Paint.NET: Make the image transparent

Paint.NET can make images transparent and, for example, hide backgrounds. This works particularly easily with the free Paint.NET, as it does without cumbersome functions. We explain the details to you in this article.

Make the image transparent in Paint.NET

In Paint.NET, open the image in which you want to make an area transparent.

1. Select the magic wand from the tool box (see picture) and click on the surface in the background.
2. To make the surface transparent, you have to press [Del].
3. Save the image as a PNG file to ensure transparency. With JPEG, for example, the transparent surface is saved as white.

Tips for transparency with Paint.NET

It is best to make the background of an image transparent if it has a uniform color and is clearly different in color from the object in the foreground. In practice, this is not often the case, so these tips will help:

• As soon as you have clicked on the magic wand, an additional bar with settings appears under the menu bar. With "Tolerance" you can set how strictly the magic wand should distinguish the colors. This helps if the wand removes more than just the background.
• At best, the background is in one color and the foreground is in a different color. If there are gaps in the image so that the background shines through - for example angled arms - you can make these gaps even more transparent. To do this, select the "Global" option in the menu next to "Fill mode". Everything is removed with the same color.

For larger image processing, it is worth taking a look at professional image software. Here is an overview of the best free editing programs.