How can I create transparent images in MS Paint?

I want to know how to draw transparent images in Microsoft Paint for Windows 7.

I searched on Google but couldn't find anything for Microsoft Paint in Windows 7.

E.g. I want to draw a star for my application. But I want that when I display it on black background then there should be no rectangular image with a white background and a star on it. It must be a proper star.

Try Paint.NET for size. I tried GimpShop before, but did not like it. Paint.NET is to MS Paint what Notepad++ is to Notepad :)

To change an image to have a transparent background:

1. Install Paint.NET
2. Download AlphaMask plugin
3. Extract AlphaMask.dll to \Paint.NET\Effects (note you will likely need to unblock the file)
4. Open Paint.NET
5. Open your file
6. Copy the content you want to make have a transparent background (ctrl+a, ctrl+c to select all and copy)
7. Effects Menu > Alpha Mask...
8. check Invert Mask, check Mix Alpha, leave checked Paste from Clipboard
9. Click OK
10. File Menu > Save as, save as type PNG (*.png)
11. Defaults are fine, OK one last time

source

Rather than deal with Paint, you should try GIMP.

http://www.gimp.org

It allows you to set any color you want to transparent so you can just fill the background of the image with some radical green or pink or something that doesnt show up anywhere in your star and then set that color to transparent.

Since youre dealing with image manipulation for applications I would also recommend it because it just generally has more functions and better support than Paint, and its free.

This documentation shows you the menu, and what you'll want to do is click 'color to alpha' where you can enter the color code (get it with the eyedrop tool) that you want to send to alpha (transparent)

http://docs.gimp.org/en/gimp-layer-transparency-menu.html

This is what I do when I want to set the background colour of a picture to be transparent:

1. Open Ms.Word and paste the picture
2. Format / Color / Set Transparent Colour and select the background colour
3. Right click on the image and pick "Save as Picture" and save as PNG