Remove backgrounds in GIMP 3. Private and on-device — nothing leaves your machine.
A GIMP 3.x plugin that talks to your local WithoutBG server (Mac Local API or Docker). The plugin adds an unapplied layer mask so you can review and refine before committing.
Plugin page → · Local API docs →
Open Weights results → · Cloud API results → · Compare →
| Dependency | Notes |
|---|---|
| GIMP 3.x | Available at gimp.org |
| WithoutBG server | Must be running at http://127.0.0.1:8000 — Docker service-cpu / service-gpu, or the Mac app Local API (or change SERVER_URL in withoutbg/withoutbg.py). See Local API docs. |
Docker (CPU or GPU, any platform):
docker run --rm -p 8000:8000 withoutbg/withoutbg-openweights-v3-service-cpu:latestMore options: Docker docs.
Mac app: download, then start the Local API from the menu bar (defaults to port 8000). For CI/automation, see Mac headless.
Run one backend at a time on port 8000.
bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/withoutbg/withoutbg-gimp/main/install.sh)"Or, if you already have the repo:
./install.shThen restart GIMP. The plugin appears under:
Tools ▸ WithoutBG ▸ Remove Background…
- Open any image in GIMP.
- Go to Tools ▸ WithoutBG ▸ Remove Background…
- The dialog shows the server status and lets you override the server URL.
- Click Remove Background.
The plugin adds an unapplied layer mask from the server’s alpha matte. Review it, then use Layer ▸ Mask ▸ Apply Layer Mask to commit.
The default server URL (http://127.0.0.1:8000) is hardcoded at the top of
withoutbg/withoutbg.py. You can also change it per-session inside the
interactive dialog — GIMP remembers the last-used value between runs.
rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/GIMP/3.*/plug-ins/withoutbg # macOS
# or
rm -rf ~/.config/GIMP/3.*/plug-ins/withoutbg # LinuxThis plugin is the GIMP 3 path: mask-first cutouts via a local server. Same open-weights technology powers the rest of the ecosystem:
| Surface | Choose when |
|---|---|
| Mac app | You want a native desktop cutout tool, with an optional Local API for this plugin |
| Docker / self-host | You want an HTTP API or browser UI on your own server (CPU or NVIDIA GPU) |
| Python package | You want to embed withoutBG in scripts, notebooks, or backends |
| Hugging Face · Space | You want to try a demo or download the ONNX weights directly |
| Cloud API | You need maximum quality without running inference yourself |
The withoutBG Open Weights Model is a unified ONNX / Core ML graph. Depth, segmentation, matting, and refinement run in one pass. Built with DINOv3.
Licensed under the withoutBG Open Model License (Apache 2.0 for withoutBG portions; Meta DINOv3 License for DINOv3 backbone weights).
- Bugs / questions: GitHub Issues
- Plugin page: withoutbg.com/open-model/plugins/gimp
- Commercial: contact@withoutbg.com