How I finally figured out removing backgrounds from profile pics in Windows Photos app
Honestly, messing around with background removal used to feel like a chore—especially if you didn’t want to mess with Adobe or other heavy software. So I was pretty surprised when I found out that Windows’ Photos app actually has a built-in background removal feature. The catch? It’s not exactly straightforward, and the labels are kinda confusing. It took me a couple of tries, lots of clicking around, and some trial and error to get it right, but here’s what I discovered along the way.
Getting your image loaded in the Photos app
First off, open your profile photo or whatever image you want gone from the background. Right-click the image file and pick Open with > Photos. If Photos isn’t your default viewer, you might need to locate it in the Start menu or go through Settings > Apps > Installed Apps > Photos and pin it for quicker access. The app can be a little glitchy sometimes; it might not instantly show the edit options or might lag when opening large images. Once your photo is loaded, look for that little pencil icon or a menu that says Edit Image. Sometimes, pressing Ctrl + E works if you’re lucky, but often it just does nothing. So, I usually just click around until I see the Edit option or a toolbar at the top and then select it.
Finding and using the background removal tools
This is where it got me stuck for a bit. In the editing window, I finally found the real star—something called Background Blur. Weird name, right? Because it sounds like it’s just blurring, but in recent updates, it actually includes options to remove the background entirely. When you click on it, a menu appears offering choices like blur, remove, or replace. Selecting Remove is supposed to wipe out the background completely. But here’s the thing—I noticed that sometimes this automatic removal doesn’t work well, especially if the background’s busy or has similar colors to the subject. On my older ASUS, this option was buried in Advanced settings, and on some builds, it’s a bit hidden or asks you to toggle a checkbox.
Be warned: clearing the background can be risky if you’re using features like BitLocker. Removing TPM or even formatting options in BIOS might trigger TPM reset or destroy stored recovery keys if you’re not careful. If the background removal isn’t perfect, the app sometimes leaves artifacts or tiny bits of the old background. It’s not always super precise, but it can do a decent job for quick edits.
Refining the cutout with manual brushes
The automatic removal isn’t perfect—what’s new, right? So I found that activating the Brush Tool is often necessary. This might be labeled as Manual Cleanup or have a paintbrush icon. The trick is to enable it and then adjust the brush size and softness. You’ll see sliders or maybe a gear icon for settings. Sometimes, you need to switch to a small, precise brush, especially around hair or tricky edges. I’d paint over missed spots in subtract mode or add areas accidentally removed, toggling between them as needed. It’s clunky, but it works once you get the hang of it—just don’t expect perfect results without some patience. Zooming in helps a lot, and I often go pixel-by-pixel to clean things up.
Saving your edited image
Once it looks decent, you want to save it. Usually, there’s a Save button in the menu or a Save As option. I make sure to choose Save As rather than overwrite, just in case. Otherwise, it might overwrite the original. Be careful here—sometimes Photos defaults to saving right over your original, and I’d hate to lose the original with all its details. Alternatively, you can copy the edited image to your clipboard (Ctrl + C) and paste it into another app—like Paint, Word, or Photoshop—for extra cleanup or exporting.
Extra tips and what to watch out for
Honestly, this background removal feature is a nice surprise, but it’s not perfect—complex backgrounds or similar coloring can throw it off. I’ve found that sometimes artifacts stick around around hair or semi-transparent edges, so don’t expect automatic removal to be flawless every time. If it’s a big deal, some people turn to external tools like GIMP or even online editors like remove.bg for better control. But for a quick, built-in option, it’s surprisingly usable once you get a feel for the interface.
To sum up: open your photo in Photos, pick the edit options, select background removal, refine with the brush tool if needed, then save or copy. Just be aware—removing your background, especially with complex images, might not be perfect at first, and sometimes you’ll need to do multiple passes, zoom in, and tweak settings. And don’t forget… changing BIOS settings or TPM states can be risky—in particular, clearing TPM wipes out recovery keys, which might lock you out of encrypted drives or BitLocker. Always double-check that your data is backed up before messing with BIOS or UEFI options.
Initially, I was frustrated because the labels and options aren’t always obvious, and updates can change where things are tucked away. But once I figured out how to get manual cleanup working, it saved me from installing third-party apps. Still, it’s not perfect—be prepared for some trial and error. And if your background is really complicated, don’t hesitate to use dedicated tools for better precision. Hope this helps—took me way too long to figure all this out. Good luck, and just double-check everything before you overwrite your original images!