API & Integrations
How to use the remove.bg CLI tool
How to use the remove.bg CLI tool

How to use the remove.bg CLI tool

Below you can find an explanation for downloading the Command Line tool and executing your first command.

If you're interested in a more in-depth step-by-step guide about how to process a folder of images, save to a different directory, add a background color, and more, you can dive into our blog post.

Let's get started:

The first step is to download the latest stable release for your platform of choice.

Extract the archive file to your destination folder of choice. If you would like to be able to use the CLI tool from anywhere on your computer, make sure to add the path to your > PATH environment variable.

Execute your first command

Windows

Open the Command Prompt by clicking on the Start Menu, typing cmd, and hitting ENTER.

Mac

Open the terminal by clicking the Launchpad icon, then searching for > terminal.

Linux

Open the terminal in accordance with your Linux distribution.

To execute a command using the CLI tool, you must follow the basic structure:

removebg [options] file...

If you didn’t update your PATH environment variable,  you need to give the full path of the executable:

Windows:

C:\removebg\removebg [options] file...

Mac/Linux:

/path/to/removebg/removebg [options] file...

For the [options] part, each option follows the same structure:

--option value

So, for example, if you didn't add REMOVE_BG_API_KEY to your environment variables, you must always enter the API key as an option:

removebg --api-key your_api_key_here

The file part of the command is where you tell the CLI tool which files you'd like to process.

For a more detailed explanation, read how to remove and replace the background of multiple images using remove.bg's CLI tool.

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