How to Make a Picture Transparent: Semi-Transparent or Transparent Background

To make a picture transparent, decide which kind you need: to fade the whole picture, lower its opacity (Transparency in PowerPoint, Opacity in Google Slides and GIMP); to see through the area around a subject, remove the background and save a transparent PNG. imgmend's free background remover does the second in your browser.

You want	Do this
The whole picture faded or see-through	Lower the opacity or raise the transparency slider in your editor
Only the background invisible	Remove the background and save as PNG
A faded image with a transparent background	Remove the background first, then lower the opacity, then export PNG

Option 1: Fade the Whole Picture (Opacity)

PowerPoint: click the picture, open the Picture Format tab and use the Transparency menu to choose a preset or a custom percentage. Availability depends on your version.

Google Slides: click the image, open Format options, expand Adjustments and drag the Opacity slider.

Canva: click the image and use the Transparency control in the top toolbar.

GIMP (free): in the Layers panel, select the layer and drag Opacity down. To keep the fade in a file, export as PNG, because JPEG cannot store transparency.

Option 2: Make the Background Transparent

1. Open imgmend.com/remove-background and upload a JPG, PNG or WebP image.
2. Wait 10–30 seconds for the AI to cut out the subject.
3. Preview it on white, black or a custom color to check the edges, then download the transparent PNG.

Free use is 3 images per day with no account, and free downloads carry a small watermark that Pro removes. If the edge looks rough, see how to clean up cutout edges.

Option 3: A Faded Subject on a Transparent Background

Remove the background as above, open the PNG in an editor such as GIMP, lower the layer's opacity and export as PNG again. The result is a see-through subject you can place over any color or photo.

Always Save as PNG

JPEG does not support transparency. If you save a transparent image as JPEG, the empty area turns white or black. If a transparent PNG shows a white box anyway, see why your transparent PNG has a white background.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make a picture transparent?

Lower its opacity to fade the whole picture, or remove the background to make only the surroundings transparent. Save as PNG to keep it.

How do I make a picture semi-transparent in PowerPoint?

Select the picture, open the Picture Format tab and use the Transparency menu to set a percentage.

How do I make a picture transparent for free?

For a transparent background, use imgmend's free background remover. For a faded picture, use the opacity slider in Google Slides or GIMP.

Why is my transparent picture not transparent?

The file may be a JPEG, or the checkerboard may be part of the image. Remove the background and save as PNG.

Make a background transparent free →