8 Best Apps to Change the Background of a Photo in 2026

Editor’s Key Takeaways: Best Background Changer Apps in 2026

Person wearing a white button-down shirt tapping on the screen of their white phone.

AI has revolutionized background removal—what used to take hours in Photoshop now happens in seconds on your phone. Here are the best apps for changing photo backgrounds:

  • PhotoRoom — The market leader with 300M+ downloads. Best AI for removing backgrounds, generating new ones, and batch editing;
  • Remove.bg — Industry standard for free background removal. Handles hair and complex edges exceptionally well;
  • LightX Editor — Powerful all-in-one editor with AI background generator, removal tools, and extensive editing features;
  • Apowersoft Background Eraser — Great for e-commerce with batch processing and one-tap white backgrounds;
  • Superimpose — Best for realistic composites with advanced blending, shadows, and layer controls;
  • ClipDrop — Professional-grade removal supporting images up to 5000×5000 pixels;
  • Automatic Background Changer — Free Android app with neural network-powered automatic removal;
  • Background Eraser — Simple tap-to-remove interface with built-in background library.

These apps range from professional AI-powered solutions to simple free options, so there’s something for every skill level and budget.

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Introduction

Whether you’re removing a distracting background from a portrait, creating product photos for your online store, or just having fun placing yourself in exotic locations, background changer apps have become incredibly powerful thanks to AI.

What used to require hours of careful masking in Photoshop now takes seconds on your smartphone. Modern AI can detect subjects with remarkable accuracy—even handling tricky edges like hair, fur, and transparent objects.

Here are the best apps to change the background of a photo in 2026!

Person using a smartphone to edit photos with a background changer app.

1. PhotoRoom

Our Pick
PhotoRoom
PhotoRoom
The industry leader for AI background removal

PhotoRoom’s AI delivers the most accurate background removal available, with powerful features for e-commerce sellers and content creators.

PhotoRoom is available for:

Free with in-app purchases. Pro starts at $9.99/month.

Pros
Best-in-class AI background removal
AI background generator from text prompts
Batch editing for multiple images
Virtual models for clothing photos
300M+ downloads, Editors’ Choice
Cons
Premium features require subscription
Free version has limitations

PhotoRoom has become the go-to app for background removal, trusted by over 300 million users and earning Editors’ Choice awards on both app stores. The AI is remarkably accurate, handling even challenging subjects like hair, transparent objects, and complex edges with precision.

What sets PhotoRoom apart is its complete workflow for creating professional images. After removing the background, you can generate entirely new backgrounds using AI—just describe what you want in text and the app creates it. This is incredibly useful for product photography and social media content.

For e-commerce sellers, PhotoRoom offers batch editing to process multiple images at once, virtual models to showcase clothing, and templates optimized for marketplaces like Amazon, Shopify, Etsy, and Poshmark. The app can also resize images for different platforms automatically.

The free version handles basic background removal, but power users will want the Pro subscription for unlimited exports, batch processing, and AI generation features.

2. Remove.bg

Best Free
Remove.bg
Remove.bg
The industry standard for background removal

Remove.bg pioneered AI background removal and remains one of the most accurate options, especially for hair and complex edges.

Remove.bg is available for:

Free for preview quality. HD exports require credits.

Pros
Exceptional quality on hair and edges
One-click automatic removal
30M+ monthly users
Works on web, desktop, and mobile
Photoshop integration available
Cons
Free version limited to lower resolution
Credits required for HD exports

Remove.bg was one of the first AI-powered background removal tools and remains an industry standard. Used by over 30 million people monthly, it’s trusted by designers, photographers, and businesses worldwide.

The standout feature is how well it handles difficult edges—particularly hair. Where other tools leave halos or jagged edges, Remove.bg produces clean, professional cutouts that look like they were manually masked by an expert.

