FreeDrop Shadow
Add a drop shadow to an image
Soft shadow on a padded canvas, transparent or on a colour.
Drop an image here, or .
Free, no sign-up. Runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Drop Shadow: how to use it
- Drop in an image, ideally a cut-out PNG or a screenshot.
- Set the Padding around it, the Shadow blur and the Offset across and down.
- Choose the Shadow colour and opacity, a Corner radius if you want rounded corners, and a transparent or coloured background. Then download.
Tips
- A soft shadow slightly below the image (offset down, none across) looks like light from above, which reads most naturally.
- Keep Transparent background ticked and save as PNG to place the result on any page colour.
- Blur and offset are in pixels, so a large photo needs larger values: drop shadow settings by image size.
Drop Shadow: what it does and when to use it
Drop Shadow places an image on a larger canvas and draws a soft shadow behind it, offset down and to the side, as if it were lifted slightly off the page. On cut-out products and logos, the shadow follows the shape of the object; on photos and screenshots, it follows the rectangle, and a corner radius can round it off like a card.
Subtle shadows look most natural: a large blur with a small offset and low opacity reads as soft studio light, while a sharp, dark, distant shadow looks dated. The background can stay transparent, so the result can be placed on any website or slide, or be filled with a colour to match a page.
It is the quickest way to make screenshots in documentation stand out from a white page, and to give a product cut-out a little depth. For a shadow on the floor under a product, as used on marketplace photos, Product Photo Studio draws a contact shadow instead. For borders without a shadow, use Canvas & Border.
Drop Shadow: frequently asked questions
Is the Drop Shadow free, and do I need to sign up?
Yes, the Drop Shadow is 100% free with no sign-up, no login and no account. The Drop Shadow runs in your browser, so it has no daily limit and no upload, and saves at full size with no watermark. See why it is free.
How do I add a shadow to a PNG image?
Open a PNG with a transparent background and the shadow follows the shape of the object, not the rectangle around it. Set the blur, offset and opacity, and keep the background transparent or pick a colour.
How do I make a product cut-out look natural?
Add a soft, low-opacity shadow slightly below the product so it looks like it is standing on a surface. To cut out the product first, use the Background Remover, or do both in the Product Photo Studio.
Why does my shadow look like a box?
Because the image has a solid background, so the shadow follows the rectangle. Remove the background first to get a shadow in the shape of the subject.
Why is my shadow cut off at the edge of the image?
The canvas is too small for it. A shadow reaches about 1.1 times the blur plus the offset, so raise Padding until the whole shadow fits. Our article on how to add a drop shadow has measured values for each image size.
Why did Corner radius put a white card behind my cut-out?
Rounded corners are drawn by placing the image on a white rounded rectangle, which suits photos and screenshots. Leave Corner radius at 0 on a transparent logo or product to keep the shadow in its shape.