with resizing and saving. It's handy if you do the same thing repeatedly — say, product photos that always need to be square.
Great for: repeating a fixed workflow.
Not great for: checking quality or editing the background.
3. Use a browser tool (most control)
Open RemovingBackground.io in Safari and tap Upload image. You can pick from Photos, take a new picture, or choose a file. The result opens in an editor where you can:
- Compare before and after with a slider
- Switch to a solid colour, gradient, blur or your own backdrop
- Download a transparent PNG or a JPG
- Process up to 20 photos at once
HEIC photos work directly — no converting.
Great for: product photos, profile pictures, anything you'll publish.
Saving to your camera roll
In Safari, tap Download, then open the Downloads list, tap the file, and use the share button to Save Image. Transparent PNGs keep their transparency in Photos, even though the Photos app shows it against white or black.
Which one should you use?
If you just want to send a funny cut-out to a friend, use the built-in lift. If the image is going on a website, a listing, a CV or a print, use a tool that lets you check the edges and choose the output.
FAQ
Why does my cut-out look like it has a white background in Photos?
Photos displays transparency on a plain background. The PNG is still transparent — paste it into a design app to see.
Does the browser tool work on iPad?
Yes, and the bigger screen makes edge-checking easier.
