How to Change or Add Clothes to a Person in Photopea

The basic approach: layer a new garment over the original

To add or swap clothes on a person in Photopea, you upload or draw a new garment layer, position it over the body, and erase or mask the old clothing underneath. Photopea is a browser-based editor that works like Photoshop, so you use layers, selection tools, and blend modes to make the change look natural. The result depends on how carefully you match the lighting, shadows, and fabric texture of the new garment to the person's body and the photo's light source.

This is not automatic — you are manually painting or pasting fabric over fabric. If the original photo has strong shadows or wrinkles in the clothing, you will need to paint those back in or blend them carefully so the new garment does not look flat or pasted on.

Key Takeaways

Import the photo into Photopea, then add a new layer above the clothing layer where you will place the new garment.
Use the Free Select or Lasso tool to outline the new garment shape, or paste a garment image and erase the background around it.
Erase the old clothing on the original layer using the Eraser tool, leaving the body and any skin visible underneath.
Adjust the color, shadows, and blend mode of the new garment layer so it matches the lighting and fabric of the photo.
Merge layers only after you are satisfied with the fit and appearance, because you cannot undo layer deletion once merged.

Opening your photo and setting up layers

Start by opening Photopea in your browser and creating a new document or opening an existing image. Go to File > Open and select the photo of the person whose clothes you want to change. Once the image is open, look at the Layers panel on the right side of the screen. You should see one layer labeled with the image name.

Create a new layer for the new garment by clicking the New Layer button (the blank square icon) at the bottom of the Layers panel. Name this layer something clear like "New Shirt" so you can find it later. Make sure this new layer sits above the original photo layer in the stack. If it does not, drag it upward in the Layers panel.

Adding the new garment: paste or paint

You have two main paths: paste an existing garment image, or paint the new clothing directly. If you are pasting, find a photo or image of the garment you want (a shirt, jacket, or dress photographed flat or on a model). Copy it, then in Photopea go to Edit > Paste. The garment will appear as a floating selection. Use the Move tool to position it over the person's body, then press Enter to anchor it to the new layer.

If you are painting the garment, select the Paintbrush tool from the toolbox on the left. Choose a color that matches the garment you want to add, then paint directly onto the new layer. Start with the main color, then add shadows and highlights later. This method takes more time but gives you full control over the garment's shape and fit.

Removing the old clothing

Once the new garment is in place, you need to hide or erase the old clothing so it does not show underneath. Click on the original photo layer in the Layers panel to select it. Then select the Eraser tool from the toolbox (it looks like a pink eraser). Set the brush size to match the area you are working on — use a smaller brush for detailed edges and a larger one for broad areas.

Carefully erase the old clothing, leaving the person's skin, hair, and any other parts you want to keep. Work slowly around the edges where the new garment meets the body. If you erase too much, you can undo by pressing Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac). Alternatively, use the Free Select tool to outline just the clothing you want to remove, then press Delete to remove only that selection.

Matching light, shadow, and texture

The new garment will look fake if it does not match the lighting of the original photo. Look at where the light hits the person's body — usually from one side or from above. Add shadows to the new garment in the same direction using the Paintbrush with a darker color, or use the Dodge and Burn tools to lighten and darken areas. The Dodge tool is in the toolbox under the hand icon; it lightens, and Burn darkens.

If the original photo shows fabric texture — wrinkles, seams, or a weave pattern — paint or add those details to the new garment as well. You can also adjust the layer's blend mode to help it sit naturally. Click the Blend Mode dropdown (currently set to "Normal") at the top of the Layers panel and try Overlay or Soft Light to see if the garment blends better with the body underneath.

Adjusting color and opacity

The new garment may be too bright, too dark, or the wrong color compared to the rest of the photo. With the garment layer selected, go to Image > Adjustments and choose Hue/Saturation to shift the color or reduce how vivid it looks. You can also use Brightness/Contrast to darken or lighten the entire garment layer.

If the new garment looks too solid or opaque, lower its opacity by adjusting the slider at the top of the Layers panel. Lowering opacity to 80 or 90 percent can help a pasted garment blend more naturally with the body. Once the color and tone match the photo, you are ready to flatten and save.

Saving your work

Before you save, flatten the image so all layers merge into one. Go to Image > Flatten Image. This combines all layers into a single layer, which is necessary before exporting. Then go to File > Export As and choose your format: JPG for photos, PNG if you need transparency. Name the file and click Export.

If you think you might want to edit the clothes again later, save a copy as a Photopea project file (.psd) before flattening. Go to File > Save and Photopea will save it in your browser's storage or to your cloud account if you have linked one. This way you keep all your layers intact for future changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use an AI tool to change clothes automatically instead?

Some online tools claim to swap clothing automatically, but most require you to upload to their servers and produce inconsistent results with lighting and fit. Photopea gives you full control and keeps your image on your device. If you want faster results and do not mind less control, search for "clothing swap AI", but expect to test several tools.

What if the new garment does not match the person's skin tone at the edges?

Use the Clone tool (stamp icon in the toolbox) to sample nearby skin and paint over the hard edges where the garment meets the body. Or use the Smudge tool to blur and blend the boundary. Keep the brush soft and work in small strokes so the blend looks natural.

How do I add wrinkles and folds to make the new garment look realistic?

Paint shadows in the wrinkle areas using a darker shade of the garment color, then use the Dodge tool to add highlights on the raised folds. Study how fabric folds on a real person — wrinkles usually follow the body's curves and the direction of gravity. Reference photos of similar garments on similar body types.

Can I change clothes on multiple people in the same photo?

Yes, but create a separate new layer for each person's new garment. This keeps your edits organized and lets you adjust each person's clothing independently. Follow the same process for each person: new layer, paint or paste, erase the old clothing, match lighting.

What if I accidentally erase part of the body I wanted to keep?

Press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z) to undo the last eraser stroke. You can undo multiple times to go back several steps. If you have already saved and closed the file, you cannot recover the erased area, so work carefully and save often as you go.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.