After removing the background, you can keep it transparent, replace it with a solid color, or swap in a new image from their library or your own photos. The app also integrates with Photoshop and offers bulk processing through their API.

The free version is perfect for casual use, though exports are limited to preview quality. For full-resolution images, you’ll need to purchase credits or subscribe.

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3. LightX Editor

LightX: AI Photo Editor
LightX: AI Photo Editor
All-in-one editing with powerful AI tools

LightX combines AI background removal with a full suite of editing tools, including an AI background generator that creates scenes from text prompts.

LightX: AI Photo Editor is available for:

Free with in-app purchases

Pros
AI background remover and generator
Text-to-image background creation
Comprehensive photo editing tools
Magic Eraser for object removal
Video editing capabilities
Cons
Interface can be overwhelming
Some AI features require subscription

LightX is a powerhouse that competes with apps like Snapseed and Lightroom Mobile while offering dedicated background removal tools. It’s the best choice if you want an all-in-one editor rather than a single-purpose app.

The AI background remover works well, but the standout feature is the AI Background Generator. You can describe any scene in text—”sunset beach with palm trees,” “modern office with city view,” “cozy coffee shop”—and the AI creates it. This opens up creative possibilities that weren’t possible just a year ago.

Beyond backgrounds, LightX includes curves adjustment, color grading, object removal, AI avatars, and even video editing. If you only want one photo editing app on your phone, this is a strong contender.

4. Apowersoft Background Eraser

Apowersoft Background Eraser
Apowersoft Background Eraser
Excellent for e-commerce product photos

Apowersoft excels at creating clean product photos with batch processing and one-tap white backgrounds—perfect for online sellers.

Apowersoft Background Eraser is available for:

Free to try, subscription required for exports

Pros
Excellent hair cutout quality
Batch processing for multiple images
One-tap white background for products
AI unblur and photo enhancement
ID photo maker included
Cons
Free version doesn’t allow exports
Subscription required for full use

Apowersoft Background Eraser is particularly strong for e-commerce use. If you sell products on Amazon, Etsy, or your own store, this app makes creating clean product photos fast and easy.

The standout feature is batch processing—you can remove backgrounds from multiple images at once, which is a huge time-saver if you have dozens of products to photograph. The app also offers one-tap white backgrounds, which is exactly what most marketplaces require.

The AI handles hair cutouts particularly well, and there’s also a photo enhancement feature that can unblur faces. An ID photo maker is included too, making it useful for passport and visa photos.

Note: The app lets you try the features for free, but you’ll need a subscription to export images. Check the current pricing before committing.

5. Superimpose

Superimpose
Superimpose
Best for realistic photo composites

Superimpose offers advanced blending tools, shadows, and double exposure effects that help make background swaps look natural and realistic.

Superimpose is available for:

Paid app, around $1.99-$4.99

Pros
Advanced layer-based editing
Realistic shadow and blending tools
Independent background adjustments
Double exposure effects
Very precise manual controls
Cons
Can be laggy on older devices
Learning curve for advanced features

If realism is your priority, Superimpose is the app to choose. While other apps focus on quick removal, Superimpose specializes in making composites look believable.

The key is the layer-based workflow. After placing your subject on a new background, you can adjust the exposure, saturation, and color temperature of each layer independently. This lets you match the lighting of the subject to the new background—the detail that separates amateur composites from professional ones.

Superimpose also includes tools for adding drop shadows, creating double exposures, and blending edges naturally. It’s more complex than one-tap removal apps, but the results are worth the extra effort if you’re creating images that need to look real.

6. ClipDrop

ClipDrop
ClipDrop
Professional-grade AI from Stability AI

ClipDrop offers high-quality background removal with support for images up to 5000×5000 pixels—perfect for print and professional use.

ClipDrop is available for:

Free tier available. Pro unlocks full resolution.

