How To Change Background Color In Photoshop: Detailed Guide
April 11
7 min. to read
It will allow you to adjust your images based on their purpose, campaign, and project. In this article, we will look at one of the many possible ways you can change the color of the background in Photoshop using selection, HSL adjustment layer, and folder structure.
The Background Color Change Technique
The background color technique we going to cover is applied in three steps - background selection, folder structure and adjustment layers.
Step 1: Background Selection
Photoshop offers many tools to select the object or its background. From a basic Marquee tool to a fully AI Subject selection option, the choice of the tools will depend on how complex the image is. Most of the time it's easier to select the subject with one of the automatic tools and then invert the selection afterwards.
The automatic AI object selection is the easiest option and often works great as a starting point. To create the selection simply use the top toolbar and navigate to Select > Subject.
Once the automatic selection is created, zoom in on the details and use the Quick Selection tool (W) and its simple brush-like control to add or remove parts of the subject selection using the AI and the texture and colour in the image.
Further, the latest version of Photoshop also allows you to use the Selection Brush tool (L), which allows you to brush in and out of specific parts of your selection with the usual brush options like Size and Hardness.
Access the Select and Mask window (Option+Command+R / Alt+Ctrl+R) to refine the selection. Here, you can refine hair using the AI automatic Refine Hair feature, or refine the edges using the Refine Edge Brush tool.
Finally, when happy with the selection, it's time to invert it, so you will end up with the selection of everything other than the subject. To do this navigate Select > Invers (Shift+Command+I or Shift+Ctrl+I)
Step 2: Folder Structure
With the selection ready, it's time to create our folder structure with the background mask you created from your selection. 
To do this, navigate Layer> New > Group... (Command+G or Ctrl+G). Adjust the name of the group to "Background Color".
Next, it's time to create a mask for this group so any adjustments we make will only apply to the selected area. To do this, make sure the selection created earlier is still active and that your "Background Color" group is selected. Now, create the layer mask using the Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.
Exclusive Tools of Endless Possibilities in One AI Editor
Explore Now!Step 3: Color Change with Adjustment Layers
It's time to change the background color. For this, we will use two adjustment layers placed in the Background Color group. This way, they will only adjust the area of the image we have initially selected.
First, we're going to add the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer. To start, once again, check that you have the Background Color group selected, and then create the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer by navigating to Layer> New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation.
With the Hue/Saturation added and selected, open the properties panel to adjust it. It will either be available in your editing panel on the right side of the application, or you can open it by navigating to Window > Properties.
In the Properties window, start by selecting the Colorize option and then use the Hue slider to select the desired colour. You can adjust the colour even further using a Saturation slider.
In some cases, you can also use the Lightness slider (in the Hue/Saturation adjustment Layer) to adjust the brightness of the background, but to get better control over specific areas of the image, it's better to use the Levels adjustment colour. To add it, use the quick-add option at the bottom of the Layers panel or navigate to Image > New Adjustment Layer > Levels.
Now drag the newly created Levels adjustment layer under the Hue/Saturation Layer and select it. With the Levels layer selected, adjust the brightness of the highlights, shadows, and mid-tones using the three sliders at the top of the window to refine the new background colour.
Double check the result by reviewing the before and after state of the image by clicking on the eye icon in front of the Background Color group in Layers panel.
Final Thoughts
While the technique above is a common way to adjust the background colour, there is never only one way to complete a task in Photoshop. It all depends on what you want to accomplish and how you want to accomplish it, as well as your personal preference and workflow.
