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BPDenham
Participant
July 22, 2023
Answered

Remove background removes everything ... select subject selects nothing

  • July 22, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 3473 views

Even when I open an image with a well-defined contrast between subject and background, the remove background tool makes the entire image transparent.

 

I have uninstalled/reinstalled Photoshop.  Currently on Windows 11 with Photoshop version 24.6.0

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer BPDenham

    Seems to work fine here (see screenshots). 

    What have you done for all-purpose trouble-shooting so far?
    Restoring Preferences after making sure all customized presets like Actions, Patterns, Brushes etc. have been saved might be a good starting point:
    https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html
    https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/basic-trouble-shooting-steps.html


    c.pfaffenbichler  ... I think you may have swerfved into a solution ... Turning off  "use graphics processor" had no effect.  However in the next section under "Preferences - Image Processing"  I found two little click boxes which seem to fix the issue (see the attached photo).  

     

    Change the two "Selections Processing" and "Remove Tool Processing" from "Faster" to "More stable" then restart Photoshop for it to take effect.  This made the difference from unusable to "Now I get the same results as c.pfaffenbichler"

     

    I marvel at the thousands of options in "Preferences" ... I just can't keep up with them all.  But thanks to urging me to look into it!

     

    Thanks again for your help!

     

    Bob

    2 replies

    M
    Community Expert
    Mariam HovhannesyanCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 23, 2023

    when you try to select it with quick selection tool does it select everything?

      B
      BPDenhamAuthor
      Participant
      July 24, 2023

      Thank you for helping me with this.

       

      The two attached screen shots are from the "Select Subject" before and atfer where it seems to select nothing.

       

      The Quick Selection tool seems to work as it always has: I can use it to get through a task, but it would be easier if the remove background/select subject worked.

       

      Thanks,

       

      Bob

       

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 25, 2023

      Do you have an uncropped version of the image? 

      Does flattening the image before the Selection process make any difference? 

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 23, 2023

      Please post (a lores of) the image in question.

      Could you please post screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible? 

      B
      BPDenhamAuthor
      Participant
      July 23, 2023

      Thank you for taking a look.  I would imagine that there is some setting I am missing ...  Here are posted two examples:

      Files 01 and 02 are before and after applying "Remove Background".

      Files 03 and 04 are the sample of the dog that Adobe included in its tutorial.  It clearly works on that, so what's going on?

       

      It seemed to work on everything before I updated from Windows 10 to Windows 11.  But I've also re-installed Photoshop.

       

      Thanks,

       

      Bob

       

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 24, 2023

      Seems to work on Mac. 

      Have you tried Select > Subject? 

       

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