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JGreg7
Known Participant
December 19, 2012
Answered

Photoshop - How to set the background color to transparent?

  • December 19, 2012
  • 5 replies
  • 405562 views

I am using Photoshop CS5, and I have a black and white line drawings (electrical schematic).  I wish to turn the white background to transparent so I can take the schematic lines and paste them over a colored background.

I have tried using the magic wand tool, but it only selects portions of the background.  I want everything that is white, to be transparent.  In Paint Shop Pro, the command was simply to set the palette transparency to a certain color and you were done.  However, I am trying to learn Photoshop, and I am simply unable to find a way to do this.

I assume this would be a simple task, since it is used extensively in graphics everywhere, I just do not know how to do it.

Any help would be appreciated.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Silkrooster

    Select>Color Range - Select: Highlights - Click OK

    If background layer, unlock by dragging lock icon in the layer panel to the trash can

    hit delete key

    All the white should now be transparent.

    If not, post a screen grab with the layers panel open, so we can try something else.

    5 replies

    Stephen Marsh
    Community Expert
    Stephen MarshCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 13, 2024

    An old topic, however, as it was just bumped...

     

    Placing a black sketch with white background over another image, simply set the layer blend mode to Multiply.

     

    https://helpx.adobe.com/au/photoshop/using/blending-modes.html

     

    Another option is to use "advanced blending" and use the blend if sliders to drop out the white and or light gray levels.

     

    https://helpx.adobe.com/au/photoshop/using/layer-opacity-blending.html

    Or to "un-multiply" a white or black background to transparency, removing the white component from the blended pixels:

     

    https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/photoshop-needs-quot-color-to-alpha-quot-button/td-p/11510234

     

    5
    57ar7up
    Participant
    January 6, 2022

    Kaleido's removebg gave me better quality and freer

      R
      rileyt58787045
      Participant
      March 12, 2017

      do you know why i can't add a transparency to mine?

      Silkrooster
      Silkrooster
      Legend
      March 14, 2017

      Two reasons

      1) Mode can not be bit map (see documents tab) You can change it by using the menu Image then Mode. Then choose RGB or cmyk

      2) Once mode has been changed, then you need to covert the background layer (in the layers panel) to a normal layer by dragging the padlock to the trashcan.

      You will now have a checkboard background representing transparency.

      R
      Raman3667011602z3
      Participant
      April 11, 2024

      I use ImgGen AI Background Remover, it's easy to use and gives me better quality.

      ayoosh
      ayoosh
      Participant
      May 4, 2016

      To make background transparent, I go to quick selection tool -> select the item -> inverse -> smooth -> refine edge -> tick smart radius -> radius 3px -> smooth 4px -> tick decontaminate color -> output to (new layer with layer mask)  -> OK.

      Usually I do this and my background transparent.

      But where is my mistake after I did this the background not change to transparent but pop up layer thumbnail and layer mask thumbnail.

      Anyone can fix this?

      Silkrooster
      SilkroosterCorrect answer
      Legend
      December 20, 2012

      Select>Color Range - Select: Highlights - Click OK

      If background layer, unlock by dragging lock icon in the layer panel to the trash can

      hit delete key

      All the white should now be transparent.

      If not, post a screen grab with the layers panel open, so we can try something else.

        Silkrooster
        Silkrooster
        Legend
        December 20, 2012

        A bit more of an explaination for the above post.

        In order to see a transparent background, the bottom layer must be unlocked which is why it is important to drag the lock icon to the trash can.

        When saving the file use a format that supports transparency. PSD, TIFF, PNG are all good candidates, do not use jpg as it does not support transparency.

        J
        JGreg7Author
        Known Participant
        January 3, 2013

        Your method worked perfectly!  Thank you for your help with this.

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