--- title: Make backgrounds transparent date: "2010-04-28T06:57:37Z" categories: - coding - how-i-do-things wp_id: 2510 --- This is the simplest way that I’ve found to make the background colour of an image transparent. 1. [Download GIMP](http://portableapps.com/apps/graphics_pictures/gimp_portable) 2. Open your image. I’ll pick this one:\ [![](/blog/assets/killme1.webp)](/blog/assets/killme1.webp) 3. Optional: Select Image – Mode – RGB if it’s not RGB. 4. Select Colors – Colors to Alpha…\ [![](/blog/assets/killme2.webp)](/blog/assets/killme2.webp) 5. Click on the white button next to “From” and select the eye-dropper.[![](/blog/assets/killme3.webp)](/blog/assets/killme3.webp) 6. Pick the green colour on the image, and click OK\ [![](/blog/assets/killme4.webp)](/blog/assets/killme4.webp) The anti-aliasing is preserved as well. --- ## Comments - **Vinu** _28 Apr 2010 11:21 pm_: There is a tool in MS Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) to set the transparent color as well, assuming of course that you plan to embed the image in a document... - **[S Anand](http://www.s-anand.net/)** _29 Apr 2010 7:19 am_: Need to use the image in web pages, mostly. Would this MS Office tool still work? - **[S Anand](http://www.s-anand.net/)** _29 Apr 2010 7:20 am_: True, Ravi. I need to automate this task, though. Tried ImageMagick at first, but gave up after a while. - **Vinu** _30 Apr 2010 5:51 pm_: Good question. If you use a drag and drop, WYSIWYG web page editor, then perhaps it will translate. I tested it between Powerpoint & Word and it worked. Here's the location of the control on PowerPoint 2007: on the Picture Tools /Format ribbon> Recolor (in the Adjust group, first from the left) drop down to "Set Transparent Color'. Keyboard accelerator = Alt + J P E S. - **[Atluri](http://www.raviatluri.in)** _28 Apr 2010 3:59 pm_: This works well only for text and images with strong contrast against their background text as an image is outdated ;) and for images i would use blend->merge->eraser for edges! - **[Vipul](http://bit.ly/vipulrawal)** _13 May 2010 5:31 am_: Remove background option in MS-PowerPoint 2010 works even better. In love with that feature. :)