How to Remove the Background From a Video (2026 Guide)

To remove the background from a video, upload the clip to an AI video background remover, let it separate the subject from the background on every frame, and download the result in a format that keeps transparency (WebM with alpha or ProRes 4444) or on a solid colour such as green screen. If you filmed in front of an evenly lit green or blue screen, a chroma key in your video editor does the same job without AI.

What are the two ways to remove a video background?

There are two main techniques: AI matting and chroma keying. They solve the same problem from opposite ends.

• AI matting uses a segmentation model to find the person or object in each frame and build a mask (the "matte") around it. It works on ordinary footage shot anywhere: a living room, an office, a street.
• Chroma keying removes every pixel that matches a chosen colour, usually green (#00FF00-like) or blue. It needs a backdrop you set up before filming, but it is fast, free in most editors and very precise when the lighting is good.

	AI matting	Chroma key (green screen)
Needs a green/blue backdrop	No	Yes
Works on existing footage	Yes	Only if shot on a key colour
Setup time	None	Backdrop + even lighting
Typical cost	Paid per second or plan	Free in most editors
Hair and fine detail	Good, depends on contrast	Very good with clean lighting
Problems	Similar colours, fast motion	Green spill, wrinkles, shadows

How do I remove a video background with this site?

The video background remover on this site uses an AI model (Bria Video Background Removal v3) to cut out the subject on every frame. No green screen is needed.

1. Prepare the clip. Upload an MP4, MOV, WebM or animated GIF up to 60 seconds and 50 MB. Trim longer videos first.
2. Upload and start. The AI processes every frame. Each second of video costs 1 credit.
3. Choose an output format. Download a transparent WebM (VP9 alpha), a ProRes 4444 MOV, a transparent GIF, or an MP4 on a solid colour, including green screen #00FF00.
4. Use it. Drop the file into your editor, web page or streaming software. Audio is kept in every format except GIF.

Credits are sold in one-time packs, with no subscription and no watermark. A 10-second clip uses 10 credits; a 60-second clip uses 60. If a job fails, the credits are refunded automatically. See pricing for the current packs. There is no free tier for AI removal; the only free mode is the colour-key option on the GIF background remover, which runs in your browser.

If you want a new backdrop rather than transparency, use change video background (white, a colour or your own image) or blur video background.

What are the alternatives to an online remover?

Video editors with built-in background removal

Several editors now include an AI "remove background" effect inside the timeline. This is convenient if you are already editing there, because you do not export and re-import. Features, limits and which plans include them change often, so check the editor's own documentation for current details. For one alternative overview, see our Unscreen alternatives comparison.

Green-screen keying in an editor

If you can reshoot, a green screen plus a chroma key is still the most controllable method. Premiere Pro (Ultra Key), Final Cut Pro (Keyer), DaVinci Resolve (Delta Keyer / 3D Keyer) and OBS Studio (Chroma Key filter) all include one. Our guide to using transparent video in Premiere, Final Cut, Resolve and OBS covers the keyer settings.

Which output format should I choose?

The right format depends on where the video ends up. Plain H.264 MP4 cannot store transparency, so you need either a format with an alpha channel or a solid-colour background.

Use case	Recommended format	Why
Website (Chrome, Edge, Firefox)	WebM (VP9 alpha)	Small files, real transparency
Premiere, Final Cut, Resolve, After Effects	ProRes 4444 MOV	Editors read its alpha reliably
OBS Studio overlay	WebM (VP9 alpha)	Media Source plays the alpha
Stickers, chat, docs	Transparent GIF	Plays almost everywhere, no audio
Apps that cannot read alpha	MP4 on green #00FF00	Key it out in the target app

For a deeper explanation, read transparent video formats: WebM vs ProRes 4444 vs GIF vs MP4.

How do I get clean edges, especially around hair?

AI matting is only as good as the information in the frame. These habits make the biggest difference:

• Contrast between subject and background. A dark jacket against a dark wall gives the model little to separate. Light the subject from the front and keep the background a different tone.
• Reduce motion blur. Fast hand movements at a slow shutter speed leave blurred, semi-transparent edges that are hard to cut. A shutter speed around double the frame rate (1/50 s at 25 fps, 1/60 s at 30 fps) or faster helps; faster still for quick action.
• Hair and fine detail. Backlighting (a light behind the subject) separates hair from the background. Avoid busy patterns directly behind the head.
• Keep the subject in frame. Limbs entering and leaving the edge of the frame can flicker in the mask.
• Use higher resolution source footage. More pixels around the edge give a finer matte.
• Check on a contrasting colour. Preview the result over a bright colour, not just black or white, to spot halo or fringe.

What are the limits of AI background removal?

• Similar colours between subject and background can cause holes or leftover background.
• Transparent and reflective objects (glass, water, mirrors) are hard for any matting model.
• Multiple overlapping people or objects may not all be treated as foreground the way you expect.
• Clip length and size: this site accepts up to 60 seconds and 50 MB per upload, so split longer videos.
• GIF output has only on/off transparency and 256 colours, so soft edges look rougher than in WebM or ProRes. See how to make a transparent GIF from a video.

Key takeaways

• AI matting removes backgrounds from ordinary footage; chroma key needs a green or blue screen but is free and precise.
• On this site: upload up to 60 s / 50 MB, pay 1 credit per second, download WebM, ProRes 4444, GIF or solid-colour MP4.
• H.264 MP4 cannot carry transparency; use WebM for the web and OBS, ProRes 4444 for editors.
• Contrast, a fast shutter and backlighting give the cleanest edges.

FAQ

Can I remove a video background without a green screen?

Yes. AI matting finds the subject on every frame without any special backdrop. Results are best when the subject stands out clearly from the background.

Is there a free way to remove a video background?

Chroma keying in a free editor is free if you filmed on a green screen. On this site, AI removal is paid per second; the colour-key mode on the GIF background remover runs free in the browser for plain backgrounds.

Why does my transparent video have a black background?

The app you are using cannot read the alpha channel, or the file was re-exported as H.264 MP4. Use WebM in browsers and OBS, ProRes 4444 in editors, or the green-screen MP4 with a chroma key.

Does the audio stay in the video?

Yes, for WebM, ProRes 4444 and MP4 downloads. GIF has no audio track.

How long can the video be?

Up to 60 seconds and 50 MB per upload. For longer footage, cut it into segments and process each one.