Confirmed in the pages reviewed on September 22, 2026: a move into Canva, plus an API transition dated December 1, 2026. We have not separately verified an exact website cutoff time or every account policy. Use the official links below for the latest instructions.
What the official pages confirm
The FAQ describes a move of background-removal functionality into the Canva platform. The API documentation names Leonardo.Ai, also part of Canva, and gives a December 1, 2026 start date. The source list below links directly to those two first-party pages.
This article does not turn the API transition date into an independently verified website shutdown timestamp. It also does not infer what will happen to your particular subscription, unused balance or Enterprise contract. Those questions need the official policy that applies to your account.
For people who use the remove.bg website
Decide whether you want background removal inside a broader design workspace or a focused upload-and-export tool. The official destination described in the FAQ is Canva. An independent editor such as RemoveBGTool is a separate choice, not the official continuation of your account.
Keep source photos and reusable exports. Then test a replacement on the output you need: transparent PNG, white background or another image. Comparing a small preview alone may miss edge problems or differences in available download size.
For developers calling the remove.bg API
Inventory the applications and scheduled tasks that call the API, including less visible jobs such as product-import scripts. Review the official Leonardo.Ai migration path and any alternative against your actual request fields and output requirements.
RemoveBGTool provides a separate API with a familiar request structure, not a blanket promise of full remove.bg compatibility. Review its unsupported parameters, plan requirements, size ceilings, rate limits and retry behavior before you change production traffic.
Accounts, subscriptions and unused credits
Handle old account records and cancellation questions with remove.bg. Do not send an existing API key or payment details to a replacement provider in an attempt to transfer the account. A new service should issue its own credentials.
RemoveBGTool does not import the old provider’s account, credit balance, invoices or API keys. A paid purchase here is separate. This article makes no claim about remove.bg refunds or credit expiry beyond directing you to its current official instructions.
Choose by task instead of by brand name alone
For occasional photos, start with a free preview and inspect the exported image. For a design already being created in Canva, consult Canva’s official workflow. For repeat processing in an application, compare the API contract and total operational cost, including failures and manual review.
A change of provider does not guarantee identical masks or faster processing. Use your own test set and document the limits that matter. The linked comparison and migration pages focus on those decisions without claiming an unmeasured winner.
Questions before switching
Has background removal itself disappeared?
No such claim follows from the announcement. The official FAQ describes moving functionality to Canva, and the API page points to Leonardo.Ai. Check those destinations and any independent tools against your needs.
What does December 1, 2026 refer to here?
It is the start date stated on the remove.bg API transition notice reviewed for this article. We have not independently verified a separate website cutoff timestamp.
Is RemoveBGTool the official replacement?
No. RemoveBGTool is independently operated and is not affiliated with remove.bg or Canva. Its accounts, downloads and API billing are separate.
Official sources and scope
The FAQ confirms the move into Canva. The API page names December 1, 2026 and Leonardo.Ai. These are distinct statements: this guide does not claim a separately verified website shutdown time, subscription refund policy or credit-expiry rule. Recheck the linked official pages for account-specific instructions.
Choose your next step
Try a free background-removal preview →Website preview: up to 0.25 MP free. Full processed-size download: account + 1 credit. No upscaling is promised.
Independent service; not affiliated with remove.bg or Canva. Existing accounts, credits and API keys do not transfer to RemoveBGTool.