# Request for help: checkerboard background

**URL:** https://forums.synfig.org/t/request-for-help-checkerboard-background/16824
**Category:** Synfig related help
**Created:** [October 13, 2025, 5:03pm UTC](https://forums.synfig.org/t/request-for-help-checkerboard-background/16824 "2025-10-13T17:03:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![beginner](https://forums.synfig.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@beginner](https://forums.synfig.org/u/beginner)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2025, 5:03pm UTC](https://forums.synfig.org/t/request-for-help-checkerboard-background/16824/1 "2025-10-13T17:03:52Z")

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Hopefully this is the correct forum

for my very basic question:

How do I remove the (annoying)

checkerboard background

while creating an animation?

Any help is appreciated.

 ![CheckerBoard](https://forums.synfig.org/uploads/default/original/2X/0/0a008d8fca7adc0a47c24ed63919cb8e414d179b.png)

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### Author: ![rodolforg](https://forums.synfig.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@rodolforg](https://forums.synfig.org/u/rodolforg)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2025, 9:46pm UTC](https://forums.synfig.org/t/request-for-help-checkerboard-background/16824/2 "2025-10-13T21:46:25Z")

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That checkerboard is only a visual gimmick to tell the background is transparent (if the target/export file type supports it, like png and gif, for example).

You can add a background color by using a layer [Solid Color](https://synfig.readthedocs.io/en/latest/layers/solid_color.html) (Geometry category).

If you want to automatically add it to any Synfig document, change it in Preferences dialog (section Document \> Default Background)

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### Author: ![BobSynfig](https://forums.synfig.org/user_avatar/forums.synfig.org/bobsynfig/32/175_2.png) [@BobSynfig](https://forums.synfig.org/u/BobSynfig)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2025, 9:01am UTC](https://forums.synfig.org/t/request-for-help-checkerboard-background/16824/3 "2025-10-14T09:01:37Z")

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I agree, I always found it annoying too!

 ![a91b5i](https://forums.synfig.org/uploads/default/original/2X/1/176feb1e8ac6a81243eff3a547948d4465480547.jpeg)

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### Author: ![beginner](https://forums.synfig.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@beginner](https://forums.synfig.org/u/beginner)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2025, 4:26am UTC](https://forums.synfig.org/t/request-for-help-checkerboard-background/16824/4 "2025-10-16T04:26:34Z")

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Thank you for solving my problem!