# Retouching photos

> The tools in the Tool panel for retouching a photo in the Designer: removing the background (BKG Remover and BKG Remover +), Gomma, Gomma magica, Inpainting and Scomponi; how to use them, where they run, limits, messages and undoing.

Last updated: 23 October 2026. Source: https://narciso.io/en/docs/ritoccare-le-foto/

With a **photo selected** on the [canvas](https://narciso.io/en/docs/tela/), the **Tool** panel ([Designer side panels](https://narciso.io/en/docs/pannelli-del-designer/)) shows, in the **Trasformazioni** (Transformations) block, a few tools for retouching it: **BKG Remover**, **BKG Remover +**, **Scomponi** (Break apart), **Gomma** (Eraser), **Gomma magica** (Magic eraser) and **Inpainting**. None of these tools **uses [AI credits](https://narciso.io/en/docs/crediti-ai/)**: they are included in the program, with a limit on requests per salon (see below).

> **Note.** These functions are described by reading the program: the timings and the quality of the result depend on the computer and on the external services used, and are not guaranteed by this guide ([External services](https://narciso.io/en/docs/servizi-esterni/)).

## Common rules

- You work on **a single photo**: not on a group, not on a locked element. With the wrong selection the button is greyed out and the tooltip says «Seleziona una sola foto (non un gruppo)» (Select a single photo (not a group)).
- **Scomponi**, the two **BKG Remover** tools, **Gomma magica** and **Inpainting** appear only for **photos**; **Gomma** also works on shapes and icons.
- Each photo can have **only one long job at a time** among Scomponi and the two BKG Removers. The job carries on even if you change panel or selection: a spinner turns on the button.
- The result replaces the image in the same frame. Every operation can be **undone with Ctrl+Z**.
- The files produced go into the salon's archive, but **do not appear** in **Immagini ▸ Personali** (Images ▸ Personal).

## Removing the background

One click on the button and the background becomes transparent (the photo stays in the same frame, as a PNG). No start or success notice appears: you only see the spinner until the job ends, and a message if something goes wrong. There are two tools.

| Tool | How it works | When it is best |
|---|---|---|
| **BKG Remover** | Normally **on your computer**: the first time, the browser downloads a model of about 178 MB and then keeps it in memory. It switches to a Narciso server (one job at a time for all salons) if the browser has less than 4 GB of memory, WebAssembly is missing, the photo cannot be read or the calculation fails | The result is always the same for the same photo |
| **BKG Remover +** | Always on an external service with a graphics card, slower | Fine edges (hair, transparencies) and cleaner colours |

Limits: the long side of the result is at most **4096 px** (with the **+**, **3072 px**: larger photos come back at a lower resolution); the **+** flattens onto white any transparency the photo already had. Via the server, the photo can weigh **15 MB** at most and must be PNG, JPEG, WebP, GIF or AVIF. Per salon: **30 requests every 10 minutes**, **only one background removal at a time**.

Messages:

| Message | Meaning |
|---|---|
| **Stai già togliendo uno sfondo, aspetta che finisca.** (You are already removing a background, wait for it to finish.) | A background removal is already running for the salon |
| **Il server è molto occupato, riprova tra qualche istante.** (The server is very busy, try again in a moment.) | Queue full |
| **La foto è stata modificata mentre toglievo lo sfondo: non ho applicato il risultato, riprova.** (The photo was changed while I was removing the background: I did not apply the result, try again.) | You changed the photo in the meantime |
| **La foto non è più sulla tela: non ho applicato il risultato.** (The photo is no longer on the canvas: I did not apply the result.) | You deleted it |
| **Il rimuovi sfondo non è disponibile al momento.** (The background remover is not available at the moment.) / **Questo modo di togliere lo sfondo non è disponibile al momento.** (This way of removing the background is not available at the moment.) | Service not available |
| **Non riesco a togliere lo sfondo a questa immagine.** (I cannot remove the background from this image.) / **Il servizio non risponde, riprova.** (The service is not responding, try again.) / **L'operazione ha impiegato troppo tempo e l'ho interrotta, riprova.** (The operation took too long and I stopped it, try again.) | Error or wait of over 10–15 minutes |
| **Non sono riuscito a salvare l'immagine senza sfondo** (I could not save the image without a background) | The result was not saved |

## Gomma

Erases with a brush. It is switched on with the **Gomma** button; on a **shape** or an **icon**, the first time, the element is turned into an image (a one-way operation, which can be undone with Ctrl+Z).

- Drag with the left button. **Alt + right button** switches the eraser on for the selected element.
- The brush size goes from **2 to 400 px** (default 60): drag the dot on the edge of the button, or **[** makes it smaller and **]** makes it larger. The hardness is fixed.
- **Esc**, another click on the button or the selection of another element switch the tool off.
- Everything is done **on your computer**, at the original resolution of the photo. Each brushstroke is a step that can be undone with Ctrl+Z, even with the tool on. After a pause of about 2.5 seconds, or when it is switched off, the image is saved (**Salvo…** (Saving…) appears on the photo; PNG only, maximum 50 MB).

