Remove backgrounds from photos

In Office 2010, a background of a picture can be easily removed to accent or highlight the subject of the picture or to remove distracting detail

  • Select the picture to remove its background

  • Go to Picture Tools tab > Adjust group > click on Remove Background

  • Click one of the handles on the marquee lines and then drag the line so that it contains the portion of the picture that needs to be kept and excludes most of the area to remove

  • Do one or both of the following:

    • To indicate which parts of the picture not to be automatically removed, go to Background Removal tab > Refine group > click Mark Areas to Keep

      • The mouse pointer turns into a pencil

      • Click, drag and let the pencil go to draw the line

    • To indicate which parts of the picture to remove in addition to those automatically marked, go to Background Removal tab > Refine group > click Mark Areas to Remove

      • The mouse pointer turns into a pencil

      • Click, drag and let the pencil go to draw the line

    • Go to Background Removal tab > Close group > click  Keep Changes

  • To cancel the automatic background removal, go to Background Removal tab > Close group > click Discard All Changes

 

  • If changing mind about the area marked with a line either to keep or to remove it, go to Background Removal tab > Refine group > click Delete Mark > click the line to change it 


Quick tips

  • While drawing the line, everything touched from the beginning to the end of the line will be either kept or removed depending on the selected option

  • Do not need to be precise when drawing a line

  • Use the Zoom slider on the Status Bar to adjust the view of the picture while drawing the line