Photoshop is a powerful image editing software that allows you to manipulate colors, shapes, and textures of any image. One of the basic skills that you need to learn in Photoshop is how to change the background color of an image. This can be useful for creating different effects, removing unwanted elements, or enhancing the mood of your photo.
There are many ways to change the background color in Photoshop, but we will focus on four main methods:
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Using a fill layer
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Using an adjustment layer
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Using a selection tool
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Using a quick selection tool
Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages depending on your situation and desired outcome. We will explain each method step by step and show you some examples of how they work.
How to change background color in Photoshop
Method 1: Using a fill layer
A fill layer is a type of layer that fills an entire image or a selected area with a solid color or a gradient. You can use a fill layer to change your Photoshop background color easily and quickly.
To use a fill layer to change your Photoshop background color, follow these steps:
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Open your image in Photoshop.
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Go to Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color.
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Once you hit OK, you will see a Color Picker, where you can select any color you want to use.
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Click OK to apply the color.
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You will see a new layer named Color Fill 1 above your original image layer.
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To adjust the opacity or blending mode of the fill layer, double-click on it and use the sliders or drop-down menus.
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To remove parts of the fill layer that cover your subject or other elements that you want to keep, use a layer mask and paint with black over those areas using a soft brush.
Method 2: Using an adjustment layer
An adjustment layer is another type of layer that applies an adjustment such as brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, etc., to an entire image or a selected area without affecting the original pixels. You can use an adjustment layer to change your Photoshop background color by adjusting its hue and saturation values.
To use an adjustment layer to change your Photoshop background color, follow these steps:
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Open your image in Photoshop.
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Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation.
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Once you hit OK, you will see a Properties panel, where you can adjust the hue and saturation values of the adjustment layer.
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Drag the Hue slider left or right until you find the desired color for your background.
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Drag the Saturation slider left or right until you find the desired intensity for your background color.
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Click OK to apply the adjustment.
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You will see a new layer named Hue/Saturation 1 above your original image layer.
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To adjust the opacity or blending mode of the adjustment layer, double-click on it and use the sliders or drop-down menus.
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To remove parts of the adjustment layer that affect your subject or other elements that you want to keep, use a layer mask and paint with black over those areas using a soft brush.
Method 3: Using a selection tool
A selection tool is one of the most basic tools in Photoshop that allows you to select specific areas of an image based on their shape, color, or edge contrast. You can use one of several selection tools available such as Marquee Tool, Lasso Tool, Magic Wand Tool, Quick Selection Tool, etc., depending on what suits best for your image.
To use a selection tool to change your Photoshop background color, follow these steps:
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Open your image in Photoshop.
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Choose one of the selection tools from the toolbar, such as Marquee Tool, Lasso Tool, Magic Wand Tool, or Quick Selection Tool.
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Click and drag on your image to create a selection around your subject or the area that you want to keep unchanged. You can adjust your selection by adding or subtracting areas using the Shift or Alt keys respectively.
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Go to Select > Inverse to invert your selection so that only the background is selected.
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Go to Edit > Fill to fill the selected area with a color of your choice. You can also use a gradient or a pattern instead of a solid color by changing the Contents option in the Fill dialog box.
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Click OK to apply the fill.
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To refine your selection and remove any unwanted edges or colors, you can use tools such as Eraser Tool, Refine Edge Brush Tool, or Select and Mask.
Method 4: Using a quick selection tool
A quick selection tool is a type of selection tool that automatically selects areas of an image based on their similarity in color and texture. You can use a quick selection tool to change your Photoshop background color by quickly selecting large areas of similar colors.
To use a quick selection tool to change your Photoshop background color, follow these steps:
1.Open your image in Photoshop.
2.Choose the Quick Selection Tool from the toolbar or press W on your keyboard.
3.Click and drag on your image to create a selection around your subject or the area that you want to keep unchanged. The tool will automatically select similar pixels as you drag. You can adjust your selection by adding or subtracting areas using the Shift or Alt keys respectively.
4.Go to Select > Inverse to invert your selection so that only the background is selected.
5.Go to Edit > Fill to fill the selected area with a color of your choice. You can also use a gradient or a pattern instead of a solid color by changing the Contents option in the Fill dialog box.
6.Click OK to apply the fill.
7.To refine your selection and remove any unwanted edges or colors, you can use tools such as Eraser Tool, Refine Edge Brush Tool, or Select and Mask.
FAQs
Q: How do I change the background color of an image without Photoshop?
A: There are many online tools and apps that allow you to change the background color of an image without Photoshop, such as Pixlr, Canva, Fotor, etc.
Q: How do I change the background color of an image to transparent?
A: To change the background color of an image to transparent, you need to save it as a PNG file with transparency enabled. To do this in Photoshop, follow these steps:
1.Open your image in Photoshop and make sure it has only one layer. If not, merge all layers by going to Layer > Flatten Image . 2.Use one of the methods above to select and remove (delete) the background color from your image. 3.Go to File > Save As and choose PNG from the Format drop-down menu . 4.Make sure Transparency is checked under PNG Options . 5.Click Save .
Q: How do I change only one part of the background color in Photoshop?
A: To change only one part of the background color in Photoshop, you need to make a more precise selection using tools such as Pen Tool, Magnetic Lasso Tool, Color Range, etc., before applying any fill or adjustment.
Conclusion
Changing the background color in Photoshop is a simple but useful skill that can help you enhance your images, create different effects, or remove unwanted elements.
In this tutorial, we have shown you four main methods to change the background color in Photoshop:
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Using a fill layer
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Using an adjustment layer
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Using a selection tool
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Using a quick selection tool
We have also answered some frequently asked questions about changing the background color in Photoshop.
We hope this tutorial was helpful for you and that you learned something new today.