How to Make an Image Transparent in Procreate

Making an image transparent in Procreate changed everything for me when I started designing stickers for my little Etsy shop. Before I figured it out, every PNG I exported had that ugly white box around my illustrations, and clients kept asking for transparent backgrounds. Once I nailed the process, my workflow got so much faster. Let me walk you through exactly how I do it step by step, the way I wish someone had explained it to me when I was pulling my hair out at 2 a.m.

Have you ever placed a cute illustration on a colored background and realized there’s a white square ruining the whole vibe? Exactly. Transparent backgrounds let your artwork sit perfectly on any surface, whether it’s a website, a phone case, or a T-shirt mockup.

I once spent three hours trying to sell digital clipart, and the number one complaint in my reviews was “why is there a white background?” After I switched to proper transparent PNGs, sales literally doubled in a month. Crazy, right?

Getting Your Canvas Ready (The Step Everyone Skips)

First things first, do you even have a transparent canvas?

When you create a new canvas in Procreate, tap the little + button, then choose your size. Here’s the trick: turn OFF “Background color” right at the bottom. If that toggle is on, you’ll get a white (or colored) layer you don’t want.

I made this mistake for months. I’d draw everything beautifully, go to export, and boom, white background. Drove me insane until a friend pointed out that tiny toggle.

Quick checklist before you start drawing:

• Background color toggle = OFF
• At least 300 DPI if you’re selling or printing
• Square or rectangle works best for most uses

Method 1: The Magic of Turning Off the Background Layer

This is the easiest way if you’re starting fresh.

After you finish your artwork, look at your layers panel. You’ll see a layer called “Background color” with a little checkmark. Just uncheck it. That’s it.

Your canvas instantly becomes checkered (that means transparent!). When you export as PNG, it stays transparent.

I use this method 90% of the time. It’s so simple I feel stupid for not knowing it sooner.

Method 2: Removing a Solid Background from an Existing Image

Okay, but what if you already have an image with a white (or any solid color) background? I do this all the time with photos or scans.

Step-by-step removal that actually works

1. Duplicate your layer first (swipe left, duplicate). Trust me, always keep a backup.
2. Hide the original layer.
3. Stay on the duplicate, tap the magic wand (Adjustments > Hue, Saturation, Brightness? No, wrong one).
4. Actually, go to the Selection tool (the S icon at top left).
5. Turn on “Automatic” selection.
6. Tap on the white background. If the whole thing selects, lower the threshold percentage slowly until only the background is selected.
7. Once the crawling ants appear around your subject, tap the layer thumbnail again and choose “Clear”. Boom, background gone.

I use this when I import photos of my traditional sketches. Works like magic most of the time.

When Automatic Selection Fails (It Happens)

Sometimes the background has shadows or isn’t perfectly white. That’s when I switch to Freehand selection and carefully trace around my subject. Takes longer, but the result is perfect.

Method 3: Using Alpha Lock for Semi-Transparent Elements

Want something even cooler? Like ghost effects or soft edges?

Here’s my favorite trick: finish your drawing normally, then swipe right with two fingers on that layer to turn on Alpha Lock. Now when you paint with white or light colors, it only affects existing pixels, never the transparent areas.

I used this to create glowing effects on fairy wings last month, and people went nuts over them.

Exporting Your Transparent Masterpiece (Don’t Mess This Up)

This is where most people fail, even after doing everything else right.

Go to Actions (wrench icon) > Share > PNG.

That’s it.

If you choose JPEG by mistake, you’ll get a white background again. I’ve done this more times than I care to admit, usually right before sending files to a client. Learn from my pain.

Pro export settings I always use:

Bonus: Making Part of an Image Transparent (Advanced Stuff)

Sometimes you don’t want the whole background gone, just parts.

Example: I draw a character with a solid circle behind them, but I want only the character to show on products.

Here’s what I do:

• Put the circle on its own layer below the character
• Draw the character
• Select the character layer
• Use the eraser with a soft brush to gently remove edges or create see-through clothing

Or the nuclear option: use a layer mask. Tap your layer, choose Mask, then paint black to hide, white to reveal. This is non-destructive, so you can always fix mistakes.

Common Mistakes I Made (So You Don’t Have To)

• Forgetting to uncheck Background layer before exporting
• Using JPEG instead of PNG
• Merging layers too early and losing transparency
• Exporting at low resolution (hello pixelated stickers)
• Not duplicating layers before deleting backgrounds

I’ve made every single one of these. Multiple times.

My Current Workflow (Steal It)

1. New canvas, background OFF
2. Sketch on layer 1
3. Inks on layer 2
4. Colors on layer 3+
5. Duplicate final art
6. Work on duplicate for transparency cleanup
7. Export PNG with layers off
8. Keep original Procreate file forever

This system takes me about 2 minutes extra per artwork but saves hours of fixing later.

Making images transparent in Procreate isn’t hard once you know the tricks. The first time I exported a perfect transparent PNG, I literally danced around my studio. Now it’s second nature.

Try it on your next piece and watch how much cleaner everything looks. Your future self (and your customers) will thank you.