Pixelmator Pro Remove Background Greyed Out or Not Working
Workaround available macOS, iPadOS Updated October 21, 2026
Quick answer
Remove Background works only on a selected image layer. It's greyed out for groups, shapes or text, and on a group it hides the background with a mask instead of deleting it. Select a single pixel layer, or convert the layer to pixels first.
Most likely fix: Select a single image layer.
Symptoms
Edit > Remove Background is greyed out, nothing seems to happen, or the background is only hidden and comes back when you edit the mask.
Why it happens
- No layer, or a non-image layer (text, shape, group), is selected
- On a group, it creates a mask instead of deleting the background
- Very old version without the feature (added in 2.3)
How to fix it
Try these in order — the most common fix is first.
1. Select a single image layer
- Click one photo layer in the Layers sidebar
- Choose Edit > Remove Background, or right-click the layer and pick Remove Background
2. Convert to pixels
- Select the layer and choose Format > Convert into Pixels
- Run Remove Background again
3. Apply the mask permanently
- If a mask was created on a group, run Remove Background on each layer separately instead
4. Refine tricky edges
- Use Select Subject plus Select and Mask to clean up hair and fine edges
This guide also covers
- pixelmator pro remove background not working
- pixelmator pro remove background greyed out
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