Pros
Supports up to 5000×5000 pixel images
Powered by Stability AI technology
Clean, simple interface
Web version available
Additional AI tools included
Cons
Some features require Pro subscription
Fewer built-in backgrounds than competitors

ClipDrop is powered by Stability AI (the company behind Stable Diffusion) and offers professional-grade background removal. If you need to work with high-resolution images for print or professional use, ClipDrop handles files up to 5000×5000 pixels.

The interface is refreshingly simple—upload your image and the background disappears in seconds. The AI quality is excellent, producing clean edges even on challenging subjects. You can use it on the web, desktop, or mobile.

Beyond background removal, ClipDrop includes other AI tools like object removal, image upscaling, and relighting. It’s becoming a popular choice for professionals who need quick AI-powered edits without opening Photoshop.

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7. Automatic Background Changer

Automatic Background Changer
Automatic Background Changer
Best free option for Android

A solid free app with neural network-powered automatic removal and hundreds of built-in backgrounds.

Automatic Background Changer is available for:

Free with ads. Ad-free version $1.49.

Pros
Completely free (ad-supported)
Neural network automatic detection
Hundreds of built-in backgrounds
Retains original image quality
Manual tools for fine-tuning
Cons
Android only
Limited to humans, cats, and dogs
Processing can be slow

For Android users who want a free option, Automatic Background Changer is a solid choice. It uses a neural network to automatically detect and separate subjects from backgrounds—completely free (with ads).

The automatic detection works best with people, cats, and dogs—other subjects may require manual selection. The app includes hundreds of built-in backgrounds, so you don’t need to bring your own. It also retains the original image quality upon export.

Processing can be slower than premium apps, but for the price (free), it’s hard to complain. The ad-free version is just $1.49 if the ads become annoying.

8. Background Eraser

Background Eraser
Background Eraser
Simple tap-to-remove interface

Background Eraser offers the simplest interface—just tap to remove background areas. Great for quick edits without a learning curve.

Background Eraser is available for:

Free on Android (ads). iOS $2.99.

Pros
Extremely simple to use
Tap-to-remove interface
Built-in background categories
Direct social media sharing
Free on Android
Cons
iOS version costs $2.99
Less precise than AI-powered options

Sometimes you just want the simplest tool possible. Background Eraser offers a straightforward tap-to-remove interface—touch the areas you want to delete and they disappear.

The app includes built-in backgrounds organized into categories—flowers, sunsets, oceans, animals, and more. You can also share directly to social media without saving to your camera roll first.

It’s not as precise as AI-powered options, but for quick social media edits or casual use, it gets the job done. The Android version is free with ads; iOS users pay a one-time $2.99 fee.

Which Background Changer App Is Right for You?

The best app depends on your needs:

  • For the best AI quality: PhotoRoom offers the most accurate removal and powerful features for content creation.
  • For free casual use: Remove.bg handles most tasks well and is free for preview-quality exports.
  • For e-commerce sellers: Apowersoft excels at batch processing and clean white backgrounds.
  • For realistic composites: Superimpose offers the blending and shadow tools needed for believable results.
  • For high-resolution work: ClipDrop handles images up to 5000×5000 pixels.
  • For all-in-one editing: LightX combines background removal with full photo editing capabilities.

I recommend trying a few options—most have free versions or trials—to see which works best for your phone and workflow. AI background removal has become remarkably good in 2026, and even the free options produce results that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago.

About the Author Andreas De Rosi

Close-up portrait of Andreas De Rosi, founder of PhotoWorkout.com

Andreas, with a background in economics and marketing, heads PhotoWorkout's editorial team in Berlin. Starting his photography with film at 14, he's developed his craft through courses and hands-on experience, focusing on travel photography. Andreas blends academic and practical insights to shed light on the latest trends in photography. Connect with him on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

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1 thought on “8 Best Apps to Change the Background of a Photo in 2026”

  1. Which of these IOS apps would you suggest for use when you want to take a product (a piece of ceramic art) and place it in an imaginary background such as a living room or board room?