How to change the background of a picture on photoshop

I'll make it short: you can replace the background of a photo without the need for in-depth Photoshop skills. In fact, you don't need any photo editing skills at all. How can this be?

"This photo is perfect except for the background which is..."well, let's just say "bad". Have you ever had a thought like this? You have probably even made an attempt or two to edit the picture with the ruined background in a photo editor, to no avail. Surely, not all of us are designers or at least IT savvy. So, here is a way for the rest of humanity to change the background scene of any photograph – the PhotoScissors online tool.

Step 1: Select the photo you want to edit

Open PhotoScissors online, click the Upload button then select an image file. The program will remove the background from an image and display it in the browser:

The left part of the screen is for editing, while the right part displays the final result.

Normally, you would have to tinker with various selection tools, but PhotoScissors automatically removes the background from an image for you, and even if neural networks makes a mistake, you can correct the result using green marker and eraser tools.

Simple, right? Green mask shows the objects that should stay. When you change the mask, the preview on the right side reflects any changes you make. By default, PhotoScissors applies a transparent background to the picture, but you can change it to white or any other color or even another image.

Step 2: Change the background

You can keep background transparent or change it to any color or even set another image as new background.

Switch to the "Background" tab in the right side and select appropriate mode:

• To change the background color, set the mode option to "Solid Color" and then select a new color.
• To change the background image, set the mode option to "Image", then click the "Select Image" button and select which image you would like to use as the new background.

Nice! This background looks much better. And that didn't take too long. Finally, save the photo with the replaced background by clicking the "Download" button on the top toolbar.

Customer Feedback:

Really nice app, replaced backgrounds on my photos without Photoshop.

Mike C.

Knowing how to change the background color in Photoshop is a great skill to know. And if you don’t know how to do that, we’re here to show you the step-by-step process.

It takes some patience, but it’s so easy to do. So let’s get started!

How to Change the Background Color in Photoshop

Here’s our step-by-step tutorial, so let’s begin!

Step 1. Choose Your Photo

The quality of your finished image depends on the amount of time you spend on the process.

If it’s your first time to change background color in Photoshop, choose an image with sharp edges and a clean background. This will be easier to work with than a more complex composition.

Here are some things to avoid when you are new to isolating a subject to change the background color:

• Hair that’s loose, frizzy, spiked, or unsmooth
• Subjects with detailed edges
• Anything with edges not in focus
• Motion blur
• A background that blends with the subject

Step 2. Create Two Layers

Open your photo in Photoshop and make a duplicate layer (Ctrl or Cmd +J). Then turn off the original layer.

Make a solid layer by clicking the Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer icon in the Layers panel.

Choose Solid Color from the top.

Pick a color close to the background you will use, or choose white.

Step 3. Select the Subject

Click on the Quick Selection tool in the Tools panel. Then click on the Select Subject option. It’s in the top bar above the image.

If the edges of your selection aren’t sharp, Photoshop will let you know that it cannot find a prominent subject. If you see this, try other tools such as the Magic Wand or Object Selection tool.

Step 4. Clean up the Edges

Unless your subject is super sharp, the resulting selection will not be perfect. So the next step is to polish it.

Keep the Quick Selection tool selected. And click on the Select and Mask option box above your photo. Doing this opens a new window where you can begin to refine your selection.

Use the Refine Edge brush to include edges that blend too much with the background.

To help you see the effect of this brush, select either Overlay or On White. These options are in the View panel on the right side of your screen.

You can adjust the opacity to a point where you can see the effect of the brush as you use it.

Here is an example showing the Overlay option from the view panel at 50% opacity.

Work your way around the edge in a clockwise direction to make sure you cover the whole outline.

You can control the size of this brush by using the [ and ] keys. You can also control the effect better by using the Radius, Smooth, Feather, and Contrast sliders. These are on the panel at the right of your photo.

Experiment with these controls. You’ll find the best balance for the different areas of the image. They will have a varied effect depending on the detail of your photo.

Once you are happy with your selection, switch the View to Black and White. Without the distraction of color, you can better see how your edges look.

If there are no further changes to make in the Output To Box, select Layer Mask and click OK.

Step 5. Paint on the Layer Mask

Now you have a new mask on your layer. If you want to refine the fuzzy edges further, use the brush tool.

Set it to 50% black, and paint on your subject to erase and parts you do not wish to see. Set it to 50% white and paint over the background (which is still visible) to erase it.

Using the brush at 50% or lower opacity gives you more precise control. Doing so helps blurred or fuzzy areas of the edges look more natural.

Step 6. Select and Isolate Your Subject

Press Ctrl or Cmd and click on the layer mask to select the subject. Now duplicate the selection to a new layer using Ctrl or Cmd + J.

Hide other layers, so you only see your isolated subject and not the background.

In this step, you can also resize your canvas if you wish. This step is helpful if you want to add some text with your photo. Or, if you’re going to make a composite with other images on the same background.

I chose to crop the image square because it looks best on Instagram. But you can try other sizes, too.

Step 7. Make a Solid Fill for Your New Background

In the Layers Panel, click on the Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer.

Select Solid Color from the top and choose the color you want your new background to be.

Now how do I change the background color to white in Photoshop? Simply pick the color picker, choose white, and you’re good to go!

Of course, you don’t need to limit yourself to solid colors. You can try a realistic background as well.

Conclusion

Learning how to change the background color in Photoshop is a simple process once you get used to it. Once you isolate the subject, selecting the background color is as easy as clicking on the color picker.

Practice this method as much as you can—you’ll find it useful, especially on social media.

And don’t forget to show us your results in the comments section!

Want to learn more about post-processing techniques? Check out our course Effortless Editing with Lightroom course to master editing photos!

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