Kdenlive Introduces AI-Powered Background Removal Feature

Image source: Freepik

Kdenlive, the popular open-source video editor, has rolled out a long-requested background removal tool that uses AI-driven object masking to isolate subjects in videos​.

First unveiled as an alpha preview in December 2024, this feature leverages Meta’s Segment Anything Model v2 (SAM2) for object segmentation​. It allows users to easily cut out a person or object from a video’s background – a task that previously required painstaking manual masking.

Kdenlive’s new tool automatically detects and separates an object from the rest of the scene, generating an object mask around that subject​. The feature works by analyzing each frame of the video to identify the chosen subject and track it throughout the clip​.

The result is a significantly streamlined workflow for tasks like replacing a video’s backdrop or apply color correction or other effects only to the isolated object, leaving the rest of the scene untouched​.

Here’s a brief rundown of the workflow​:

1. Add your clip
   Import the video clip you want to edit into your Kdenlive project.
2. Configure the mask tool
   Click on the Mask button in Kdenlive’s interface, then choose Configure. On first use, this will open an Object Detection setup dialog. You’ll be prompted to Install the required AI model.
3. Generate the object mask
   Once the plugin is all set, click Create new mask and select an object you want to keep (your foreground subject)​. A white outline mask will appear; then all you have to do is hit the Generate Mask button to let Kdenlive process the video and build the mask across all frames.
4. Apply the mask to remove background
   After processing, the new mask will show up in Kdenlive’s Mask Manager. Now drag your video clip onto the timeline if it isn’t there already, select the newly created mask, and click Apply Mask to the clip​.

The background of your video should now disappear, leaving only the masked subject. You can place another image or video on a lower track as a replacement background, or export the clip with a transparent background for compositing elsewhere.

Early testers should expect a few rough edges and heavy resource usage (the developers have noted the SAM2 model can be memory-intensive​).

The Kdenlive team is actively refining the tool – improving installation feedback and performance – before the stable release. Barring any delays, the polished background removal feature will debut in April 2025​.