How to Make a Picture Transparent in PowerPoint

by | Mar 28, 2023 | Presentation Design | 0 comments

PowerPoint is an incredibly popular choice for creating presentations, and for good reason. It is user-friendly, versatile, and offers a variety of tools and features that can help you create an impactful presentation. One of the key components of any PowerPoint presentation is images, as they can help to engage your audience and convey your message effectively. However, sometimes an image may not quite fit with the overall look and feel of your presentation, and that’s where transparency comes in.

One of the powerful features of PowerPoint is the ability to make a picture transparent, which allows you to blend the image seamlessly into your slide. This can be useful for creating visually appealing presentations, diagrams, and infographics. Being able to make pictures transparent in PowerPoint is a useful skill, especially when working with multiple images on a slide. This allows for the images to be overlaid or edited individually to prevent them from competing with one another, making it a valuable tool for creating effective presentations.

In this article as we will discuss a step by step on how to make a picture transparent in PowerPoint and how to completely remove its background.

Adjusting Image Transparency in PowerPoint

By making an image transparent, you can use it as a background to improve your slide designs while also highlighting elements in your foreground.  Transparent images can be used in the background to reinforce text.

  • Insert an image in your PowerPoint Presentation by going to the Insert tab and selecting Pictures.
  • Click on your image and go to the Picture Format tab.
  • Click on Transparency and then select on the preview image with the transparency level you prefer.
  • You may also manually input the transparency level by clicking Picture Transparency Option and adjusting the slider or entering a percentage.

How to Make an Image Transparent Using Shapes

If you notice that the Transparency option is not available for you, this might be because you are not subscribed to Microsoft 365. If this is the case, the only way to make an image transparent is to put it inside an empty shape and then change the transparency level of the shape itself.

  • Go to the Insert tab and select Shapes. You may choose your preferred slide and click on it.
  • Draw the shape in your slide. Right-click on it and select the Format shape option.
  • To insert an image into the shape, press the Fill option.
  • Select Picture or texture fill, and then press the Insert button to insert the image.
  • Once your image is inserted, you can now move the Transparency slider to increase the applied transparency of the shape.
  • Alternatively, you can also type a percentage in the box next to the slider.

How to Create Gradients with Transparency

Adding transparency gradients to fill shapes within PowerPoint is an effective method for producing stunning overlay effects.

  • Click on the Insert tab and select any shape you prefer as an overlay.
  • Right-click on the shape and select Format shape which should open Shape Options.
  • Select Gradient fill and you may customize the type, direction, and angle of the gradient.
  • Click on the different Gradient stops and adjust their transparency according to your preference.

How to Remove Background of an Image

Removing a picture’s background instantly reduces its size while preserving the primary object, resulting in cleaner-looking slides with more space for text.

Images with one solid colour background

This option is the fastest method if your image has a perfectly solid color background such as white. Proceed to the 2nd option if your image has a more complex background or even different shades of colour.

  • To begin, go ahead and insert the picture to PowerPoint and select it by clicking on it.
  • Go to the Picture Format tab.
  • Click on the Colour dropdown.
  • Select the Set Transparent Colour option found at the bottom.
  • Click on the background colour of the picture you want to remove. This should now remove the solid colour background that your image has.

Images with a more complex background

This second option is more reliable, especially for images with intricate backgrounds that are difficult to remove, such as those featuring shadows, trees, or a beach.

  • After inserting your desired image, go to the Picture format tab.
  • Click on Remove Background.
  • PowerPoint will automatically mark the area that will be removed in pink but you can manually edit this by clicking on “Mark Areas to Keep” or “Mark Areas to Remove” option.
  • Mark Areas to Keep – With the pen tool, you can now manually designate which areas of an image you want to retain.
  • Mark Areas to Remove – With the pen tool, you can now manually designate which areas of an image you want to remove.
  • Once you are satisfied with the changes, you may now click on Keep changes.
  • The background should now be removed.

How to Save an Image with Transparent Background in PowerPoint

If you wish to save the image with a transparent background that you created in PowerPoint, click on Save As and make sure that the file type is set to PNG. Other formats such as JPG will automatically set the image background to white.

Although you might think that these small edits are not that significant, paying attention to these details can greatly enhance the overall look of your presentation. As you know, images and other visual elements play a crucial role in PowerPoint presentation design, so it’s worth taking the time to master the art of working with them.

In conclusion, making a picture transparent in PowerPoint is a straightforward process. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can achieve the desired effect and create visually appealing presentations that stand out. Remember to experiment with different levels of transparency to find the right balance for your particular slide.