# Install backgroundremover with Homebrew, Nix Remove background from images and video using AI. Version 0.4.4 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-07. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:backgroundremover ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install backgroundremover ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#backgroundremover ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ba/backgroundremover/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:backgroundremover - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.4.4 - **Source summary:** Remove background from images and video using AI - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-07-07T20:38:47Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - backgroundremover (cli) - backgroundremover-server (cli) - backgroundremover (alias) - backgroundremover-server (alias) ## Dependencies - certifi - ffmpeg - libheif - llvm - pillow - python@3.14 - scikit-image - scipy - torchvision ## Build dependencies - cmake - pkgconf ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.4.4 - Package-manager updated: 2026-07-07 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://backgroundremoverai.com - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage BackgroundRemover is an open-source command-line and server tool for removing backgrounds from images and video with AI models. It packages a common creator workflow behind a Python CLI instead of a hosted-only web service. ### Project history The GitHub repository was created in May 2021, and the README says the tool was made by nadermx to power BackgroundRemoverAI.com. The first GitHub release listed by the repository is v0.1.1 in July 2021, with later releases continuing into 2026. The README documents a practical evolution from simple local image/video processing toward Docker usage, GPU acceleration, folder processing, stdin/stdout pipelines, and an HTTP API server exposed through backgroundremover-server. ### Adoption history The official README points users to PyPI for installation and documents Docker use for repeatable local runs. The supplied package-manager facts show Homebrew and Nix packages, which gives the project an unusually convenient path for a Python/PyTorch media utility. ### How it is used Users run backgroundremover against image files, videos, folders, standard input, or an HTTP upload endpoint. The README documents U2-Net model choices, alpha matting, custom background replacement, mask-only output, GPU fallback behavior, and model caching under ~/.u2net for Docker runs. ### Why package nerds care BackgroundRemover matters to package nerds as an example of AI media tooling becoming a normal CLI package: it wraps PyTorch, ffmpeg, model downloads, optional GPU acceleration, and server mode into a tool installable from general package managers. ### Timeline - 2021: GitHub repository created for nadermx/backgroundremover. - 2021: v0.1.1 published as the earliest GitHub release listed by the repository. - 2025: README documents folder processing, pipe usage, Docker model persistence, and GPU guidance. - 2026: v0.4.4 published in GitHub releases. ### Related projects - The README names PyTorch and torchvision as core requirements, ffmpeg for video processing, and U2-Net model variants for segmentation. BackgroundRemoverAI.com is the hosted service the README says the tool was made to power. ### Sources - - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for backgroundremover. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL. ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** backgroundremover - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - backgroundremover: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ba/backgroundremover/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [MCP tool packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/mcp-tools/) - Mentions MCP or Model Context Protocol. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Media and graphics packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/media-graphics-tools/) - Matched media, image, audio, video, or graphics metadata. - [ffmpeg](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ffmpeg/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libheif](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libheif/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [llvm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/llvm/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [python@3.14](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/python-3-14/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [cmake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cmake/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ab-av1](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ab-av1/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, video. - [alass](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/alass/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, video. - [aom](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aom/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, video. - [auto-editor](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/auto-editor/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, video. - [av1an](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/av1an/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, video. - [bento4](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bento4/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, video. - [bilix](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bilix/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, video. - [ccextractor](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ccextractor/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, video. - [manim](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/manim/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, ffmpeg, media, pillow, python. - [dvr-scan](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dvr-scan/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, ffmpeg, media, pillow, python. - [openimageio](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/openimageio/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, ffmpeg, image, images, libheif. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/backgroundremover.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/backgroundremover.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph