How to add a white background to PNG images with a transparent background

This post shows you how to add a white background to an image where the background has been removed and you have a file with a transparent background – this means you likely have a PNG or GIF file.

Fast way: Just save the PNG as a JPG file and you’ll automatically have a white background. This is because JPG’s cannot have a transparent background. So your image software will automatically show the image on a white backgroun.

If you want flexibility and want to add new background colors or gradients, continue reading below.

I use Photoshop (see local pricing) in this post but you can also use Photoshop Elements (often on sale – see current price)

I’m a jewelry photographer. If you’re in the US and looking to outsource your product photography, view my jewelry photography services.

If you’re working with a product photographer, you can request for a PNG file with a transparent background. Or there are tools that can help you automatically remove the background.

Benefit of a file with a transparent background: It’s useful when you want to put the product on a banner ad, homepage image or a postcard that has a different colored background to that of the image i.e. if you drag a product image with a white background to a banner ad with a blue background, the white background shows on the blue. A file with a transparent background only shows the product, not the background so you have flexibility to drag it into any colored background.

Steps on how to add a white or colored background to the PNG

Once you have a PNG image with a transparent background, adding a background color is a quick process in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

Here’s how:

1. Add solid fill layer

Open your image in Photoshop. The checkered background shown below is Photoshop’s way of telling you that the file has a transparent background i.e. no background. Next, add a Fill Layer by going to Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color.

‘Fill’ refers to filling an area with a specific color.

In the dialog box that appears, click ok.

2. Select your background color

In the color dialog box that opens up next, use click and drag the white sliders to select the general color palette, then click and drag to move the circle to the specific color you want. Click ok.

In this example, I chose blue but you can choose white.

3. Move layer below

When you add a fill layer, by default the fill layer appears above the image layer.

You need to click and drag the fill layer and move it below the image layer. That’s it.

Optional Note: If your image layer has a lock symbol to the right, click on it to unlock it. This will let you move the new layer to be below the image layer. This used to be the case in older versions of Photoshop.

To change the color, double click on the color icon in the fill layer and select another color.

4. Save as JPG and PSD

Go to File > Save as.. and select JPG from the dropdown to save your file with a background of your choice. Next, click on File > Save as.. again and select PSD from the dropdown – this is the default Photoshop format which will save the file with the layers. So if you want to change the background later, you can come back and do that instead of creating a new fill layer again.

How to Create a Gradient Background Effect

In step 1, where you create a new fill layer, instead of selecting ‘Solid Fill…’, select ‘Gradient…’

The default gradient color you see is based on the last color you used. Click on the Gradient drop down. You’ll see the options below. I selected the third option (black/white).

Here is the final image.

How to Create a Patterned Background Effect

Similarly, select ‘Pattern…” in step 1 and select a default pattern from the dropdown. Photoshop will apply to the image. There are only a few patterns that show up but there are ways to buy more patterns and add them to your account.

How to save a PNG with a white background

This is simple – just save the PNG as a JPG and your JPG will automatically have a white background. That’s because when you save a PNG with a transparent background as a JPG, Photoshop automatically replaces the transparent parts of the image with white.

That’s it for now. When you have an image with a transparent background, a lot of possibilities open up in terms of the background color, adding a shadow or adding a reflection and other effects.

Photoshop is the industry standard tool for photo editing and I’ve used it for over 10 years. Learn more about Photoshop (see local pricing) and Photoshop Elements (often on sale – see current price)

Disclosure: The photoshop links are affiliate links. Adobe pays us a small fee to refer customers to them.