How to export a PNG with a transparent background
In PaintLasso’s painting workspace, start with a transparent canvas, hide any layers you used as a backdrop, then choose Export and select PNG. Check the file on two different colors before you share it. A viewer that always uses a white page can make a transparent PNG look as if it has a white background.
Start with a transparent canvas
- Choose New document. Under Background, select Transparent, then choose Create document.
- Draw your subject, such as a sticker, on its own layer. Give it some room on all sides so the final image has a little breathing space.
- If you want a colored backdrop while you paint, make it a separate layer underneath the subject. Turn off that layer’s visibility before exporting.
- Choose Export, then PNG. To keep the layers for future editing, download a PaintLasso file (.paintlasso) from the same menu.
Light backdropDark backdropFind the cause of a white rectangle
Place the PNG over a bright color in the app or page where it will be used. If the corners stay white, switch back to your project and look for a white background or a filled layer. Hide a separate backdrop. If the document itself was created with the White setting, its base stays opaque even when you hide a layer. For an existing export with white baked into the pixels, isolate the subject first. For photographs, follow the background removal walkthrough.
Inspect the outline on two colors
Place the export over both a pale color and a dark one, then inspect the edges at the size you plan to use. A pale fringe is easier to spot over dark blue, and dark stray pixels stand out on cream. Return to the source layers to fix the edge and export again. Choose PNG for transparent artwork. A JPEG has an opaque background, and renaming a JPEG file leaves its pixels unchanged.
Related guides · Remove the background from a photo · Start a drawing from scratch · Export a crisp pixel-art PNG