How to save a PNG with a transparent background

For PhotoCraft 0.10.0. Keep the original file and check layers, fonts and the saved or exported result before relying on a complex PSD.

Export as PNG, with the background layer hidden or deleted — and never as JPG. JPG has no alpha channel, so a “transparent JPG” always comes out with a filled background. This guide is for the 0.10.0 build on this site.

What does the checkerboard mean?

The grey checkerboard is the standard sign of transparency: those pixels have no color. If the checkerboard shows where you expected a background, the background is genuinely gone (or hidden) and an exported PNG will keep that area empty.

If you see a solid color instead, the background is still there — usually a locked Background layer at the bottom of the Layers panel.

How do I hide the background before exporting?

For an existing image with a plain background:

1. Open the image in the editor.
2. In the Layers panel, click the visibility toggle of the background layer to hide it (or delete it). If the layer is locked, unlock or rasterize it first.
3. The canvas shows the checkerboard where the background was.

To remove a background around a subject, use selections or erase on the background layer. PhotoCraft has no one-click AI background removal in this build — the selection tools are the way. See working with layers for visibility and ordering.

Why does my PNG turn white?

Three common causes:

1. The file was exported as JPG — JPG cannot store transparency; white (or another color) is filled in. Export as PNG instead.
2. The background layer was visible during export — hiding it is what creates the alpha area.
3. A viewer filled the transparency — some image viewers and social platforms composite PNGs onto white. Open the exported file in a browser or an editor that shows the checkerboard to confirm the alpha survived.

How do I export and verify?

1. With the background hidden, choose File → Export and pick PNG.
2. Open the downloaded file and check the transparent area renders as checkerboard (browser tab or image editor), not white.

The export flow itself is covered in save and export. If you plan to keep editing later, save a PSD copy first — hidden layers survive in PSD documents too.