How to remove a background in illustrator
Step-by-step guide, no design skills required
How to remove a background in illustrator. Adobe Illustrator handles vector artwork and can remove backgrounds from placed raster images. The most reliable workflow for complex images is to preprocess in BGRemover, then import the transparent PNG into Illustrator for layout work. The built-in Adobe Illustrator tool handles simple cutouts, but for complex edges (hair, fur, reflective surfaces), BGRemover produces a noticeably cleaner result in seconds.
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Adobe Illustrator handles vector artwork and can remove backgrounds from placed raster images. The most reliable workflow for complex images is to preprocess in BGRemover, then import the transparent PNG into Illustrator for layout work.
When the built-in Adobe Illustrator tool is enough
Adobe Illustrator's built-in tool works well on simple subjects: logos on a solid background, icons, simple product photos on a uniform backdrop, or low-detail portraits against a single-colour background. The quality is good enough for most everyday documents and slide decks. The built-in tool is free and always available — no account or subscription needed.
Illustrator's Image Trace works on clean vector-art images but produces rough edges on photographs. Use BGRemover for photographic cutouts.
Step-by-step
Open your image in Adobe Illustrator
Prepare the image you want to work with. If Adobe Illustrator is not available, go to bgremover.com in any browser — it works on any device.
Place the image in Illustrator
Go to File → Place and select your image. Click to place it in your document.
Preprocess in BGRemover (recommended for photos)
For photographic images, open the original JPG/PNG in bgremover.com → download the transparent PNG → File → Place in Illustrator. This gives cleaner edges than Image Trace on photos.
Or use Image Trace for vector artwork
For logos and vector illustrations: with the image selected, open Window → Image Trace. Choose a tracing preset (e.g., 'High Fidelity Photo') and click Expand.
Ungroup and release clipping mask
After expanding, go to Object → Ungroup. If the cutout is inside a clipping mask, release it: Object → Clipping Mask → Release.
Export as PNG with transparency
Select the cutout → File → Export As → PNG → check 'Transparency'. BGRemover's PNG is recommended for photographic images.
Common questions
Quick answers about how to remove a background in illustrator
Can I remove a background directly in Illustrator?
Illustrator can trace simple images with Image Trace, but for photographic cutouts, it is better to preprocess in BGRemover and import the transparent PNG. This preserves the original image quality and avoids the rough edges that Image Trace produces on photographs.
Why does my transparent PNG show a white edge in Illustrator?
This is called 'matting'. The anti-aliasing pixels at the edge of the subject pick up background colour. Use BGRemover, which applies edge refinement to minimize this. In Illustrator, use Object → Image Color Mode → Document RGB to check.
Can I batch remove backgrounds for multiple images in Illustrator?
No — Illustrator does not have a batch processing feature for background removal. Use BGRemover's batch mode to process multiple images, then import the results into Illustrator.
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