How to Remove Hair Background in Photoshop (Step-by-Step Tutorial)

Removing the background from a hairy image is challenging, even for experienced Photoshop users. Fine strands and flyaway hairs are difficult to select. It is a long-standing problem in background removal. However, with the right tools and techniques, you can isolate a subject and make the background transparent (so the hair has no background behind it). You can use it for various projects. This tutorial will show how to remove hair background in Photoshop using simple steps. We will cover Photoshop’s latest methods (as of 2025) to make the background transparent around hair. We will include both quick automatic tools and manual techniques for precision. By the end, you’ll know how to achieve a clean cut-out of hair with a PNG transparent background ready for use.

Why is hair background removal tricky?

Sometimes backgrounds are very hard and tricky. In this case the question raises how to remove hair background in Photoshop? Hair strands create intricate edges that standard selection tools struggle with. Stray hairs and semi-transparent wisps require careful refinement. The goal is to remove or replace the background. At the same time we need to preserve all the fine details of the hair. Fortunately, Photoshop 2025 offers improved AI-powered selections. There are specialized brushes to address this. Let’s dive into the step-by-step process to get a perfect transparent background hair cut-out.

Method 1: Quick Background Removal with Photoshop Tools 2024 & 25 

The latest AdobePhotoshop has introduced a Remove Background quick action powered by AI. This method is fast and works well when the subject’s hair contrasts with the background. We will use this one-click method. After that refine the result for any remaining imperfections. So, let’s see how to remove hair background in Photoshop using an AI tool. Follow the steps below to make the background transparent in Photoshop 2024 & 25 using the Quick Action:

• Open the Image and Unlock the Layer: Start by opening your photo in Photoshop. Ensure the layer with the photo is unlocked (by default, new images open as a locked Background layer). You can unlock it with clicking the lock icon or converting it to a normal layer. This step is required so that removing the background will result in transparency.

• Use the Remove Background Quick Action: With the image layer selected, navigate to the Properties panel. Under Quick Actions> click on Remove Background. Photoshop will automatically detect the main subject (including the person and hair) and create a layer mask that hides the background pixels. In one click, the backdrop is removed and you should see a checkerboard pattern behind the hair, indicating transparency.
• Examine the Initial Result: After the quick action, zoom in and inspect the edges of the hair. If you likely notice some areas where the background removal is not perfect, perhaps tiny bits of background color between hairs or edges that look a bit rough. Don’t worry, this is normal, especially with hair. Photoshop has already masked out most of the background.
• Refine the Hair Edges (Select and Mask): Now we will clean up the mask focusing on the hair detail. Click on the layer mask thumbnail (the black and white mask) of the image layer. Then go to the menu and choose Select > Select and Mask to open the dedicated refinement workspace. In the Select and Mask workspace, choose a suitable View Mode (for example, “On Black” or “On White”). So, you can clearly see the hair edges against a contrasting background. Use the sliders in the Properties panel here to smooth and feather the mask edge slightly. Increasing Smooth will reduce jagged edges, and a small amount of Feather will soften the edge. Next, select the Refine Edge Brush Tool (often represented by a brush with a dotted circle icon). Carefully brush over the edges of the hair where there are still background remnants. Photoshop will detect the fine strands and improve the mask in those areas. This tool is designed for tricky details like hair or fur and will seamlessly blend the subject’s hair with the new background or transparency. Take your time to paint over all outer hair edges. You should see more flyaway hairs being included and leftover background pixels disappearing as you do this.

