# Aquarell transparent PNG: check backgrounds and white edges Language: en Canonical: [Aquarell transparent PNG: check backgrounds and white edges]() 中文：[中文 HTML]() English: [English HTML]() Published: 2026-10-22T00:00:00+08:00 Modified: 2026-10-23T10:34:07+08:00 Author: Bison Check the background layer and actual pixels, export a transparent PNG, then inspect solid white areas, edges and the file format after sharing on light and dark backgrounds. English translation of the [Chinese original](), translated on 2026-10-23. The article body uses automated translation; app descriptions, historical reading notes and video subtitles receive separate editorial checks. Original publication dates, attribution, code and version notes are retained. **A transparent PNG requires both a format that supports transparency and image areas that actually lack an opaque background.** Choosing PNG in Aquarell selects the output format. It does not automatically remove white already painted into the artwork. Using a standalone leaf, this guide covers checking the background, exporting PNG, and viewing it against different backgrounds. The workflow suits blog decorations, hand-drawn icons, and illustration elements intended to reveal the page color beneath. ## 1. Decide whether you need a background when creating the canvas For new work, choose Transparent Background in New Canvas. For example, create a 1200 × 1200-pixel canvas, center the subject, and leave enough transparent space around it for webpage layout. If the painting is already finished, do not redraw it immediately. Open Layers and identify the background: it may be a separate white layer or white pixels covering the canvas on another layer. Distinguish the editor's display background from actual artwork; a white-looking canvas does not alone prove the file is opaque. ## 2. Find the white background layer by layer Temporarily hide a suspected background layer and observe the surroundings and subject. If both share a layer, hiding it removes both. In that case, edit the actual content rather than searching for an export switch that solves every situation automatically. Keep a native document before editing, especially before erasing broad white areas from your only original. White may be the background, but it may also form a cup's highlight or part of a petal. Removing every white pixel would damage intended content. ## 3. Inspect edges and translucent strokes Zoom in on the subject's edge and look for an unnatural pale fringe. A soft brush may intentionally create a translucent transition, which differs from leftover white: the former blends with different backgrounds, while the latter may always resemble a white outline. Inspect at least one fine line, one broad color area, and one soft edge. Leaf tips, the inside of a cup handle, and gaps between petals are easy to miss. Confirm the current layer before trimming an edge; make a small change, then zoom out. Do not thin the entire outline just to remove one stray pixel. ## 4. Export PNG and retain the original file Open Export and choose Export PNG. If image-size options are available, make sure you have not selected an unexpectedly small size. Otherwise, export at the original canvas size and inspect the file's actual dimensions. Save through the share sheet, then open the exported PNG. Inspect it with a viewer that indicates transparency or lets you place it against different backgrounds. Photos and other viewers sometimes use a fixed backdrop, so the preview color alone cannot prove transparency. ## 5. Inspect against both light and dark backgrounds Place the same PNG against white and dark gray. Look for a solid surrounding rectangle or a conspicuous pale fringe, then try a color close to the blog's theme. Transparent regions should reveal the background, while colored areas retain their content. A white subject being hard to see against white is a normal contrast issue; do not delete it for that reason. If white highlights stand out on dark backgrounds, judge whether that suits the design rather than treating every pale area as an export error. Transparent files can still contain opaque white and translucent colored pixels. ## Final check: make sure the format survived delivery When uploading to a website, confirm that the uploaded file is still PNG. Some sharing or publishing steps recompress, convert, or add a background. Check the final result on the destination platform, not just the local original. If the original PNG is transparent locally but appears white after sharing, compare the original and downloaded files' formats, dimensions, and display methods. Do not immediately erase more pixels in the original; the problem may lie in publishing. An unconverted source PNG makes diagnosis easier. ## Separate background problems from spacing problems Excess transparent space can make an image look small on a webpage, but that is not necessarily a white-background problem. Check the file bounds and subject area before changing the canvas or display. Keep the full original before cropping a copy so you do not cut off a leaf tip or soft shadow. Transparency checks concern whether pixels exist; layout checks concern how much space the subject occupies. Treat them separately. ## Questions and limitations ### Why does selecting PNG still produce a white rectangle? First check for a white background layer or white painted on the same layer as the subject. PNG can preserve transparency, but it does not cut out the background for you. ### Does a black viewer background mean the image has a black background? Not necessarily. The viewer may display transparent areas against black. Try another background or a viewer that clearly indicates transparency to distinguish real pixels from the preview backdrop. ### Can higher export quality remove a white fringe? If the white fringe is already in the original pixels, higher export quality will not remove it. Inspect the edge content, sampled colors, and any earlier work against white. Correct the source, then export again. ### Can JPEG replace a transparent PNG? JPEG does not preserve an alpha channel. It is suitable for complete images with white or colored backgrounds. For elements that reveal the webpage beneath, retain a transparency-capable format and verify that the publishing platform preserves it. ### Can the exported image become my only working original? Not recommended. PNG is convenient, but keep layers and editable text in the native document. A layered original makes edge cleanup, background changes, and subject adjustments easier than editing a flattened image. ## Sources and applicable version Information checked on October 22, 2026, for Aquarell 1.0.5 (iOS / iPadOS 15.0 or later). See [the official description]() and [Apple release lookup](); the interface may change with the version. ## Keep practising - [Leaf exercise]() - [Checking a set of icons]() - [Keeping the native artwork]()