How to Cut Out an Image in Photoshop (Without Losing Detail)

Cutting out an image used to mean half an hour with the Pen tool. Now Photoshop can do most of the work in a click, and the real skill is in the clean-up. The one habit worth building from the start is cutting out with a layer mask rather than deleting pixels, because a mask lets you fix mistakes at any time.

Four ways to cut out an image

Method	Best for	Where to find it
Select Subject	One clear main subject, like a person or product	Select menu, then Subject
Object Selection tool	One item in a busy photo with several subjects	Toolbar
Remove Background	Fastest result on high-contrast photos	Properties panel, Quick Actions
Select and Mask	Hair, fur and soft edges	Select menu, then Select and Mask

How to cut out an image with Select Subject

1. Open your image and make sure the photo layer is selected in the Layers panel.
2. Choose Select, then Subject. Photoshop draws a selection around the main subject.
3. Check the marching ants. Add missing bits with the Quick Selection tool while holding Shift, and remove extra bits while holding Alt or Option.
4. Click the Add Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel.
5. The background disappears, and your subject sits on a transparent background.

Adobe's note on Select Subject is worth knowing: in a photo with several people or objects, it goes for the largest or most central one. If it picks the wrong thing, that's not a bug, it's the tool doing what it's designed to do. Switch to the Object Selection tool.

How to cut out one object from a busy photo

1. Pick the Object Selection tool from the toolbar.
2. Hover over the item you want. Photoshop highlights what it's detected.
3. Click to select it, or drag a rectangle or lasso around it if it hasn't been detected.
4. Click Add Layer Mask to cut it out.

The one-click option: Remove Background

If the photo has a strong contrast between subject and background, like a product shot on a plain wall, open the Properties panel and click Remove Background under Quick Actions. Photoshop runs Select Subject for you and builds the layer mask in one go. It's the quickest route, but it's also the one that struggles most when the subject and background are similar colours.

Why a layer mask beats deleting

When you add a layer mask, Photoshop doesn't throw anything away. The mask is white where your selection was and black everywhere else, and black simply hides those pixels. So if the cut-out has clipped an ear or left a bit of background, you can paint on the mask: white brings pixels back, black hides more. Delete the background instead and those pixels are gone for good.

How to clean up hair and fuzzy edges

1. Select the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel, then choose Select and Select and Mask.
2. Use the Refine Edge brush over hair and fur so Photoshop picks out the fine strands.
3. Change the view to a colour that contrasts with your subject so you can see stray halos.
4. Under Output To, choose Layer Mask or New Layer with Layer Mask, then click OK.

Choosing a new layer with a mask is the safer option, because it leaves your first attempt untouched underneath.

Common cut-out problems and fixes

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
A coloured halo round the edge	Background colour bleeding into the edge pixels	Refine the edge in Select and Mask, or paint the mask edge with black at low opacity
Part of the subject is missing	The selection missed an area of similar colour	Paint that area of the mask with white
Background still shows in gaps	Holes between arms or hair weren't deselected	Paint those gaps on the mask with black
The wrong person was selected	Select Subject chose the most central subject	Use the Object Selection tool instead

Most of these come down to the same fix: work on the mask, not the photo. It's also worth zooming in to around the edges before you call a cut-out finished, because halos that are invisible at full-screen size show up the moment the image goes on a dark or bright new background.

What to do with your cut-out next

• Put it on a new background: add a layer underneath it with a colour, texture or another photo.
• Use it on a website or in a design tool: export it as a PNG so the transparency is kept.
• Make a product shot: place it on white and add a soft shadow on a separate layer.

If you're putting cut-outs onto graphics for social media, my piece on making quick graphics and videos covers a simpler tool for the layout side.

My verdict

Start with Select, then Subject, and always finish with Add Layer Mask rather than the Delete key. That combination gets most cut-outs done quickly and keeps every mistake fixable. Use the Object Selection tool when there's more than one subject, and Select and Mask only for hair and soft edges. For photos you'll show off on a portfolio, see my list of website builders for photographers.

Frequently asked questions

What's the quickest way to cut out an image in Photoshop?

Use Remove Background in the Properties panel's Quick Actions, or Select, then Subject, followed by Add Layer Mask.

Why does Select Subject pick the wrong thing?

It targets the largest or most central subject. Use the Object Selection tool to choose a specific item instead.

How do I bring back part of a cut-out?

Select the layer mask and paint with white. Painting with black hides more.

How do I save a cut-out with a transparent background?

Export it as a PNG with transparency switched on.

Can Photoshop cut out hair?

Yes. Use Select and Mask and brush over the hair with the Refine Edge brush.

Is it better to delete the background or use a mask?

A mask, because it hides pixels rather than deleting them, so you can fix the edges later.