How to Make the Background of an Image Transparent In PowerPoint

Written by: Tricia Goss • Edited by: Michele McDonough
Updated Nov 18, 2009 • Related Guides: Microsoft | Powerpoint Presentation

If a white or colored background surrounds your image, it will not look professional on your otherwise polished PowerPoint slide. Fortunately, there is a simple way that you can make that background transparent and increase the appeal of your PowerPoint presentation.

Images in PowerPoint

When you are presenting a PowerPoint slideshow, graphic images draw attention and add interest to your presentation. However, you want to be sure that it is the kind of attention you desire. If a white or colored background surrounds your image, it will not look professional on your otherwise polished PowerPoint slide. Fortunately, there is a simple way that you can make that background transparent and increase the appeal of your PowerPoint presentation.

The first course of action is putting an image onto your PowerPoint slide. If you are using PowerPoint 2007, insert an

click to enlarge

image onto your slide background by clicking on the Insert tab of the ribbon and clicking on the appropriate button, such as Picture for a file located on your computer or Clip Art for a Microsoft clip art image. Find the image you want to use, select it and click Insert to place it on your slide background.

click to enlarge

To insert an image onto your slide background in PowerPoint 2003 or earlier, point to Picture on the Insert menu. Click on From File to insert an image located on your computer, or choose Clip Art to use a Microsoft clip art image. (You can also insert an image directly from your scanner or camera.)

Once you have the image placed onto your slide, you can make the background transparent in just a few, simple steps. If

click to enlarge

you are using PowerPoint 2007, click on the image to select it. Click on the Format tab under Picture Tools, and go to the Adjust section. Click the dropdown button next to Recolor and click on Set Transparent Color at the bottom of the dropdown selection. Your cursor will become shaped like the Set Transparent Color Tool. Click anywhere on your image’s background; the tool will make the image background transparent.

click to enlarge

If you are using PowerPoint 2003, select the image by clicking on it. The Picture toolbar will appear. Click on the Set Transparent Color Tool, which looks like something like a pen with an arrow. Once you click on it, your cursor will take on the tool’s appearance. Click anywhere on the background color of the image that you want to change. It will become transparent, and your slide background will shine through.

One point to be aware of is that you can only change one color within each image. This means that if your background is

click to enlarge

made up of multiple subtle colors, only the color you selected will become transparent. For an image with several background colors, you may want to paste it into Paint and crop it as much as possible before inserting it into your PowerPoint slide.

Don't forget to take a look at the rest of Bright Hub's collection of PowerPoint user guides for more tips and tricks. New articles are being added all the time so check back often.

jenny Mar 14, 2011 7:05 PM

Finally!

Driving me nuts, thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!

BSS BAW Mar 10, 2011 10:37 PM

great!

How to Make the Background of an Image Transparent In PowerPoint ... oops ... many thanks! That's an amazing helpful hint!

bhavik Mar 2, 2011 11:17 AM

Thanks A Lot

helpfull clear

n helpd me lot

thnx

Yingyu Nov 10, 2010 4:37 AM

Thank you!

You saved me!

amuche ughaonu Nov 1, 2010 4:45 PM

Thanks

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
Your a life saver, I spend like hours on photoshop and I just came here for 10 seconds and problem solved

NIKKI Oct 31, 2010 9:51 PM

thanks

i have been bothering with photoshop when all i need is this thanku

Tricia Goss Oct 8, 2010 2:22 PM

Re: Anonymous

What version of PowerPoint are you using?

Anonymous Oct 8, 2010 1:49 PM

RE: How to Make the Background of an Image Transparent In PowerPoint

this did not help at all:-(

siddharth Mar 21, 2010 8:57 AM

i am a g

thanks this really helaped me a lot

Ana Feb 9, 2010 8:40 AM

Thenks a lot!!! :)

Just what I was looking for! :)

Ericcantona Dec 22, 2009 11:56 PM

Thank you

thanks that is really useful. I used it to then export the image as a tiff (save as picture) and use in other programs so I have an image with no background - so useful
Thank you.

Orion Quest Dec 9, 2009 4:13 AM

Was searching for this for quite some time...thanks!

g Dec 2, 2009 6:01 PM

Thanks!

Thanks, this will be really helpful.

In the past I had been using paint to color all my pictures backgrounds to my slides background color. This caused many problems when images were exported to slide shows with other background colors.

How to Make the Background of an Image Transparent In PowerPoint

Images in PowerPoint

Comments