Gimp: Remove The Background And Make It Transparent

Step by step, beginners tutorial on how to remove the background from an image and make it transparent.

Gimp 2.10.8 standard installation – Windows 10. Always check all your settings and options with the ones in the tutorial, not only the ones that are mentioned. When you use an image with a different size, you might need to adjust some of the given values from the tutorial.

Royalty free images:
Original Image on Pixabay:

Click on the CC button at the bottom of the video for English subtitles. Sorry for my 'Dutch freeware' English 😉.

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[ernestoguerra]

was super frustrated until i heard this lads voice. Very calming

[LovelyYungi]

Thank you for this! My mom passed this week and this helped me edit her photos for the funeral. I know it's just a tutorial but it means a lot! Also your voice is so relaxing and the music too!

[anselmarizona]

0:21, Open file
0:36, View, Zoom, and Fit to window
0:44, Layer, transparency, add alpha channel
1:12, free select tool: F
1:18, hold Control key and mouse-wheel
2:59, View, Zoom, fit image in window
3:11, Mode selection, select 3rd option/box
3:43, Shift+Control+J - to fit image in window
3:47, Select, then Feather, 5, 000/px, then Ok
4:08, Select, then Invert
4:17, Edit, then Clear to remove the background
4:29, Select, then None (Shift+Control+A)
6:12, Export again
4:37, go to Smudge tool (S), to select smudge tool active
4:58, hold Control + mouse-wheel turn
5:13, View, then Zoom (Shift+Control+J)
5:24, Files, then Export As (Shift+Control+E)

Thank you

[jimdart]

Absolutely incredible. Two days looking for an easy to understand, easy to follow tutorial on this and here you are making it so simple in less than 7 minutes. The other tutorials want to make this way over complicated. Thank you so much.

[marieclaire]

I love the way you explain things for beginners like me in a clear, slow way. Easy to follow, really. But I also want to thank you for the music. I've seen so many great videos and tutorials ruined by awful electronic music that having something different to hear, and especially such a calm, wavy music, was also a great experience.

[kryllion]

Not only did I learn how to crop part of the image out and make the background transparent, I also feel more relaxed and somehow transcendental. Thanks for taking the time to make this video both informative and pleasing.

[Mors_Umber]

I love how you don't gloss over any step, no matter how insignificant. Sometimes those insignificant steps can be nightmarish when you're still in the learning stages so thank you!

[afualani]

There are many intelligent people in the world, but few great teachers left. Thank you for the great instruction.

[Paganbeliever]

Thank you for being so thorough, calm and explain it both via voice and text. The calm way you tutored makes it easy to follow along.

Keep doing what you do

[tallencoxmusic]

I am in awe at how well-made this tutorial is. Great pacing, clear instructions, relevant explanations. I even liked the music.

[bringyourownbrilliance]

I am a frustrated amateur artist transitioning from Paint.net to GIMP. I am happy I found your easy-to-follow tutorial. My goal is to prepare my art for t-shirt designs. Thank you. Best wishes to You for every success in 2020.

[lisafoglesong]

This has been a great instructional video! I want to lift my dog' pic from a background and put on a special background. She is decease and it will be such comfort to have a pic of her sweet face. Thank you.

[jaredking]

Love how calm this video made me. Every other video i cant follow because of my adhd but you explain it so calm and proper!

[joaoreis]

You saved my day with such a clear and well presented tutorial : the pace is perfect, and as Maria Catry said, the wavy and calm music seem to help even more. Thank you again !!

[chrisschlo]

You are jesus and saved me from watching a million useless videos as i did before i found this one. Thank you so much.

[MrRobotman]

This wasn't the solution for my current problem, but you taught me various other helpful things. Thank you.

[robertanderson]

Excellent presentation! Very easy to follow and no time wasting - well done. Thank you!

[jelrusiana]

This is the most beginner-friendly tutorial I've watched! Thank you so much!

[mitchellactual]

These are the best Gimp tutorials around. Always my first choice

[simonsackett]

I've searched through so many Gimp tutorials on Youtube - I think I've finally found 'the one'! Thank you.