How to make a logo transparent (4 easy ways)

A logo with a white box behind it looks wrong on any colored background. The fix is a transparent version, where only the logo itself is visible. Here are four ways to make one, from quickest to cleanest.

First: pick the right file format

Method 1: Canva

1. Upload your logo and open it in a design.
2. Select the image and use Edit > BG Remover (a Canva Pro feature).
3. Download as PNG with Transparent background ticked.

Method 2: Photoshop

1. Open the logo and unlock the layer.
2. Use Remove Background in the Properties panel, or select the white area with the Magic Wand and delete it.
3. Check edges at 200% zoom and clean up with the Eraser or a layer mask.
4. Export as PNG.

Method 3: Illustrator (best for simple logos)

1. Place the logo and open Image Trace.
2. Tick Ignore White under Advanced, then Trace and Expand.
3. You now have a vector logo with no background. Export as SVG or PNG.

See Image Trace in Illustrator for the settings.

Method 4: Free online background removers

Free tools can remove a background in seconds. They work well for photos, but on logos they often leave soft or jagged edges and halos. Always check the result on a dark background.

From the studio: a transparent PNG made from a small JPG is still a small, blurry logo, just without the background. If edges look rough, the real fix is a vector version of the logo.

Check your transparent logo

• Place it on a dark and a colored background to spot white halos.
• Make sure the file is large enough for where you use it.
• Keep a vector master so you can export clean versions at any size.

Related guides

• What is a vector logo
• Logo file types and formats
• How to vectorize a logo