• Clean Up with Brush on the Mask (if needed): After using Refine Edge, if there are still a few small background bits left, you can manually edit the mask. In the regular Photoshop view (exit the Select and Mask workspace by clicking OK), select the mask thumbnail again. Use a standard Brush Tool with a soft edge. Set the foreground color to black and paint on the mask to conceal any unwanted specks of background. If you accidentally remove part of the hair, change the brush color to white and paint on the mask to reveal those areas again. In summary, painting with black hides pixels, and painting with white reveals pixels on the layer mask. This gives you fine control to perfect the transparency around the hair.
• (Optional) Insert a New Background: At this point, you have achieved hair with no background, meaning the layer with the subject is isolated on transparency. You can leave it transparent (for a PNG export or for use in a composite), or you can add a new background behind the subject. To add a new background, simply drag and drop another image (or create a new layer filled with a color or pattern) into the canvas. In the Layers panel, place the new background layer below the subject layer. Resize or transform the new background as needed (Edit > Free Transform) and press Enter to apply. The subject with hair should now appear in front of the new backdrop. Check the hair edges to ensure they blend well; the refined edge step earlier should have removed any color halos, but if you see a slight outline, you can further adjust the mask edge or use the Shift Edge slider in Select and Mask to contract the mask and hide those fringes.

• Save the Image with Transparency: If your goal is to have an image of the subject with a transparent background (for example, to use on websites or in graphic design), you need to save the file in a format that supports transparency. The recommended format is PNG. Go to File > Export > Export As… and choose PNG, or use Save As and select PNG format. Saving as a PNG will preserve the transparent background (the hair will remain with no background) in the output file. (JPEG cannot preserve transparency, so avoid JPG for this purpose.) After saving, you have successfully removed the background from the hair and can use this PNG image in any project. You now have a cut-out photo of the subject with a transparent background, which you can verify by opening the PNG and seeing the checkerboard pattern behind the hair.

Method 2: how to remove hair background in Photoshop Manually with Background Eraser

If you prefer a manual approach, Background Eraser Tool is a great option. This tool allows you to erase the background while preserving the foreground (hair) by sampling colors. It gives you granular control, which is useful for tricky areas. Keep in mind this method can be more time-consuming. It can provide perfect results on simpler backgrounds when the automatic method struggles. Hurry up! We will jump to see how to remove hair background in Photoshop manually.

Follow these steps carefully to remove the background from hair using the Background Eraser:

• Prepare the Layers: Open your image in Photoshop. Then create a duplicate layer. You can duplicate quickly by pressing Ctrl+J (Windows), and Cmd+J (Mac). Work on this duplicated layer. It’s also helpful to create a new, solid-color layer underneath your photo layer.

• Then choose a color that contrasts strongly with the hair (for example, bright green or blue if the hair is dark). Place this solid color layer below your photo layer. This temporary background will make it easier to see the hair edges as you erase, since the transparency checkerboard can be hard to see for fine details. You can delete or hide this layer later, but it’s a good visual aid.
• Select the Background Eraser Tool: On the toolbar, find the Eraser tool. Click and hold on the Eraser to reveal more options, then select Background Eraser Tool. This tool works by sampling the color you click on and erasing pixels of that. In the Options bar at the top, choose a suitable brush size (you can adjust as you go), and set the sampling to Once or Background Swatch depending on your image. If your background is a solid color or consistent, you can use Background Swatch sampling. For example, first, set your background color swatch in the toolbar to the color of the background (use the Eyedropper to pick it). Then choose “Background Swatch” for the Sampling option. This tells Photoshop to erase only pixels matching that specific color. Enable Protect Foreground Color and set the foreground color swatch to a hair color (this protects hairs from being erased accidentally).

• Adjust Tolerance and Start Erasing: The Tolerance setting in the Options bar determines how similar a color has to be to the sampled color to be erased. A lower tolerance (e.g., 20-30%) will restrict erasing to very similar colors. A higher tolerance (e.g., 50% or more) will erase a broader range of colors. For hair edges, start with a relatively low tolerance so you don’t remove semi-transparent hairs. Carefully click and drag the Background Eraser along the edge of the hair where it meets the background. 
• Go Over the Entire Background: Work your way around the subject. Focus on the tricky hair areas first with a smaller brush size and lower tolerance. As you gain an outline around the entire hair and body, you can increase the brush size to erase larger chunks of the remaining background outside the hair outline. Be cautious near the hair edges. It’s better to spend a bit of time preserving detail than to erase part of the hair. If you do erase some hair by mistake, undo (Ctrl+Z) or switch to a regular Eraser in history to bring it back (or simply re-open the original layer mask if you had one from method 1).
• Hide the Reference Layer and Check Results: Once you’ve erased all of the background around the hair and subject, you should be left with just the subject on the transparent checkerboard. You should see the fine hair detail preserved. At this stage, you have effectively achieved a hair transparent background on your image. If some areas at the edges look a bit harsh or if a faint halo of the old background color remains, you can touch up by using the Eraser tool in very soft mode on those bits. This means the hair is extracted and you are free to use the image in new compositions.

