How to Use Transparent Images in PowerPoint and Slides
A photo with a white box around it looks out of place on a colored slide. A transparent PNG lets the slide color show through, so a person, product or logo sits naturally on the page. This guide shows how to make the PNG, place it in a presentation tool, and avoid the common problems.
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Select Image
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Pick the image and the slide background first
Decide what color or image the slide will use. A dark subject needs a lighter slide, and a light subject needs a darker one. Choosing the background first tells you which edges to check.
Remove the background
Open RemoveBG.cfd, choose your JPG, PNG or WebP file (up to 15MB and 4096 pixels per side) and run the Removal in your browser. Compare before and after, and preview on the color you plan to use.
Download the transparent PNG
Download the Cutout as a PNG. This is the format that keeps transparency. Avoid saving it as a JPG, which fills the transparent area with a solid color.
Insert it into your slide
Insert the PNG as a picture in PowerPoint, Keynote or Google Slides, then resize and position it. The transparent area lets the slide background show through.
Check the slide in presentation mode
View the slide full screen, ideally on the projector or screen you will use. Look for fringes around the edges, since colors and contrast can look different from your laptop.
Why a transparent PNG instead of a JPG
A JPG has no transparency, so the area around the subject is a solid color, usually white. On a white slide that may not show, but on any colored or photographic slide it becomes a visible box.
A PNG can store transparent pixels, so only the subject is drawn. This also lets you change the slide theme later without redoing the image.
Built-in background tools versus a separate step
Some presentation tools include their own background removal for pictures. PowerPoint, for example, has a picture background tool on its picture formatting options, and availability and quality differ between versions and apps. Check what your version offers.
Making the PNG separately has some benefits. You can reuse the same file in other slides, documents and designs, you can preview it on different colors before you place it, and you do not depend on one app's tools.
Making it look good on the slide
Keep enough contrast between the subject and the slide. A dark subject on a dark slide disappears, however clean the edge is. Leave a little space around the subject so it does not touch the slide edge unless that is intended.
Add a soft shadow in your presentation tool if the subject looks like it is floating. The Cutout itself has no shadow, so adding one is a design choice.
Common problems
A light fringe on a dark slide means the edge pixels still carry some of the old background. Try a photo with a background that contrasts more with the subject, or choose a slide color closer to the original backdrop.
If the transparent area shows as white after you export, the export or sharing step may have flattened the image. Check the export settings, and test the exported file before the presentation.
Very large images can make a deck heavy. Resize the PNG to roughly the size it will appear on screen before you insert it.
- Choose the slide background before you check the edges.
- Download as PNG, and do not convert to JPG if you need transparency.
- Resize the image to about the size it will appear, to keep the deck light.
- Test the exported file on the screen or projector you will use.
- Keep a copy of the original photo in case you want a different crop.
Finish the image
Free tools for the next step, in your browser. See all image tools