How to remove a background in your browser

CutPico removes the background from one photo at a time and gives you a cutout you can download. The whole job happens inside your browser: the AI model runs on your device, your picture is not uploaded, and no account is needed.

This page explains the exact steps, the input limits, and what results you can expect on different kinds of photos. If you only want to try it, open the background remover and drop in an image.

Step by step

1. Add one photo

   Drag the file onto the upload card, paste it with Ctrl/⌘ + V, or press the choose button and pick it from your device. You can use JPEG, PNG or WebP files, one image at a time, up to 20 MiB and up to 20 megapixels. The file is read by your browser and stays there.

2. Let the model load and run

   When you add the first photo, the browser downloads the run-time and the U2NetP AI model the cut needs — about 18.9 MB in total — and then runs the model on your device. Loading starts only after a valid photo is chosen, so an untouched page stays light. How long the first cut takes depends on your connection and your device; later cuts reuse the browser's cached copy and skip the download. A progress bar shows the load and the run, and you can cancel while it works.

3. Check the cutout

   The result appears on a transparency checkerboard. Use the Result / Original switch to compare the cutout with your photo. Look at the edges before you go on: keep the result if the subject is clean, or try another photo if the tool picked the wrong area.

4. Pick a background

   Keep the background transparent, or choose white, black or a custom colour for the new background. The colour you pick fills the areas the model marked as background.

5. Download the file

   Download PNG keeps the transparency, which is what you want for logos, product shots and stickers. Download JPEG fills the transparency with the colour you chose and produces a smaller file. Both files are built in your browser and saved by your browser; we never see them. The cutout keeps the aspect ratio of your photo; if its longest edge is more than 2560 pixels, the result is scaled down to 2560 pixels on the longest edge (see input and output limits).

Input and output limits

• Formats: JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg), PNG and WebP.
• Input size: up to 20 MiB per file.
• Input resolution: up to 20 megapixels. Larger images are refused instead of being silently resized.
• Output resolution: the cutout keeps the photo's aspect ratio and is at most 2560 pixels on the longest edge. A larger photo is scaled down, so the download does not always keep the original resolution.
• Images per run: one. Repeat the steps for the next photo.

What CutPico handles well — and what it may not

The model is good at separating a clear subject from a different-looking background. Typical good cases are people, pets, plants and product photos on a plain or blurred background.

Results vary on:

• thin hair, fur and feathers, where single strands are easy to cut away or keep;
• glass, smoke, veils and other see-through or semi-transparent material;
• subjects that are close in colour to the background, or that touch the frame edge;
• photos with very busy backgrounds, hard shadows, or more than one subject.

There is no manual touch-up brush yet, so plan to zoom in on the result and, if the edges are not good enough, use a different photo or a different tool for that one. For a smoother workflow, keep the original and the cutout if you later need to rebuild the cutout at a different size.

Frequently asked questions

Are my photos uploaded to a server?

No. The image is opened by your browser and processed by the AI model on your device. There is no upload step, and the cutout and download are created locally as well. The first-party page counting described in the privacy policy counts page opens only and never receives your photo.

Do I need an account, an install or a payment?

No. CutPico has no sign-up, no app to install and no payment step. The tool is a web page; JavaScript must be enabled because the model runs in the browser.

Why does the first cut take longer?

Before the first cut, the browser has to download the run-time and the model the tool uses, about 18.9 MB together. That download is the slow part, and it starts only after you add a photo. Later cuts reuse the cached copy, so they skip most of the waiting. The exact time depends on your connection and device, so we do not give a fixed estimate.

Does the download keep my photo's original resolution?

Not always. The result keeps the aspect ratio, but it is capped at 2560 pixels on the longest edge. Photos larger than that are scaled down, so a 4000-pixel-wide photo comes back at 2560 pixels wide. If you need the original resolution, keep the original file and use the cutout as a mask in an image editor.

Are the results always clean?

No. Automatic background removal is an estimate, not an exact cut. Edge detail such as hair, fur and transparent objects can stay in or drop out, and a subject that looks like the background may confuse the model. Check the result and decide whether it is good enough for your use.

Can I use the cutouts in my own projects?

Yes. You keep the rights to your photos and to the results you make with CutPico. We add no watermark and claim no ownership of your files. You are responsible for having the rights to the images you process.

Does it work on a phone?

The page uses a responsive layout, so it can be used on a phone or tablet. Very large photos and the model itself need memory, so a phone may be slower than a desktop, and older devices may not finish the job.

Still deciding? Read the terms of use, or go back to the background remover.