Cutting out objects or backgrounds from photos is a fundamental skill in photo editing, and Photopea offers a powerful and free tool called Magic Cut to make this process incredibly easy. Whether you need to remove a background for a product photo, create a transparent image, or isolate a subject, Magic Cut in Photopea provides a fast and effective solution. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about using Magic Cut to precisely cut out elements from your images.
Understanding Photopea’s Magic Cut Tool
Magic Cut is specifically designed for quick and efficient background removal. Integrated within the free online photo editor Photopea, it offers a user-friendly interface for both beginners and experienced users. Unlike more complex selection methods, Magic Cut simplifies the process by using intuitive foreground and background marking, allowing you to achieve professional-looking cutouts without extensive manual work. For even simpler background removal, you might also want to explore Photopea’s Single-click background removal feature, but for more control, Magic Cut is your go-to tool.
To begin, navigate to Photopea in your web browser. Start by opening your image by clicking File in the top menu, then select Open, and choose the image you want to edit from your computer. Once your image is loaded, you can access the Magic Cut tool by going to the Select menu and clicking on Magic Cut.
Navigating the Magic Cut User Interface
The Magic Cut interface is designed for clarity and ease of use. It splits your workspace into two panels: a left panel where you make your selections and a right panel that displays a real-time preview of your cutout. At the top of the interface, you’ll find essential controls:
- Brush Size: Adjust the size of your brush for more precise or broader strokes.
- Color Selection: Choose between Green to mark the foreground (the object you want to keep) and Red to mark the background (what you want to remove). Grey acts as an eraser to correct any markings.
Zooming in and out is easily managed using your Mouse Wheel or by pressing Ctrl + Plus (or Minus) keys. To move around the image, hold down the Spacebar to temporarily activate the hand tool, allowing you to drag and reposition the image within the workspace, or simply drag the preview image itself.
When you first activate Magic Cut, Photopea provides an “initial guess,” pre-marking areas in red and green. You can refine this guess or start fresh by clicking the Clear button. It’s crucial to ensure that no green markings accidentally appear in the background or red in the foreground. Use the grey eraser to correct any such mistakes.
Fine-Tuning Your Cutout with the Border Setting
The Border setting in Magic Cut offers control over the edge softness of your cutout. By default, with Border = 0, Magic Cut creates sharp, defined edges between the foreground and background. Increasing the Border value softens these edges, which is particularly useful for images with complex boundaries like hair, fur, or foliage.
Start with Border = 0 to establish the primary cutout, as this mode also operates faster. Then, gradually increase the Border value to smooth the edges. For subjects with hair or fur, a Border value of 20 or higher might be necessary to achieve a natural and refined look. Experiment with different values to find the optimal setting for your specific image.
Saving Your Cutout
Once you are satisfied with the preview in the right panel, click OK at the top to apply the Magic Cut. Your image in Photopea now has the background removed based on your markings. To save your cutout with a transparent background, go to File -> Export As -> PNG, and click Save. The PNG format is ideal for cutouts because it supports transparency, allowing you to place your object on different backgrounds seamlessly.
If you intend to add a new background or don’t require transparency, you can save your image as a JPG (File -> Export As -> JPG). However, remember that JPG does not support transparency and will fill transparent areas with a solid color, usually white.
Here’s another example showcasing the power of Magic Cut for different types of images:
Mastering Magic Cut in Photopea opens up numerous creative possibilities. Whether for professional projects or personal use, this tool provides a user-friendly and effective way to cut out photos and enhance your visual content. Try it out and discover how easy it is to achieve impressive results!
