How to Remove Backgrounds from Images locally with ImgLook

The Challenge of Background Removal

Removing backgrounds from images, especially those containing people, has traditionally been one of the most challenging tasks in image editing. Traditional methods often fall short because they rely on:

Color-based Selection: Tools like magic wand or color range selection struggle with complex backgrounds where colors blend with the subject's edges.

Manual Tracing: Using pen tools or lasso selection requires significant time and precision, often resulting in unnatural edges or "halo" effects.

Chroma Keying: Requires specific lighting conditions and green/blue screens, which aren't practical for everyday photos.

These traditional approaches often produce results that look artificial, with jagged edges, lost hair details, or incomplete separation between subject and background.

The Revolution in Background Removal

ImgLook leverages cutting-edge AI technology to solve these challenges. Unlike traditional methods that analyze colors and edges, AI models understand the semantic content of images—they can distinguish between a person, their hair, clothing, and the background, even when colors are similar.

How ImgLook Works

On macOS: ImgLook uses Apple's Vision framework, which provides state-of-the-art person segmentation optimized for Apple Silicon and Intel processors. This framework is trained on millions of images to accurately identify human subjects.

On Windows: ImgLook employs TensorFlow with SSDlite MobileNet, a lightweight but powerful neural network that balances accuracy with performance, ensuring fast background removal even on standard hardware.

Both approaches share the same advantage: they understand what a "person" looks like, rather than just analyzing color differences.

Step-by-Step Guide: Removing Backgrounds with ImgLook

Step 1: Open Your Image

1. Launch ImgLook and navigate to your image
2. Right-click the image and select "Edit" to open it in the Image Editor
3. Alternatively, from the main window, select the image and click the Edit button in the toolbar

Image from unsplash

Step 2: Access the Background Removal Tool

1. In the Image Editor toolbar, locate the "Image Effects" section
2. Click the dropdown or button for "Remove Person Background"
3. The tool will automatically analyze your image and identify the subject

Result After Background Removal (macOS)

Result After Background Removal (Windows)

On Windows, you will be asked to download necessary dependencies, click "OK" to download once to make it working

Step 3: Refine the Selection (Optional)

While in most of cases it is highly accurate, you may want to make adjustments:

Exclude area that over removed:

1. Click the button under Exclude
2. Adjust the brush size
3. Draw on image to exclude the area from removal

Step 4: Apply and Save

1. Once satisfied with the selection, click "Apply"
2. The background will be removed, leaving your subject on a transparent layer
3. You can now:
   • Add a new background: Import another image or create a solid color layer
   • Save with transparency: Export as PNG to preserve the alpha channel
   • Copy to clipboard: For use in other applications

Privacy Considerations

Unlike many online background removal services, ImgLook processes all images locally on your computer. This means:

• No image uploads to external servers
• Complete privacy for personal or sensitive photos
• No data retention by third parties
• Works offline once installed

Your photos never leave your device, making ImgLook ideal for confidential business documents, personal portraits, or any sensitive imagery.