Removing backgrounds with built-in tools on iPhone, Android, Mac, and Windows

You may not need a separate tool at all. Over the last few years, Apple, Google, Samsung, and Microsoft have all added background removal to their operating systems. These built-in features are fast and free, and for a quick sticker or a one-off cutout they are often all you need. This guide shows how to use each one and explains where they fall short.

Menu names and availability change between operating system versions and devices. The steps below describe recent versions as of the date at the top of this page; check your device's help pages if something looks different.

iPhone and iPad

On iOS 16 and later (and iPadOS 16 and later), you can lift the subject out of a photo:

1. Open the photo in the Photos app.
2. Touch and hold the subject until a glowing outline appears.
3. Choose Copy to paste the cutout into another app, Share to send or save it, or Add Sticker (iOS 17 and later) to create a sticker for Messages.

You can also drag the lifted subject directly into another app, such as Messages, Notes, or Mail. The feature works on photos, screenshots, and even paused videos. It requires a device with a recent enough chip; older iPhones do not support it.

Strengths: instant, private (on device), and works across apps. Limits: no control over edges, no background color or size options, and when you save a shared cutout it often becomes a PNG at a reduced size suited to sharing rather than the full photo resolution.

Mac

On recent versions of macOS, there are two built-in options:

• Finder Quick Action: right-click an image file in Finder, choose Quick Actions, then Remove Background. A new file with a transparent background is created next to the original.
• Preview: open the image in Preview and choose Tools, then Remove Background.

You can also lift subjects from photos in the Photos app, as on iPhone. Strengths: quick and private, with a transparent PNG saved as a file. Limits: no edge adjustment, no background options, and no batch layout features beyond running the Quick Action on several selected files.

Android

Android features depend on the manufacturer:

• Samsung Galaxy: in the Gallery app, open a photo, touch and hold the subject, then choose Copy, Share, or Save as image. Available on recent One UI versions.
• Google Pixel: recent Pixel phones offer subject cutouts in Google Photos editing tools and can copy subjects from photos with a long press in some contexts. Features vary by model and Android version.
• Other brands: many gallery apps from Xiaomi, OnePlus, and others offer similar "extract subject" or "cutout" tools.

Strengths: quick and usually on device. Limits: inconsistent between phones, few options, and the saved file is often resized.

Windows 11

Microsoft added background removal to two built-in apps:

• Paint: open an image and click Remove background in the toolbar. The background becomes transparent and you can save as PNG.
• Photos: in the editor, the Background tools can blur, remove, or replace the background of a photo.

Strengths: free and already installed. Limits: limited edge refinement, and features depend on having an updated version of each app.

How they compare with a dedicated tool

When to use which

• For a quick, casual cutout: use what is built in. On an iPhone, a long press in Photos is hard to beat.
• For anything you will publish or sell: a dedicated tool gives you control over the background, the size, the edges, and the file format, which built-in features do not.
• For many images: use a batch tool so every image comes out the same. See the bulk workflow.
• For official photos: use a tool with the right size presets and a plain background color, and read the passport photo guide first.

Built-in tools and ImgCutout share one important property: the processing happens on your device. If privacy is the reason you are looking for an alternative to upload-based services, both are good choices. For a broader comparison including online services and Photoshop, see ImgCutout vs remove.bg vs Photoshop vs your phone.

Summary

Every major operating system can now remove a background on its own: long-press in Photos on iPhone, Gallery on Samsung, Quick Actions or Preview on Mac, and Paint or Photos on Windows 11. They are ideal for quick stickers and one-off cutouts. When you need a specific background color, size, edge quality, file format, or a whole batch, use a dedicated tool.