How to Show or Hide Image Backgrounds in Paint App on Windows 11

Written by

Richard

Mar 13, 2024 Updated Oct 5, 2026 4 min read

Show or hide an image background in the Paint app

To hide the image background in Paint, open the app and click the Remove background button in the top toolbar. The tool detects the main subject of your picture and makes everything else transparent. Paint shows transparent areas as a grey and white checkerboard, so don’t be alarmed when you see it.

If you want to bring the background back, or edit specific parts of the image, use the Layers panel. The sections below walk through both.

Follow these steps to cut out the background:

1. Open the Paint app and load your picture with File › Open
2. Find the image section of the toolbar and click the Remove background button.
3. Check the result. The background should vanish and leave your subject on a transparent canvas.

If you only want to cut out part of the picture, select that area first with the selection tool. Then click Remove background, and Paint applies the cutout to your selection instead of the whole image. If the result isn't what you wanted, press Ctrl + Z to undo it and try again with a tighter selection.

Make sure the Layers panel is open before you start. If you don't see it, open it from the toolbar in Paint. After a background removal, the original background sits on its own layer at the bottom of the panel. That is why you can hide it and show it again without losing anything.

With the Layers panel active, use any one of the methods below to show or hide the image background.

• Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + H to show or hide the background quickly. Press it again to reverse the change. This is the fastest method when you are switching back and forth.
• Hover the mouse pointer over the bottom tile in the Layers panel, and click the eye icon to toggle between showing and hiding the background. The checkerboard appears when the background is hidden.
• Right-click the bottom tile in the Layers panel, and select Hide background or Show background. The menu shows whichever option applies to the current state.

Your background vanishes instantly, leaving your main subject isolated. To undo it, use the same method again and choose Show background, or press Ctrl + Shift + H.

If you need more advanced background editing tools, you can use Paint 3D as an alternative on Windows 11. Paint 3D includes magic select tools and layer controls that give you finer control over complex image cutouts. Microsoft has marked Paint 3D as deprecated, so it may not be installed on your PC and may no longer be offered in the Microsoft Store.

To keep the background transparent after you remove it, you must save your file in the PNG format. If you save your image as a JPEG, Paint fills any transparent areas with a solid white background, because JPEG doesn't support transparency.

When you save, pick PNG picture from the save-as options, or choose PNG in the file type list of the Save As dialog. Keep the PNG copy if you may want to place the subject on a different background later.

Conclusion:

• The Paint app on Windows 11 offers a convenient way to show or hide image backgrounds, so you can adjust your images as needed.
• Toggling the background gives you more control over the editing process, whether you want to remove distractions or hide sensitive information.
• You can control the background with the keyboard shortcut or the Layers panel options, whichever suits your workflow. Save as PNG if you want to keep the transparency.
• We hope this guide helps you use the feature in the Paint app. If you have any feedback or additional insights, please comment below.