Looking to do all your image editing on your phone? Well, you can especially if you got your hands on an iPhone.

Today, we will share seven ways to remove the background on your iPhone. We won’t just share one method—that’s too easy and not helpful for everyone. Instead, we will share seven ways to remove image backgrounds on iPhone.

Knowing how to remove the backgrounds of your photos is the gateway to learning to do other cool image editing stuff on your phone. Once you master the how, you can create a collage, use transparent backgrounds, and do much more.

Let’s see how you can remove backgrounds on iPhone photos almost like professionals with our step-by-step guides. 

7 Ways To Remove Background On iPhone Photo

Each of the seven ways to remove background on iPhone photos we will be sharing comes with our guides so you can follow along easily. Some of these methods can be done on iPads and Macs as well so huzzah. 

1. Using Instant Alpha (Built-in)

Here is how to use Instant Alpha to remove background on iPhone:

  • Open the Photo: Start by opening the photo you want to edit in the Photos app on your iPhone.
  • Edit the Photo: Tap on “Edit” at the screen’s top right corner.
  • Select Instant Alpha: Once in the editing mode, hit the three dots (ellipsis) at the top right corner of the screen. Then, choose “Markup” from the options.
  • Choose Instant Alpha: Within Markup, select “+” at the bottom right corner of the screen. Then, choose “Instant Alpha” from the options.
  • Highlight the Background: Using your finger, swipe over the parts of the photo you want to remove. Instant Alpha will automatically highlight the areas it recognizes as the background.
  • Adjust Selection: If needed, you can adjust the selection by dragging the highlighted areas or tapping on areas to add or remove from the selection.
  • Remove Background: Once you’re satisfied with the selection, tap on the “Delete” button. This will remove the background, leaving only the subject of the photo.
  • Save Your Edits: After removing the background, tap on “Done” to save your edits.

2. Using Pages (Built-in)

Here is how to use Pages to remove background on iPhone:

  • Open the Pages App: Start by opening the Pages app on your iPhone. 
  • Create or Open a Document: Create a new document or open an existing one where the photo you want to edit is located.
  • Insert the Photo: Tap on the “+” icon or the “Insert” button within the document to add the photo you want to edit. Pick the photo from your device’s photo library.
  • Select the Photo: Once the photo is inserted into the document, tap on it to select it. You should see selection handles appear around the edges of the photo.
  • Access the Format Menu: Look for the “Format” menu at the top or bottom of the screen. Tap on it to access formatting options for the selected photo.
  • Choose Instant Alpha: Within the Format menu, look for an option called “Instant Alpha.” Tap on it to activate the Instant Alpha tool.
  • Remove the Background: Use your finger to swipe over the parts of the photo you want to remove. Instant Alpha will automatically highlight the areas it recognizes as the background.
  • Adjust Selection: If needed, you can adjust the selection by dragging the highlighted areas or tapping on areas to add or remove from the selection.
  • Delete Background: Once satisfied with the selection, tap on the “Delete” or “Cut” option. This will remove the background, leaving only the subject of the photo.
  • Save Your Edits: After removing the background, tap on “Done” to save your edits.

3. Background Eraser: Superimpose (Third Party App)

Here is how to use Background Eraser: Superimpose to remove background on iPhone:

  • Open the Superimpose App: Launch the Superimpose app on your iPhone. 
  • Select the Photo: Within the app, tap on the Gallery icon and choose the photo needing edit from your device’s photo library.
  • Crop the Photo (Optional): Tap “Crop” at the bottom left of your screen. Use the tool to remove any portions of the photo that are irrelevant to the part you want to edit. This step is optional but can make the rest of the process easier, especially for busy images.
  • Access the Background Eraser: After cropping (if necessary), tap on “Erase” next to Crop. Then, pick “Target Color” from the eraser menu.
  • Select Background Color: Tap on a part of the image that matches the dominant background color you want to remove. For example, if the background is a brown hardwood floor, tap on the wood to indicate you want everything in that shade of brown to be deleted.
  • Adjust Threshold: If the object’s colors are too similar to the background, the app might delete part of the object. In such cases, tap “Undo” and move the Threshold bar back to the left to start again.
  • Refine Background Removal: To refine the background removal further, tap “Target Area” to select and remove specific background parts left behind. Again, adjust the Threshold bar if necessary.
  • Manual Erasing: Finally, hit the Erase tool at the bottom left of your screen. 
    1. Use the tool to clean up any leftover background pieces the app may have missed.

