How to remove image background in MS Word

Follow our 6 steps strategy to remove the background of a picture in MS Word. Explore refine options to get rid from complicated backgrounds.

By Brian Dean- publish on march 08, 2023

Need to remove the background of a photo but don't have access to any tool? It can be frustrating that most image background removal tools are paid or difficult to use! 

MS Word is the best option in such cases - as it is user-friendly, and allows you to remove the image background using this! In this guide, I will walk you through removing the background of a picture using MS Word. 

Keep reading, folks!

How to remove the background of a picture in Word?

MS Word allows you to use a "Background Removal feature" to remove a picture's background within a few seconds. Images will become visually captivating, efficient and impactful with just a few clicks. 

Simple steps to follow to remove the background from different pictures on Word are:

  • Select MS Word
  • Checking the "Picture format tab" in Word
  • Select the picture
  • Choose the “Remove Background” in Word
  • Refine the selection
  • Save the image after the removal of the background

1. Select MS Word

MS Word is convenient and easy to use for everyone. It offers you an advanced feature to remove the background of a picture free of cost. 

On the other hand, download MS Word, sign in to the software with your email and password. 

Then, open MS Word and create a new document.

2. Checking the "Picture format tab" in Word

To remove the image background, the next step is checking the "picture format tab". When you create a new document, a picture format tab appears in the ribbon menu on the top right of the screen.

Tab has many options that make your picture look much better and more appealing. These formatting options are:

  • Remove background
  • Corrections
  • Color
  • Artistic effects
  • Adjust

3. Select the picture

When you create a new document in Word and see the picture format tab, use "insert." To select, click on the image that you want to edit. 

If you do not access the picture for editing, go again to the insert option and double-click on the picture. The picture will show on the Word, and you are all ready to do changes.

4. Choose the “Remove Background” in Word

Once you select the picture and insert it into the Word document. Choose the "Remove Background" from a format tab. 

Automatically a purple-magenta layer spread over the unwanted background area. Go to the refinement tools if you find anything in the background that you want to keep or remove.

5. Refine the selection

In Word, refinement means modifying the automatic selection of the remove background in background removal. Automatic layering for the background removal may not be accurate and need changes. 

So the refine tools offer you various options:

  • Mark areas to keep
  • Mark areas to remove
  • Discard all changes
  • Keep changes

a. Mark areas to keep

It helps you to mark the areas that you want to keep. Select the area you want to save from the original picture by simply drawing a line. Remove background separates the purple layer from the area and saves it from removal.

b. Mark areas to remove

This feature helps you remove or select the shadow area you do not want to keep in your image. Select a pencil and draw a straight line over the area you want to remove. A purple layer covers the area and is ready to remove the background.

c. Discard all changes

This feature in the refinement tools allows you to discard all changes. Through it, you can unselect the changes you made to remove from the background. A simple click will discard the editing in the background.

d. Keep changes

After finishing choosing the areas that you want to keep in the background or to remove, then click "keep changes". 

The keep changes will free your images' background and add visuality to the main figure. Once you remove the background, use adjust tools to add a transparent or color background. 

6. Save the image after the removal of the background

When you are satisfied with the changes, you keep the picture in the background. Click on the image and select "save as picture" from the menu. 

Choose the location from the menu and give the edited picture a new name. You can also select the type of image to save in storage, such as JPEG or PNG format. Now a single click on the save button will save the picture with a transparent background.

Common issues that arise during the use of MS Word

Remove background in MS Word may not give the accurate results. It may often lead to common issues that lessen the picture quality. 

Some of the most common problems that come with background removal are:

  • Sometimes the automatic selection of background may overlap the foreground area.
  • Word finds it difficult to remove the complex and multicolor background at once.
  • A word can not support the low-quality pictures and fails to layer out the purple color on the required area.
  • Word may accidentally remove the foreground area you want to keep in the picture.
  • The wrong format will not preserve the transparent background that you want to save.
  • Technical issues in Word may prevent the picture from background removal.

Sometimes, MS Word's advanced feature remove background may have problems in removing the background. It stuck to the complexity and did not hide the unwanted background. In such cases, try different editing software to remove a picture's background accurately.

Everyone can use the "background-remover.net" to remove the complex background from images.You can use it by following a few steps and can make your picture perfect to display. 

Tip: Save your image in a file format that supports a transparent background, such as PNG or GIF. If the format is incorrect, Word will save the picture without a transparent background. 

It would be best to find the root cause of the issues that arise using MS Word. It will help you fix the major problems and give the best results.

Conclusion

Removing the background from a picture is an easy-to-do process. Microsoft Word offers an advanced feature to isolate the main figure from the picture. 

Step-by-step guide will truly help you in removing the background. Picture format tab provides various tools to make the picture background transparent or add white background

Let's take a brief look at the steps involved in removing the background of a picture in MS Word: 

  1. Checking the "Picture format tab" in Word
  2. Select the picture
  3. Choose the Background removal
  4. Refine the selection
  5. Save the image after the removal of the background

Above mentioned steps are easy to follow and explained with detailed instructions. MS Word makes it possible to remove the background of a picture within a few seconds. Common issues are also discussed so that you can fix the problem more appropriately. 

Furthermore, you can use different effects and refinement tools to adjust the background. I hope this information helps you to use MS Word for background removal. 

With a little practice, you can become a master in it.