Remove a Background in Photoshop Using Select and Mask
In this beginner-friendly guide, you’ll remove a background in Photoshop using a reliable, non-destructive workflow. You’ll make an AI-assisted selection, refine edges and hair, and output to a layer mask you can tweak at any time. Finish by previewing on a solid color or swapping in a new background image.
Step-by-step instructions
Open your image and enter Select and Mask
File → Open… and choose your photo.
Go to Select → Select and Mask…
In View, choose Onionskin and set Transparency to 50% to see selected vs. original pixels.
Make the initial subject selection with AI
Click Select Subject on the Options bar to auto-select the main subject.
For images with multiple subjects, pick the Object Selection Tool (Lasso mode) and draw a loose selection around the one you want.
Alternatively, use the Quick Selection Tool to paint the selection; hold Alt (Windows) / Option (Mac) to subtract.
Add or remove areas for a clean selection
Zoom in (Z) and pan (hold Spacebar) to inspect edges.
With the Quick Selection Tool set to Add, paint missing areas to include them.
Switch to the Brush Tool inside Select and Mask, set to + to paint back fine details (e.g., shoelaces); switch to − to remove unwanted areas.
Refine the edge globally
Change View to Black & White to evaluate the mask clearly.
Increase Smooth to reduce jagged edges; increase Contrast to harden edges; keep Feather at 0 px unless you need softer edges.
Switch View to On Black to spot white halos; drag Shift Edge left (inward) to reduce fringing; use Brush set to − to remove stubborn halos.
Output to a non-destructive layer mask
Set Output To → Layer Mask.
Click OK to apply the mask and remove the background.
Refine hair separately
In Layers, click the layer mask thumbnail to make it active.
In Properties, click Select and Mask…
Choose the Refine Edge Brush Tool and paint over hair to recover fine strands; optionally try Refine Hair, then undo if results aren’t ideal and refine manually.
Set Output To → Layer Mask and click OK.
Add a solid background to check edges
Layer → New Fill Layer → Solid Color… and pick any color (e.g., pink) → OK.
Drag the Color Fill layer below the subject to preview the cutout.
Touch up the mask manually
Select the mask; in Properties lower Density to reveal some of the original background for alignment.
Press B for Brush; paint white to reveal and black to hide; press X to swap foreground colors quickly.
Return Density to 100% when finished.
Optional: one‑click Remove Background
Select the subject layer (not the mask).
In the Properties panel, click Remove Background to auto-create a layer mask, then refine using Select → Select and Mask… as needed.
Replace the background image
File → Place Embedded… and choose your new background image.
Press Enter/Return to commit and drag the new background layer beneath the subject.
