What You Need to Know About Transparency

 

Video: Working with Transparency Close

 

What is Transparency?

Simply put, transparency is the ability to see through part or all of an image.

To understand how transparency in image files works, it’s helpful to understand the terms opaque, translucent, and transparent.

Opaque means completely solid. You can’t see through something that is opaque. In the real world, this might be a wall or a door.

Translucent means partially opaque and partially transparent. It’s an in-between state. In the real world, this is like a stained glass window. You can see through it, but not in the way you see through clear glass. This state is referred to as partially transparent in image files.

Transparent means completely clear or see-through. Something that is transparent might as well be invisible. In the real world this is a clear glass window, or even the air that is all around us.

Why Should You Care About Transparency?

That’s an easy question. It’s going to make your images look great. When layered on top of other images, whether it’s a web page with colored backgrounds or presentation slide templates, a transparent image is going to look professional and polished.

The screenshot on the left below has no transparency; the screenshot on the right has a transparent canvas and a partially transparent shadow.

Because image files are always rectangular, complete or partial transparency is the solution used to create the appearance of irregular edges or see-through portions.

 

Transparency in Snagit

In Snagit Editor (and most other graphics programs) transparency is represented by a white and gray checkerboard pattern. This pattern shows you what parts of the image you can see through.

When using the window selector of the All-in-One input or the Window input, Snagit captures the rounded corners of windows and the transparency of Aero themed title bars. It can also capture oddly shaped windows without grabbing the desktop or windows behind.

Snagit Editor can introduce transparency during editing with drawing tools and image effects. Edge effects like borders and drop shadows no longer add a background color to your image. Instead, they look great anywhere you put them.

Saving a Transparent Image

Snagit supports complete and partial transparency in capturing and editing. However, to have complete or partial transparency in your final saved image, you must use a file format that supports your desired level of transparency.

Complete and partial transparency is best supported by PNG and the SNAG file formats.

Common File Formats	Supports Transparency?
PNG	Yes
JPG	No
BMP	No
GIF	Single color, full transparency only
TIF	Yes
SNAG	Yes

 

What if I use a format that doesn’t support transparency? The preview pane in the Save dialog box will show you how the saved image will look in your selected format.

For more information on using transparency in Snagit, see Transparency.

Additional tutorials:

Basic Snagit Tips & Tricks

How to Use Hotspots

Introduction to Searching and Tagging

Sharing Captures from Snagit