4. TouchRetouch (Third Party App)

Here is how to use TouchRetouch to remove background on iPhone:

  • Download TouchRetouch: If you haven’t already, download the TouchRetouch app from the App Store. Once downloaded, open the app on your iPhone.
  • Import Your Photo: Tap on the “Albums” or “Photos” button to pick the photo you want to edit from your device’s photo library. Once selected, the photo will appear in the TouchRetouch workspace.
  • Select Object Removal Tool: Find the “Object Removal” tool and tap on it. This tool lets you remove unwanted elements, including backgrounds, from your photos.
  • Brush Over the Background: Move your finger over the parts of the photo you want to remove, such as the background. The Object Removal tool will automatically detect and erase the selected areas.
  • Refine Edges (Optional): If needed, you can zoom in on the photo and use a smaller brush size to refine the subject’s edges. This is for a clean and precise selection.
  • Preview Your Edits: After removing the background, tap on the eye icon at the top of the screen to preview your edits. This will show you how the photo looks with the background removed.
  • Save Your Edits: If you’re satisfied with the result, tap on the “Save” or “Export” button to save the edited photo to your device’s photo library.

5. PhotoScissors (Third Party App)

Here is how to use PhotoScissors to remove background on iPhone:

  • Download PhotoScissors: Start by downloading the PhotoScissors app from the App Store if you haven’t already. Once downloaded, open the app on your iPhone.
  • Choose a Photo: Within the app, click on the folder icon to choose a photo from your device’s photo library to upload. Select the photo you want to edit.
  • Apply Green Mask: The app automatically applies a green mask to any object in the photo’s foreground. 
    1. Note: Anything in the green mask will become part of the cut-out; everything else will be deleted after the background is removed.
  • Refine the Mask (If Needed): If the app doesn’t apply the mask accurately, use your fingers to add any details you want to highlight as part of the cut-out. This helps ensure precise selection.
  • Review and Proceed: Click “Next” to see the image without the background. This will show you a preview of the photo with the background removed.
  • Save the Edited Photo: Sadly, PhotoScissors doesn’t allow you to save your projects without a subscription. However, you can take a screenshot of the edited photo to save it to your device’s photo library.

6. Remove.bg (Web Tool)

Here is how to use Remove.bg to remove background on iPhone:

  • Open remove.bg Website: Start by opening remove.bg in a browser on your iPhone. You can do this by typing “remove.bg” into the address bar and hitting enter.
  • Upload Your Photo: Tap on the “Upload Image” button to add a photo from your device’s photo library. You can also take a new photo with your phone’s camera.
  • Wait for Processing: Let the web tool attempt to remove the background from your photo. This process may take a few seconds to complete, depending on the size and complexity of the image.
  • Download the Edited Photo: Tap “Download” and save the edited image to your iPhone.

Learn ways to do image cutouts on iPhones from professionals like us. 

7. Slazzer (Web Tool)

Here is how to use Slazzer to remove background on iPhone:

  • Open Slazzer Website: Start by opening the Slazzer website on your iPhone’s browser. You can do this by typing “Slazzer” into the search bar and hitting enter.
  • Upload or Drag and Drop Image: Once on the Slazzer website, you can upload your image by tapping on the “Upload” button and selecting the photo from your device’s photo library. 
  • Wait for Background Removal: After uploading the image, wait a few seconds for the Slazzer app to remove the background. Depending on the complexity of the image, the process may take a short while.
  • Copy or Download the Cut-Out: Once the background removal is complete, you’ll see the image with the background removed. You can now either copy the cut-out image or download it to your iPhone for future use.

Learn to do almost professional car photo editing on iPhones with our professionally made guide. 

Conclusion

As you can clearly see, removing the background on an iPhone photo isn’t the most difficult task. In fact, with recent releases, the process has become easier, smoother, and has more options. If you want to improve your selfies and social media post photos, use the seven ways to remove the background on your iPhone. On the other hand, we recommend a professional Background removal service for more detailed and professional image editing.