To remove a background in Illustrator, select the image with the Selection tool and click Remove Background in the Contextual Task Bar, or find it under Quick Actions in the Properties panel. Illustrator keeps the subject and makes the rest transparent. Export as a PNG with a transparent background to use it elsewhere.
How you remove a background in Illustrator depends on what you're working with. A photo placed in your artwork is one job, and Illustrator now has a one-click tool for it. A vector logo or illustration sitting on a coloured box is a different job, and that's usually a matter of deleting a shape. Here's both, plus how to save the result with a transparent background so it sits cleanly on a website or slide.
Photo or vector? Pick the method
| What you've got | Method |
|---|---|
| A photo or pasted image | Remove Background (one click) |
| Vector art with a background shape | Select the shape and delete it |
| A traced logo with white areas | Image Trace with Ignore White, or delete the white shapes |
| You only want part of an image to show | A clipping mask |
Remove the background from a photo
- Select the image with the Selection tool, the black arrow.
- Click Remove Background in the Contextual Task Bar that appears below the image.
- Wait a moment while Illustrator finds the subject and removes everything else.
Adobe lists several other places to find the same command: Quick Actions in the Properties panel, the Control panel, the right-click menu and the Object menu. Use whichever you prefer.
Two things to know. The result replaces your original image, so duplicate the image first (copy and paste it, or hold Alt or Option and drag) if you might want it back. And it works best on clear subjects, such as a person, a product or an animal against a simple background. Fine hair or busy scenes may need tidying, which is easier in Photoshop, which has its own Remove Background quick action.
Remove a background from vector art
- Switch to the Direct Selection tool, the white arrow, or open the Layers panel.
- Click the background shape to select just that object. Adobe's Direct Selection tool picks individual paths rather than whole groups.
- Press Delete.
If the background won't select, it may be locked or on a locked layer. Open the Layers panel and click any padlock icon beside the background to release it, then try again.
Clean up a traced logo
When you trace a logo with Image Trace, the white background often becomes a shape too. In the Image Trace panel, open Advanced and tick Ignore White before you trace, and the white areas are left out. If you've already traced, choose Object, Expand, then select a white area and use Select, Same, Fill Color to pick all the white shapes at once and delete them.
Hide the background with a clipping mask
Sometimes you don't want to delete anything, just show part of an image. Draw a shape over the area you want to keep, select both the shape and the image, and choose Object, Clipping Mask, Make. Everything outside the shape is hidden but not lost, so you can release the mask later from the same menu and get the full image back.
Save it with a transparent background
- Choose File, then Export, then Export As.
- Pick PNG as the format and tick Use Artboards if you want the artboard size.
- In the PNG options, set Background Color to Transparent.
- Click Export.
The white you see on Illustrator's artboard isn't saved as a background, which surprises people, but exporting as JPG always adds one. Use PNG or SVG for logos and anything that sits on a coloured page. SVG keeps vector art sharp at any size, which makes it the better choice for websites that support it. View, Show Transparency Grid lets you check the transparency before you export.
Tidy the edges
Automatic background removal is rarely perfect around hair, fur or see-through objects. Zoom in and look at the edges against a dark colour, which shows leftover halos far better than white. Small stray bits can be hidden with a clipping mask drawn just inside the edge. For anything detailed, such as a portrait for a website header, it's often quicker to remove the background in Photoshop, where you can refine the selection, then place the cleaned image back into Illustrator.
When Remove Background isn't there
- Update Illustrator; it's a newer feature.
- Make sure you've selected an image, not vector art, because the command only works on images.
- Embed linked images first if the option seems unavailable.
- Check you're signed in, as the feature uses Adobe's online processing.
If you don't have Illustrator, simpler tools can do a decent job on photos. See my guides to making a transparent background in Canva and removing a background in Google Slides.
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My verdict
For photos, duplicate the image, then click Remove Background in the Contextual Task Bar. For vector art, select the background shape with the Direct Selection tool and delete it. Either way, export as PNG with a transparent background, never JPG, so your logo or product shot sits cleanly on whatever page it lands on.
Related: How to Remove Background in Canva (Photos and Video).
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove a background in Illustrator?
Select the image and click Remove Background in the Contextual Task Bar or Quick Actions.
Does Remove Background change the original image?
Yes. It replaces the original, so duplicate the image first.
How do I remove a white background from a logo in Illustrator?
Use Image Trace with Ignore White, or select and delete the white shapes.
How do I export a transparent background in Illustrator?
Export as PNG and set Background Color to Transparent.
Why can't I select the background in Illustrator?
It may be locked. Click the padlock beside it in the Layers panel to release it.
Why is Remove Background missing in Illustrator?
It only works on images, and needs an up-to-date version.
