Lost "remove background bar"

[Nick Hall]

HI All,

I've just updated photoshop to include the new Generative function (AI) and seem to have los the "remove background" option bar that used to appear below a picture. Anyone know how to get it back or how [cursing removed] do you do remove background now?

Cheers

Nick

[Conrad_C]

You don’t need the bar to remove the background. Many features in Photoshop are provided in multiple places, and you can show or hide any panel using the Window menu.

So, if you mean the new floating Contextual Task Bar, if it’s hidden you can choose Window > Contextual Task Bar.

Also, even if the Contextual Task Bar is hidden, the Remove Background button is also available on the Properties panel when an eligible layer is selected.

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@Nick Hall wrote:

…or how the hell do you do remove background now?

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The Remove Background button isn’t the only way to do it. It’s an easy one-click shortcut that was recently added. In the three decades before the Remove Background button existed, Photoshop users routinely removed the background using different multi-step manual techniques. Today, the Remove Background button is super convenient, but even though we have it, some people still prefer to use the manual techniques to remove trickier backgrounds. So if the Remove Background button didn’t exist, there would still be many ways to remove a background. For example, choose Select > Subject and invert the selection, or go into Select > Select and Mask and use the advanced selection tools to manually remove the background.

[Amanda33538801s57t]

Click on the contextual context bar in properties. 

[Conrad_C]

There is no “contextual context bar” in the Properties panel.

[McKenna336968917bhb]

this was so helpful! thank you

[Ardly Dunbye]

Thanks for posting I was about to scream!

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Also, even if the Contextual Task Bar is hidden, the Remove Background button is also available on the Properties panel when an eligible layer is selected.

By @Conrad_C

As Conrad notes, an eligible layer = Unflattened, with no special Background layer:

 

If a flattened Background layer exists, then the contextual options don't include Remove Background:

With the "Discover" panel (the magnifying glass on the upper right of the toolbar):

The built-in "Quick Action" for Remove background will work with or without a flattened Background layer. You can see in the History panel that this simply automates 2 steps, "Select Subject" and "Add Layer Mask".

[SnarkySolarGuy]

"For example, choose Select > Subject and invert the selection, or go into Select > Select and Mask and use the advanced selection tools to manually remove the background."

Or, just explain how to get the button back so he can do it with one click...

[Conrad_C]

Or, just explain how to get the button back so he can do it with one click...

By @SnarkySolarGuy

Not sure why you decided to quote the end of my reply where I was only describing the alternatives, instead of reading the earlier part of the same reply, where what you said there is already answered: 

The button is on the Contextual Task Bar. The original poster said the bar disappeared.

If the Contextual Task Bar is hidden, choose Window > Contextual Task Bar.

If you selected an eligible layer, then you will see the Remove Background button on the Contextual Task Bar.

If someone insists on hiding the two places where you can find the Remove Button (the Contextual Task Bar and the Properties panel), only then will they have to do it the old, long way.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Or, just explain how to get the button back so he can do it with one click...

By @SnarkySolarGuy

Not sure why you decided to quote the end of my reply where I was only describing the alternatives, instead of reading the earlier part of the same reply, where what you said there is already answered...

By @Conrad_C

There wouldn't have been an opportunity to be snarky if selective quoting wasn't used.  :]

[Ares Hovhannesyan]

Did you try to reset preferences? 

[Wim.Tosh]

Where's that? 

[Ged_Traynor]

@Wim.Tosh to manually reset your Photoshop preferences
https://helpx.adobe.com/ie/photoshop/using/preferences.html#Manually
Remember to back up your settings before doing the preference reset
https://helpx.adobe.com/ie/photoshop/using/preset-migration.html