Efficiently Moving Items In Paint Without The Background

Microsoft Paint is a basic graphics painting program that comes installed with most versions of Windows OS. While Paint does not allow users to simply select and move items without cutting the background, there are ways to achieve this. One way is to set Color 2 to the background color so that it fills in the cutout. Alternatively, users can make the background transparent and then move the desired items.

Make the background transparent

To make the background of an image transparent in MS Paint, you need to cut out the image from the background. Firstly, open Paint and click on File > Open and choose the image you’d like to remove the background from. Once the image shows up, click on Select > Transparent selection. Now use the Free-form selection tool to select the area of the image you want to keep; the rest will become transparent. Right-click on the selected area and press Cut to remove it from the image. You can now copy and paste the image into another MS Paint window by pressing CTRL + V or right-clicking and selecting > Paste.

If you are using the more recent version of Paint, Paint 3D, you will need to follow different steps. Open Paint 3D and click on the menu in the top left-hand corner, then select Browse Files and choose the file you want to remove the background from. Click Magic Select on the toolbar and adjust the area to fit around the section you want to keep. The select tool will most likely not isolate your object perfectly, so use the “Add” and “Remove” icons to adjust accordingly. Select Done when you are satisfied. Delete the remaining part of the image and make the canvas transparent by clicking Canvas in the toolbar to toggle the Transparent Canvas option. Select Menu > Save As > Image to save the cutout as a .png file.

If you want to use the image repeatedly in projects, you can make it a Sticker. This will remain in the list as long as you keep Paint 3D open; if you want to reuse it later, be sure to save it as a separate file on your desktop. To add the Sticker to your canvas, select the Stamp icon.

Select the item you want to move

To move items in Paint without the background, you must first select the item you want to move. This can be done by using the 'Select' tool in the top left-hand corner of the Paint window. Click and drag your cursor over the item you want to move to create a selection box. Make sure that you only select the item itself and none of the background. You can resize or reshape the selection box by clicking and dragging the edges or corners. If you need to move the selection box, you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard.

If you are working with text, you can select it by clicking on the text box. If you want to select multiple items or text boxes, you can hold down the 'Ctrl' key on your keyboard while clicking on each item. Alternatively, you can create a selection box around all the items you want to move.

Once you have your item selected, you can move it by clicking and dragging it to the desired location. If you need to adjust the position of the item more precisely, you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to nudge it in any direction.

It's important to note that Paint does not allow you to select and move items independently of the background by default. This means that if you have an image with multiple objects and you want to move only one of them, you will need to use the background colour to fill in the cutout, as mentioned earlier. However, by making the background transparent, you can effectively select and move items independently.

By right-clicking on the selected area, you can access the option to cut or copy it. This allows you to move the item to a different location within the same image or to a completely different image. To do this, simply right-click again and choose "Paste" or use the "Ctrl + V" keyboard shortcut.

Copy and paste the item in a new window

Copying and pasting items in MS Paint can be done in several ways. One way is to right-click on the image and select "Copy" or "Copy Picture". Then, click "Paste" in the MS Paint window. Your image will now appear in the working area. You can then use the selection tool to choose a region and move the mouse pointer over the chosen region. Drag and drop the image to duplicate it, creating a floating selection that can be applied in the appropriate position.

Another method is to use the mouse cursor to anchor a corner of the flexible box by clicking and holding the left mouse button. Move the cursor until the box encloses the desired region, then release the mouse button. From the Edit menu, select "Copy", followed by "Paste".

If you are working with text, you can set "Color 2" in MS Paint to match the background color. This will fill in the cutout with the desired background color when you move your text.

It is worth noting that some users have reported issues with the "Paste" option in MS Paint, stating that it has been removed from the top bar. However, it is still accessible through the "Edit" menu item.

Use the arrow keys to move the selection box

Moving a selection box in MS Paint using arrow keys is a quick and efficient way to make adjustments. This method allows for precise, pixel-perfect movements, making it ideal for fixing small errors in diagrams or making last-minute changes to a screenshot.

To use this feature, start by selecting the area you want to move. You can do this by clicking and dragging your mouse over the desired area to create a selection box. Once you have made your selection, you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the box. For example, pressing the right arrow key will move the selection box to the right, while pressing the up arrow key will move it up.

The arrow keys provide a quick and simple way to nudge your selection box in the desired direction. You can control the distance and speed of the movement by holding down the arrow key for a longer or shorter duration. This allows for precise adjustments and makes it easy to position your selection box exactly where you want it.

Additionally, you can also hold down the Shift key while using the arrow keys to "patch" the hole left by your selection with pixels. This allows for easy stretching and movement of simple UI elements, such as buttons. The combination of arrow keys and the Shift key provides a powerful tool for making adjustments without affecting the background of your image.

Set Color 2 to the background colour

To move items in Paint without the background, you can set "Color 2" to the background colour. This will allow you to fill in the cutout with the selected colour. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Step 1: Open the Image in Paint

Start by opening the image you want to edit in MS Paint. You can do this by clicking on File > Open, then selecting the desired image from your files.

Step 2: Select the Background Colour

Choose a bright colour that is not present in the image itself. This will make it easier to distinguish the subject of the image from the background. The selected colour will be used as Color 2 in Paint.

Step 3: Trace the Outline

Using the draw tool or the pencil tool, carefully trace the outline of the subject of the image. This will create a boundary between the area you want to save and the background you want to remove.

Step 4: Fill in the Background

Now, fill in the rest of the background with the selected colour (Color 2). This will help to block out the area you want to remove.

Step 5: Save and Open in Another Editor

Once you have traced the outline and filled in the background with "Color 2," save your work. Then, open the edited image in another image editor, such as Photoshop or GIMP.

Step 6: Replace the Background

In the new image editor, you can now replace the "Color 2" background with a different image or background of your choice. This will allow you to move items in Paint without their original background.

By following these steps, you can effectively use "Color 2" to match the background colour and facilitate the process of moving items in Paint without their original background.

Frequently asked questions