Messages: **Seleziona un solo elemento (non un gruppo)** (Select a single element (not a group)), **Questo elemento non si può cancellare a pennello** (This element cannot be erased with a brush), **L'elemento è bloccato** (The element is locked), **Non riesco a leggere l'immagine da modificare** (I cannot read the image to edit), **Modifica non salvata sul server (la rete non risponde): riprova a fermare lo strumento** (Change not saved on the server (the network is not responding): try stopping the tool again), **Modifica non salvata sul server (HTTP N): l'immagine resta solo su questo schermo** (Change not saved on the server (HTTP N): the image stays only on this screen).

## Gomma magica

You **paint the area to remove** (in pink): when you release, **Riempimento…** (Filling…) appears and the area is filled in automatically. It works only on **photos** («La Gomma magica funziona solo sulle foto», The Magic eraser works only on photos). The shortcuts and the saving are those of Gomma; every fill can be undone.

It works **on your computer** with a model of about 28 MB, loaded when the tool is switched on, on a window around the area scaled down to 512 px; it puts back only the painted part. Error: **Gomma magica non riuscita: …** (Magic eraser failed: …).

## Inpainting

Removes or redoes an area of the photo.

1. Press **Inpainting** and **paint the area**.
2. In the **Cosa deve esserci al suo posto (vuoto = togli)** (What should be there instead (empty = remove)) field, write what should appear, if you want (maximum 600 characters). Empty means removing the area, with its shadows.
3. Press **Applica** (Apply) (it becomes **Elaboro…**, Processing…). **Azzera** (Reset) clears the painted area.

With no painted area: «Dipingi prima la zona da rifare» (Paint the area to redo first). The work is done on an **external service with a graphics card**: it waits up to 6 minutes for «remove» and 14 for «redo». The result is pasted onto the photo and can be undone. Limits per salon: **30 requests every 10 minutes** and **only one inpainting at a time** («Hai già un inpainting in corso, aspetta che finisca.», You already have an inpainting in progress, wait for it to finish.).

Messages: **L'inpainting non è disponibile al momento.** (Inpainting is not available at the moment.), **Non riesco a lavorare su questa zona dell'immagine.** (I cannot work on this area of the image.), **Il servizio di inpainting non risponde, riprova.** (The inpainting service is not responding, try again.), **L'inpainting ha impiegato troppo tempo e l'ho interrotto, riprova.** (Inpainting took too long and I stopped it, try again.), **Inpainting non riuscito** (Inpainting failed).

## Scomponi

**Scomponi la foto in layer** (Break the photo into layers): splits the photo into **5 levels** (always five) plus, if it detects any writing, into **editable texts**.

1. Press **Scomponi** (**Scompongo…** (Breaking apart…) appears, with the notice **Scomposizione avviata: può richiedere qualche minuto** (Breaking apart started: it may take a few minutes)).
2. The program checks the outcome every 4 seconds and stops after 15 minutes («La scomposizione sta impiegando troppo tempo, riprova più tardi.», The breaking apart is taking too long, try again later.).
3. At the end **Foto scomposta: N layer e M testi** (Photo broken apart: N layers and M texts) appears.

> **Warning.** **The original photo is removed** and in its place the elements **Layer 1, 2…** appear as images; levels made up almost only of writing become texts in Roboto, with the detected colour. It is all a single step: **Ctrl+Z** puts the photo back. The levels are rebuilt from a reduced version (640 px) and then enlarged: on large photos, detail is lost.

Limits per salon: **10 requests every 10 minutes**, **one breaking apart at a time** («Hai già una scomposizione in corso, aspetta che finisca.», You already have a breaking apart in progress, wait for it to finish.); photos up to **15 MB**. Messages: **La scomposizione non è disponibile al momento.** (Breaking apart is not available at the moment.), **Questa immagine non si può scomporre.** (This image cannot be broken apart.), **Il servizio di scomposizione non risponde, riprova.** (The breaking-apart service is not responding, try again.), **Non sono riuscito a salvare i layer, riprova.** (I could not save the layers, try again.), **La foto è stata modificata mentre la scomponevo: non ho applicato i layer, riprova.** (The photo was changed while I was breaking it apart: I did not apply the layers, try again.), **Impossibile scomporre la foto** (Unable to break the photo apart).

A photo that has just been retouched with Gomma, and whose saving has not yet happened, may not be breakable apart until you switch Gomma off and wait for **Salvo…**.

## Related entries

- [Designer side panels](https://narciso.io/en/docs/pannelli-del-designer/)
- [The canvas](https://narciso.io/en/docs/tela/)
- [Tools with artificial intelligence](https://narciso.io/en/docs/strumenti-ai/)
- [AI credits](https://narciso.io/en/docs/crediti-ai/)