• Save the Cut-Out as PNG: As with the first method, to preserve the transparent background, save your work in PNG format. Go to File > Save As and choose PNG, or use the export option. Saving as PNG will keep the background transparent behind the hair. You can now use this PNG file wherever you need. For example, you can place it on a new background in another image, use it in an eCommerce product photo with a plain backdrop, or overlay it on a graphic design. The hair will blend seamlessly since it has no background of its own.

Additional Tips for Perfect Hair Selection

• Use High Contrast Backgrounds for Preview: You need to place a temporary high-contrast color behind your cut-out. It helps to spot any leftover bits or color fringes. This makes it easier to refine the mask or erasing. 
• Refine Edge vs. Select and Mask: Older versions of Photoshop had a Refine Edge dialog, whereas newer versions use Select and Mask (with a Refine Edge Brush) for similar purposes. If you’re using Photoshop 2025, stick to the Select and Mask workspace as described. It has all the refined edge features and even a Refine Hair button that can automatically improve the hair mask. Utilizing these can save time.
• Removing Color Fringing: After cutting out hair from a very different colored background, you might see the old background color along some hair edges (a slight outline). To fix this, you can decontaminate colors in the Select and Mask window (there is a checkbox for removing color fringe, which replaces the background color spill with hair colors). Alternatively, you need to create a new layer above the subject. Then clip it to the subject, and paint softly with the hair color over those fringed areas, or you can use the clone stamp. Another quick fix is to contract the mask a tiny bit (1-2 pixels) using Select > Modify > Contract or the Shift Edge slider, but be careful not to trim off too much hair.
• When to use Channels or Pen Tool: In extremely tough scenarios (very complex background through hair), advanced users sometimes use the Channels method or the Pen Tool for initial selection. The channels method involves using the image’s color channels to create a high-contrast mask (as outlined in some advanced tutorials). Here, the pen tool can be used to outline non-hair portions and then combine with a mask. These are beyond the basics, but it’s good to know they exist if you ever need them. For most cases, the combination of Photoshop’s AI selection and manual refinement will be enough.
• Practice on Different Images: The effectiveness of each technique can vary based on the image. Practice with photos on different backgrounds. A simple solid background image might be done in seconds with method 1, while a busy background might require method 2 or more refining. With experience, you’ll quickly determine the best approach for each situation. As one guide noted, practice with uniform backgrounds first, then move to more complex ones.

Conclusion

Removing the background from hair in Photoshop may seem daunting at first. If you use the right features, it becomes quite manageable. We showed a step-by-step tutorial using Photoshop 2025’s tools to achieve a transparent background behind hair. The quick Remove Background action is great for a fast result and uses Photoshop’s latest AI to detect hair edges. For further precision, the Select and Mask workspace allows you to fine-tune those edges with the Refine Edge Brush, ensuring even wispy hairs are included.

We also covered using the Background Eraser tool for a more hands-on approach, giving you full control over what gets erased. A method that can handle Photoshop background removal (hair) details when the automatic approach needs help. By following these practices and processes, you can confidently create images of a person or animal with hair and no background. Then it will be ready to be placed on any backdrop you choose. Remember to save your done image as a PNG  to retain the transparency. With these best practices, you now know how to make a background transparent in Photoshop even for challenging hair photos. Happy editing!