List of free tools (with guidelines) to remove the background of pictures.

Hello,

Pixlr.com is described in Numista guidelines to remove the background of coin pictures.

In this thread, please present softwares and online free tools you use with tutorial and comments on results, limited use, etc…

Here is a list to be completed of free tools:

- Add-on for Paint

- AI tools

- Gimp

- https://www.photoroom.com/tools/background-remover (only low definition pictures are free)

- Photoscape (limited: It has rotate and crop round, but not background remover)

- PhotoScape X (free) - see this test

- Pixlr - https://pixlr.com/remove-background/ see test

- https://www.remove.bg/fr (only low definition pictures are free)

- Windows 10 or 11 Photos.

Warez paid tools shouldn’t be listed.

Add-on for Paint 

It was presented by inc7007 in this thread.

Link: https://mega.nz/file/Mm1AAIZY#Ith9MXF9u9Zm1xMhsduuQK_z4Ipacns_F5mQWfjjNh0

It works only for Windows-11.

It’s an easy tool, you just need to select the left button on the upper bar.

Example:

leads to (after cropping):

The result is usually acceptable although the edge of coins becomes a little blurry. 

This is the main flaw of this tool.

This also works when there are shadows although there is no real need to create unnecessary shadows 😊

Shadows are removed

Please continue with other free tools

An easy possibility is using the picture management functionalities of Microsoft Powerpoint.

Instructions for using and videos should be available online (I knows nice videos in Italian).

 Also on that original list 

 PhotScape X (free) 

missing o letter 

 PhotoScape X (free)

ZacUK

 Also on that original list 

 PhotScape X (free) 

missing o letter 

 PhotoScape X (free)

May you describe your experience with this tool ?

GiannaReggio

An easy possibility is using the picture management functionalities of Microsoft Powerpoint.

Instructions for using and videos should be available online (I knows nice videos in Italian).

Powerpoint is not free, there are other non free tools as Photoshop.

Frenchlover

ZacUK

 Also on that original list 

 PhotScape X (free) 

missing o letter 

 PhotoScape X (free)

May you describe your experience with this tool ?

 None. I only have the normal PhotoScape. 

Was just pointing out the missing letter. :) 

It's a modernised version of PhotoScape and the free version has about the same features only with a modern UI and better performance and might also be compatible with Mac.

Test:

Windows 10 or 11 Photos

It exists alos for Win-10 ! @Sjoelund 
 

This is an essential free tool for easily joining videos without adding a watermark, but that's not the topic today. 

Accessible via the Start menu > Photos.
It supports jpg, png, and webp formats.
The result on the shadow of this coin is not good.

Then, if you process twice 

or three times (save and process again), the result is good.

https://www.remove.bg/fr

It doesn't support the webp format; it's up to you to change the photo format.
The result on this coin with a shadow is very good, but the site will only allow you to download a low resolution photo (500x500 px) for free.

So I think it's not a free tool recommended to enter pictures in the Numista database.

If you want the definition of original image, you have to pay!

Paint
The result on the shadow of this coin is poor.

a rework gives better result but not optimal,

Thne the thrid trial leads to anything

A more challenging test : 

https://www.remove.bg/fr gives an impressive result (low definition):

Paint:

and windows photo

I recently use https://www.photoroom.com/tools/background-remover

I only use the free version even if it limits the picture size. Round coins I crop myself with Photoscape but for difficult shapes I use this site here.

Brand new : Pixlr remove-background is back in function !

Since it only allows processing 3 free images per day, if you need to process more images, you must open a new tab in private mode to suspend the cookie functions.

An easy but effective one: the Gallery app on a Samsung phone (maybe other brands as well ?) You can select any item in a pic and it can extract it. Works very well with coins on a smooth background.

No such function on my Xiaomi. 😝

Pixlr - https://pixlr.com/remove-background/ 

It's not working, again.