How do I remove the background from a logo and get a transparent SVG?

Updated on 6 October 2026

If your PNG already has a transparent background, Homotope keeps it in the SVG for free; if the background is a solid colour (a JPG’s white), “Make transparent” in the Palette panel removes it, with a free preview and a download that needs Pro or the 7-day trial.

JPG · 400 × 400 px

Engine SVG

400 × 400 px compressed JPEG logo and the SVG produced by the engine, Logo preset alone, 5 colours, untouched: the JPEG artefacts are gone, the ring stays a circle and the star keeps its straight edges.

×6 detail: the tip of the orange band against the white rim: JPEG halo and blocks, clean SVG edge. Drag the slider to compare; hover over the image or hold your finger on it to move the magnifier.

Try it with your image Open this example in the workshop

The two cases in the workshop

PNG already transparent: drop it into the workshop. “Transparency: Keep” (the default) means transparent pixels become no shape at all. The SVG is transparent, free, with no account.
Solid background (JPG, screenshot): after tracing, when the dominant colour touches the edge, a hint offers “Make the background transparent?”. Otherwise, in the “Palette” panel, click “Make transparent” on the background swatch: that colour no longer forms any shape.
Download: with Pro or during the trial, the SVG and PNG are transparent; otherwise “Download without these changes” gives the same result with its background.

Nothing leaves your computer: see vectorize without uploading.

What costs something and what does not

Keeping a PNG’s transparency: free. If you remove the background with another tool and drop a transparent PNG, the transparent SVG stays free.
“Make transparent” on a solid background: a Pro feature when you download (SVG and PNG included), or the 7-day trial offered when you create an account. The preview is free.
Plans and prices are on the Pricing page.

Production exports (DXF, EPS, PDF, separations): 2 free per month with an account, unlimited with Pro; without Pro, 1 credit each beyond those 2. The details: how much vectorizing costs.

Pitfalls

“Remove” on a colour is not making it transparent: its pixels go to the closest colour, so the background stays solid.
Turning off “Background rectangle” does not remove the background: it becomes shapes again.
For a DXF, the “Include the background (frame)” box decides whether the background outline is exported.
A photographic or gradient background is not a solid colour: remove it elsewhere, then drop the transparent PNG. See also PNG to SVG.

Frequently asked questions

Can a JPG have a transparent background?

No, the JPG format has no transparency: its background becomes a colour, which you make transparent with Pro or the trial, or delete in your drawing software.

Can I delete the background myself in the SVG?

Yes: download the free SVG and delete the background shape or rectangle in your drawing software.

Does the transparent background work for the exported PNG too?

Yes, the exported PNG keeps its alpha; with “Make transparent”, downloading it also needs Pro or the trial.

Guides and conversions

Try it with your image