Remove Background

A native macOS app that removes image backgrounds entirely on-device — nothing ever leaves your Mac. Drop an image (or many), pick a model, and get a clean cut-out with a before/after wipe, a background studio, zoom-to-inspect, and batch processing.

• Models: RMBG-2.0 (Core ML, default), BiRefNet / -lite / -portrait, BiRefNet-matting (ONNX)
• Private: all image processing is local — your images never leave your Mac, and nothing is logged. The only network use is one-time model downloads (cached under ~/Library/Application Support/RemoveBackground/) and Sparkle update checks, which send just the app version, macOS version, and CPU architecture.
• No bundled weights: the app ships with no model files — each is fetched at runtime from its own host the first time you use it.

License

The app's source code is licensed under the PolyForm Noncommercial License 1.0.0 — see LICENSE.

You may use, modify, and share it for any non-commercial purpose. You may not use it commercially (e.g. selling it, or selling a product based on it). This is a source-available, non-commercial license — not an OSI "open source" license.

This is also consistent with the app as a whole: its default model, RMBG-2.0, is CC BY-NC 4.0 (© BRIA AI), so the app is non-commercial regardless. The bundled ONNX Runtime is MIT. Full attributions are in THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md and in the app's Licenses panel.

Build

Requires macOS 14+ (the Liquid Glass app icon renders on macOS 26+) and Xcode tools.

cd RBGApp
swift build -c release      # the app itself — needs no model files
./build_app.sh              # assemble + sign + install to ~/Applications, with the app icon

Development

./scripts/install-hooks.sh   # pre-commit: SwiftFormat + SwiftLint; pre-push: CHANGELOG check
swiftformat RBGApp/Sources tools   # apply formatting (config: .swiftformat)
swiftlint lint                     # lint the app sources (config: .swiftlint.yml)
./audit.sh                         # pre-release gate: format/lint, release build, bundle checks

Conventions follow CHANGELOG.md (Keep a Changelog). Tag releases with scripts/create-release-tag.sh vX.Y.Z, which validates the CHANGELOG first.

Distributing a binary

You can hand out a free compiled build — the binary contains only your code + ONNX Runtime (no models), so you never redistribute a restricted model. Checklist:

• Free / non-commercial only — both PolyForm-NC and RMBG-2.0 forbid selling it.
• Ship the notices — include LICENSE and THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md alongside the .app (the in-app first-launch non-commercial notice already travels inside it).
• Notarize for public release — the default build is ad-hoc signed, so Gatekeeper warns. For a real public download, sign with an Apple Developer ID and notarize.
• No models bundled — keep it that way; models stay runtime-downloaded.

Support Policy

This software is provided as-is, with no support.

• ✅ You may use, modify, and redistribute it for any non-commercial purpose under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 license.
• ❌ No support, bug fixes, or feature requests.
• ❌ Issues are disabled — please don't contact the maintainer for help.
• ❌ Pull requests are accepted only from collaborators — others are auto-closed.
• 💡 To change it, fork it (non-commercially) and adapt it to your needs.

Why this policy?

Remove Background is a personal, non-commercial project. It depends on third-party ML models (RMBG-2.0, BiRefNet) that can change upstream, and it's tuned for current Apple Silicon + macOS — supporting every hardware/OS combination is beyond its scope.

If it works for you: great. If not: please fork it and adapt it.

For forkers

• Use a different project name and branding to avoid confusion.
• You must comply with the PolyForm Noncommercial terms (non-commercial use only).
• Mind the model licenses too — the default RMBG-2.0 model is CC BY-NC 4.0.

Disclaimer

This software is provided "AS IS", without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. You use it entirely at your own risk.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, in no event shall the author be liable for any claim, damage, data loss, or other liability — whether in an action of contract, tort, or otherwise — arising from, out of, or in connection with this software or its use. There is no support of any kind. See the LICENSE for the full terms.