How to Make an Image Transparent

Changing the transparency or opacity of an image can add an entirely new vibe to a design or photography project. Adjusting the transparency of text can create a softer feeling, while lowering the opacity of another layer can create an air of mystery and draw the viewer in for a closer look.

Many popular image editing programs are capable of adjusting the transparency of an image. Here's how to get an image's opacity levels just right in Adobe Photoshop, Paint 3D, and Canva.

Adobe Photoshop is the most popular image editing program for professional designers and photographers. It boats a wide range of features, including transparency editing and image layers.

1. Open your PSD document in Photoshop.
2. Make sure the Layers box is visible in Photoshop. If it isn't, select Window from the top menu, then Layers so a check mark appears beside the word.
3. In the Layers box, you should see several different visual elements. The one at the top of the list is at the top of the image layers while the one at the bottom is underneath the others. Select the layer with the image or word whose transparency you wish to edit.
4. Look for Opacity in the Layers box and tap on the small arrow next to it to open the opacity, or transparency, slider.
5. Drag the slider left and right to change the transparency of the selected layer.

Windows 10's free image editing software, Paint 3D, has very limited image editing capabilities, but it's possible to change the transparency of some aspects of a project using Stickers.

1. Open your project or image file in Paint 3D as usual.
2. Select Stickers from the top menu. The Stickers feature allows for the addition of clipart, textures, and other images which can be placed over the image already loaded in Paint 3D. Select your Sticker type from the menu on the right side of the screen.
3. With your Sticker chosen, select anywhere on your Paint 3D project. This will place the Sticker over the top of your current image. You can move, resize, and rotate it with your mouse.
4. While the Sticker is editable, a new menu will appear on the right side of the screen with an opacity slider. Drag this slider to change the transparency of the sticker.
5. Once you have everything set up the way you want, select the checkmark to the right of your new Sticker.

Canva is a free online image editing software that runs completely within your web browser. It lacks many of the features that Photoshop has but it's very beginner-friendly and offers users a variety of high-quality templates which can be edited and customized. Canva also supports transparency effects.

1. Open or create a project in Canva as usual.
2. Select the element in your Canva project whose transparency you want to change. A thin box should appear around the element if you've correctly selected it. A new menu will also appear at the top of the screen.
3. On the right side of this new menu, select the box that looks like a fading chess board. A slider will appear underneath it.
4. Drag the slider horizontally to change the transparency of your selected element.