User profile for user: Leffagus
Leffagus Author
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How do I import a photo with a transparent background to macOS Photos and keep the transparency?

I have a photo I've edited in Preview to make the background transparent. When I import the photo into macOS Photos (using Big Sur), Photos automatically replaces the transparency with a white background. It's not just an image viewing error either, as the white background stays with the photo when I export out of Photos.


I've tried saving the file as HEIC and PNG from Previews, but macOS Photos replaces the background with both.


How do I import a photo with a transparent background to macOS Photos and keep the transparency?

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.3

Posted on May 28, 2021 7:21 AM

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User profile for user: Leffagus
Leffagus Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Posted on May 29, 2021 8:56 AM

"Export Unmodified Original" is the solution. Upon importing the photo, Photos automatically "modifies" the file to replace the transparent background with a white background. When you view the photo in Photos, you see the white background, and there is no way of knowing which photos originally have a transparent background (I'm adding notes/captions to denote this now).


If you "Export 1 Photo...", you get the file with the white background.

If you "Export Unmodified Original...", you get the original file in the original file format with the transparency.


The challenge will be if you need to actually edit the photo in Photos, you will lose the transparency with those edits. The workaround would be to ensure you edit the photo outside of Photos before importing it.


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User profile for user: Leffagus
Leffagus Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

May 29, 2021 8:56 AM in response to TonyCollinet

"Export Unmodified Original" is the solution. Upon importing the photo, Photos automatically "modifies" the file to replace the transparent background with a white background. When you view the photo in Photos, you see the white background, and there is no way of knowing which photos originally have a transparent background (I'm adding notes/captions to denote this now).


If you "Export 1 Photo...", you get the file with the white background.

If you "Export Unmodified Original...", you get the original file in the original file format with the transparency.


The challenge will be if you need to actually edit the photo in Photos, you will lose the transparency with those edits. The workaround would be to ensure you edit the photo outside of Photos before importing it.


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How do I import a photo with a transparent background to macOS Photos and keep the transparency?

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