Cutouts are unchanged but arrive with less waiting. The editor loads small copies of your image, Magic Background takes seconds, and free processing accepts standard phone photos. Downloads stay at full resolution.
Where the time went
We measured each step of a background removal. The model itself needs about 0.2 seconds for an image. Most of the remaining time went to moving and saving large image files around it, and to starting an image processor when none was ready. This release shortens those steps. The cutouts themselves do not change.
Less data sent to the model
The removal model works on a 1024 × 1024 copy of every image. Before, we sent your full image and the copy was made on the other side. Now we make that exact copy first and send only it. We compared the masks on real 12.5 MP photos: they are identical, pixel for pixel.
In our tests with a ready processor, this step went from about 4 seconds to under 2 seconds for a 12.5 MP photo. We also save the finished files in parallel, and the editor now checks for finished images every 0.6 seconds instead of every 1.5 seconds.
A head start when you choose a file
The first image after a quiet period used to wait while an image processor started. Now, when you open the file picker, drag a file onto the editor or choose a file, Clearcut starts preparing a processor while your upload is in progress. In a test that started with no processor running, the removal step finished in 4.2 seconds. A full start took 9.4 seconds in an earlier test the same evening.
Opening a page does not start anything, and no part of your image is sent until you upload it.
A lighter editor
The editor shows your image at most 1200 pixels wide, but it used to download the full-size original and cutout. For a 12.5 MP photo that was 23.8 MB. It now loads WebP copies of up to 2048 pixels: 558 KB for the same photo. This matters most on phones and slower connections.
Downloads and exports still use your full-resolution image.
Magic Background in seconds
Magic Background now uses FLUX.3 Klein. In our tests on cars, products and portraits, a background took 1.5–4 seconds. The previous model took 39–76 seconds and failed on some requests. We tuned the new model to leave the space for your subject empty and to keep the floor or table where your subject stands.
Backgrounds are now about 1 megapixel, and the editor scales them to your canvas. The price stays at 3 credits per finished background, and failed attempts are refunded.
Phone photos on the free plan
Free Fast processing supports images up to 12 megapixels. A standard phone photo of 4032 × 3024 pixels is just over 12 million pixels, so it was rejected with an unclear message. It is now accepted, and the message for larger images says what the limit is.
Newer phones often take 24 or 48 MP photos. When you use the free allowance, Clearcut now resizes these on your device to fit the limit before uploading. JPEG and PNG photos keep their format. With credits, images up to 50 MP are processed at full resolution, as before.
For developers
Finished jobs now include original_preview_url and result_preview_url. They point to WebP copies of up to 2048 pixels for showing results on screen. The existing result_url, mask_url and original_url files are unchanged. See the job reference.
The full list of changes is in the changelog.
Start with your next image.
Create an account and verify your email to get 30 free credits every month: enough for 30 Fast images or 15 Fine images. Use them on the website or through the API.