AI background removal

AI background removal

Overview

When enabled, a Remove background button appears in the selection toolbar whenever a customer selects a single image in the Product Designer or Image Edit editor. AI cuts out the subject and makes the background transparent. The result is composited back onto the original image at full resolution so print quality is preserved.

Each successful removal consumes your store's AI credits (overage may be billed beyond included credits — see AI credits).

Enable it

In Calculator Editor → Step 5 (Designer) → gear icon → Storefront editor settings, turn on Allow AI background removal. The setting applies to both Designer mode and Image Edit mode and is off by default.

The button appears only when exactly one image is selected — not for text, clipart shapes, or multi-select.

How customers use it

  1. Select an image on the canvas.
  2. Click Remove background. The first time, a confirmation shows an estimated AI credit cost based on the image size and your billing settings.
  3. After processing, the cutout is applied and a Keep / Undo prompt appears. Undo restores the original. The AI call that produced the result has already run; undo does not run the service again.

Large images may take longer. The customer can keep working while processing finishes.

Image-size tiers

The service picks a quality tier automatically from the image's pixel dimensions:

Tier Image size (longest edge) Processing
Small up to ~1500px Fast, lowest cost, runs immediately
Standard up to ~3000px Higher quality, runs immediately
Premium larger / print sizes Best quality for detailed art; may run in the background and take longer

Detailed subjects (hair, fur, foliage) are the hardest case for any background remover. Keep / Undo lets customers reject a poor result without being stuck with it.

Billing and limits

Each successful removal records usage against your store's AI credits at a per-tier rate — larger images cost more than small ones. Usage appears on the Dashboard, Subscription page, and under Metrics → AI Usage → by request type as Product Designer AI background removal.

Active subscriptions are not blocked mid-cycle when included credits run out; overage is billed at the end of the cycle. If included credits are exhausted and there is no active subscription, the feature is paused until you subscribe.

The button is rate-limited per customer session and per store. Only images uploaded through Appify CPO are processed.

Examples

  • Sticker with a customer photo — Enable Allow AI background removal in Step 5 gear settings. The customer uploads a portrait, selects it, clicks Remove background, and keeps the cutout for a die-cut sticker layout.
  • Passport-style photo (Image Edit) — Customer crops with Drag selection, selects the photo layer, removes the background, and adds a solid fill behind the subject using Replace image (see Image Edit mode).