Using PowerPoint as a Background Eraser

Other than being a robust presentation app, PowerPoint also provides a range of options to edit content within slides for presentations or to use them for other purposes. One such function in PowerPoint is the use of PowerPoint as a background eraser.

Removing the Background of a PowerPoint Presentation Image

Whether you want to edit the background of an image you just inserted in your PowerPoint slide for a presentation or wish to edit an image to export it for use elsewhere, you can easily use PowerPoint as a background eraser.

Step 1: Open PowerPoint and insert the picture that you want to remove the background from. Then, use the background eraser in PowerPoint to remove the background via Picture Format -> Remove Background.

Step 2: There are two options you can use to edit your background via Remove Background option. This includes Mark Areas to Keep and Mark Areas to Remove. Select the desired option and highlight the areas to keep or remove.

Step 3: After you are done click Keep Changes to save the changes and save your presentation to make it ready for your audience.

Another possibility is that you don’t need to present anything, but you want to remove a background from a picture or image. In this case, you can still use PowerPoint to remove the background to export the image. Yes, the background removal tool in PowerPoint is so powerful that it can help you to accomplish this without a major change in image quality, even if you are not creating a presentation!

To export your image, right click over the picture and click Save as Picture.

Background Customization Options

You can also customize the background of your image after removing the original one. For example, you can fill the background with any desired color. It can be filled with white (or the automatic theme color as the background) or you can pick any other color you wish. Moreover, you can also use the various Ribbon menu options to stylize your image.

Other than removing backgrounds, you can also perform a number of other handy functions using PowerPoint. You can see our posts about PowerPoint Tips and 5 Tips for Presenting Stunning PowerPoint Presentations to learn how to make the most out of PowerPoint.