Tracy van der Schyff

#Office365Challenge – Removing Backgrounds in PowerPoint – Sometimes you need to remove backgrounds or sections out of pictures. This used to be a very difficult task – but since Office 2010 – this awesome feature has been available for everyone to use.

In today’s example I’ll have some fun with photos of the friends and I. I’ll be removing them out of the picture – and of course add Superman. It’s not that they’re not special – it’s just that I think I’m going places with Superman, you know?

So here goes:
In PowerPoint, insert the images you would like to use. Select the image (1), click on the Format Tab (2), click on Remove Background:

Once you click on Remove background, PowerPoint will automatically colour everything it thinks is the background an interesting bright pink/purple – kinda Barney if you ask me. Based on the current background / foreground it might get a bit confused. Luckily you can help it figure it out.
First thing to do – is drag the corners of the image size to the correct size (1), then using either Mark Areas to Keep (2) or Mark Areas to Remove (3) select the areas which should show, and not:

I find it easier to drag straight lines through the areas to keep + (2) / not keep – (1). Once you’re happy with the result – simply click outside the image to apply or click on Keep Changes:

So I’ve cut out sections from both photos / images and replaced the background. And VOILA!! Me and the MAN.

See, nothing is impossible with Microsoft Office!

Overview of my challenge: As an absolute lover of all things Microsoft, I’ve decided to undertake the challenge, of writing a blog every single day, for the next 365 days. Crazy, I know. And I’ll try my best, but if I cannot find something good to say about Office 365 and the Tools it includes for 365 days, I’m changing my profession. So let’s write this epic tale of “Around the Office in 365 Days”. My ode to Microsoft Office 365.

Keep in mind that these tips and tricks do not only apply to Office 365 – but where applicable, to the overall Microsoft Office Suite and SharePoint.