Help:Images/Image transparency

An image with transparency applied

For some images it is worthwhile to add transparency to further enhance an article. This is especially important when taking screenshots from the Editor - allowing you to delete the black background to make the subject clearer. Transparency may be applied before an image is uploaded or once it is already on the wiki. Previously uploaded images that editors need to add transparency to can be found in Category:Images needing transparency.

This guide will cover how to apply transparency using GIMP [1] - a free and open-source image editor.

Info:

Right click copying an image from the wiki to GIMP can result in loss in image quality. Please save the full-sized image before applying transparency by opening the "File:" namespace page for the image. Use the image link under the preview to open the image in another browser tab. From there, right click and save as to download the full-sized, highest quality version of the image.

Transparency

1.	Open your image in GIMP.
2.	Add Alpha Channel to the image layer.	Click Layer (top) > Transparency > Add Alpha Channel	Adding an Alpha Channel
3.	Select the background.	Click Fuzzy Select Tool (top left) > click the black background.	Background selection
4.	Delete the selection.	Press Delete. If there are any background areas contained within the image, like around arms or hair, those can also be selected and deleted. Info: This should result in a checkered background. If the background is now white, Undo the delete and make sure to add the Alpha Channel.	Successfully removing the background
5.	Crop the image.	Click Image (top) > Crop to Content	Before cropping After cropping
6.	Export the image as .png.	Click File (top left) > Overwrite if already a .png or Export to save it as a .png.	Overwrite .png
7.	The image is ready to upload!

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