How to Remove a Background From a Photo, Free

A cat on a patterned sofa next to the cat cut out on a transparent background — Before and after with Mokivo’s Remove Background. The example photo is AI-generated.

The tool is Remove Background. It runs in your browser, so your picture is never uploaded to any server. The first time you use it, an open-source AI model is downloaded and cached.

You need a photo (JPG, PNG or WebP). It works on products, pets, objects and people.

1Open the tool

Go to Remove Background. No account, no watermark, nothing to install.

The Remove Background tool with an empty drop area — The empty tool.

2Add your photo and pick a model

Drop the photo, click to choose a file, or paste with Ctrl+V. Then pick a model:

Any subject (default) — products, pets, objects and people. It is a bigger download (about 183 MB, once) but gives the best edges, including fur and fine detail.
Portraits — only for people and faces. It is tiny (about 7 MB) and fast, but on anything that is not a person it can leave holes or remove the whole subject.

A photo of a mug on a desk with the model choice and Remove background button — Photo loaded; choose a model and press the button.

3Press “Remove background”

The first time, the model downloads (a progress bar shows it). Then the tool finds the subject and shows it on a checkerboard — that checkerboard means the background is now transparent.

A mug cut out on a transparent checkerboard background with touch-up tools — The mug cut out of a cluttered desk.

4Touch up the edges (optional)

If a small piece was cut away or left behind, use the brush: Erase removes leftovers, Restore brings back parts of the subject. Adjust the brush size, and use Undo or Reset edits if you change your mind. Hair, fur, glass and low-contrast edges are the hardest for any automatic tool.

Your brush strokes are replayed at full resolution when you export, so what you see is what you download.

A mug photo with a busy desk background next to the mug on a transparent background — Another example: a mug, before and after.

5Choose a background and download

Under Background choose Transparent (exports a PNG), or White, Black or any Color (exports a JPG on that color). With a transparent background you can also tick Crop to subject to trim the empty margins. Then press Download.

The cut-out mug on a white background with the background options — The same cut-out on a white background — handy for marketplace photos.

Tips for a clean cut-out

Pick the right model. If a product or pet comes out with holes, you probably used Portraits — switch to Any subject. The “Try the other model” button under the result does it in one click.
Contrast helps. A clear subject, good light and a background that differs from the subject give the cleanest edges.
Use PNG for transparency. JPG cannot be transparent, so the tool exports a JPG only when you choose a solid background.
Big photos are reduced. Images larger than 4096 pixels on the longest side are scaled down first.
Check before you use it. AI results can be imperfect; zoom in on hair and shadows before you publish.

Have a photo that needs a clean background? It takes about a minute and stays on your device.

Open Remove Background →

Frequently asked questions

Is it free?

Yes — no account, no watermark and no limit. It is part of Mokivo.

Is my photo uploaded?

No. The picture is processed in your browser and never uploaded to any server. Only the open-source AI model is downloaded, once.

Which model should I choose?

Any subject for products, pets, objects and people. Portraits is smaller and faster but only suitable for people.

Why are the edges not perfect?

Hair, fur, glass and low-contrast edges are hard for any automatic tool. Use the Erase and Restore brush to fix them.

Can I get a white or colored background instead?

Yes. Choose White, Black or Color under Background and the tool exports a JPG on that color.

What are the limits?

Very large images are reduced to 4096 pixels on the longest side. Results can vary, so always check the preview before you download.

The example photos in this guide are AI-generated. Cut-outs are made with open-source models (BiRefNet-lite, MIT, and MODNet, Apache-2.0) running in your browser.

How to Remove the Background From a Photo, Free and Private