How to Add a Realistic Shadow to Product Photos (Free Tool)

Why cutout product photos need a shadow

Once a product's background is removed, the result can look "pasted on" a new background rather than naturally sitting in the scene. A shadow is the visual cue that grounds an object in space — without it, even a perfectly clean cutout can look artificial.

The five shadow styles, and when to use each

• Natural — a subtle, everyday shadow suited to most product photos.
• Soft — a larger, gentler blur for a softer overall look.
• Studio — a bigger, more diffused shadow that mimics a professional light table setup.
• Floating — the shadow sits with a visible gap beneath the product, making it look lifted.
• Reflection — mirrors the product with a fading gradient instead of a shadow, often used for tech and glossy products.

How to add a shadow

1. Open the Product Shadow Generator.
2. Upload a product photo — ideally a transparent PNG from the Background Remover.
3. Choose a shadow style.
4. Download the result — a transparent PNG with the shadow composited beneath your product.

Why start from a transparent cutout

The shadow shape is derived from the image's transparent areas, so a clean cutout produces a shadow that matches your product's actual silhouette. Running the tool on a photo that still has its original background produces a plain rectangular shadow instead.

Frequently asked questions

Which style looks best for jewelry or glossy products? Reflection tends to suit glossy, symmetrical products particularly well.

Can I control the shadow's direction or angle? Not yet — each style has a fixed, professionally-tuned angle and softness.

Related tools

Chain this with the Background Remover first, then the AI Product Photo Optimizer if you want the whole pipeline — background removal, brightening, shadow, and centering — done in a single step.