diff --git a/src/components/SpriteCanvas.vue b/src/components/SpriteCanvas.vue
index 908d556..f178d64 100644
--- a/src/components/SpriteCanvas.vue
+++ b/src/components/SpriteCanvas.vue
@@ -26,14 +26,14 @@
         <!-- Background color picker -->
         <div class="flex items-center gap-2">
           <label for="bg-color" class="dark:text-gray-200 text-sm sm:text-base">Background:</label>
-          <select id="bg-color" v-model="settingsStore.backgroundColor" class="px-2 py-1 border border-gray-300 dark:border-gray-600 rounded bg-white dark:bg-gray-700 dark:text-gray-200 text-sm">
+          <select id="bg-color" v-model="bgSelectValue" class="px-2 py-1 border border-gray-300 dark:border-gray-600 rounded bg-white dark:bg-gray-700 dark:text-gray-200 text-sm">
             <option value="transparent">Transparent</option>
             <option value="#ffffff">White</option>
             <option value="#000000">Black</option>
             <option value="#f9fafb">Light Gray</option>
             <option value="custom">Custom...</option>
           </select>
-          <input v-if="settingsStore.backgroundColor === 'custom'" type="color" v-model="customColor" @input="settingsStore.setBackgroundColor(customColor)" class="w-8 h-8 border border-gray-300 dark:border-gray-600 rounded cursor-pointer" />
+          <input v-if="bgSelectValue === 'custom'" type="color" v-model="customColor" @input="settingsStore.setBackgroundColor(customColor)" class="w-8 h-8 border border-gray-300 dark:border-gray-600 rounded cursor-pointer" />
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@
 </template>
 
 <script setup lang="ts">
-  import { ref, onMounted, watch, onUnmounted, toRef, computed } from 'vue';
+  import { ref, onMounted, watch, onUnmounted, toRef, computed, nextTick } from 'vue';
   import { useSettingsStore } from '@/stores/useSettingsStore';
   import type { Sprite } from '@/types/sprites';
   import { useCanvas2D } from '@/composables/useCanvas2D';
@@ -213,6 +213,69 @@
   const fileInput = ref<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);
   const customColor = ref('#ffffff');
 
+  // Background select handling: keep the select stable on "custom"
+  const presetBgColors = ['transparent', '#ffffff', '#000000', '#f9fafb'] as const;
+  const isHexColor = (val: string) => /^#([0-9a-fA-F]{3}|[0-9a-fA-F]{6}|[0-9a-fA-F]{8})$/.test(val);
+
+  // Ensure customColor mirrors the current stored custom color (only when needed)
+  if (isHexColor(settingsStore.backgroundColor) && !presetBgColors.includes(settingsStore.backgroundColor as any)) {
+    customColor.value = settingsStore.backgroundColor;
+  }
+
+  // Track if user is in custom mode to keep picker visible
+  // Initialize to true if current color is custom
+  const isCustomMode = ref(isHexColor(settingsStore.backgroundColor) && !presetBgColors.includes(settingsStore.backgroundColor as any));
+
+  const bgSelectValue = computed<string>({
+    get() {
+      // If user explicitly entered custom mode, stay in it regardless of color value
+      if (isCustomMode.value) {
+        // Keep color picker synced
+        const val = settingsStore.backgroundColor;
+        if (isHexColor(val)) {
+          customColor.value = val;
+        }
+        return 'custom';
+      }
+
+      const val = settingsStore.backgroundColor;
+      if (presetBgColors.includes(val as any)) return val;
+      if (isHexColor(val)) {
+        // Keep the color picker open and sync its swatch
+        customColor.value = val;
+        isCustomMode.value = true; // Auto-enable custom mode for non-preset hex colors
+        return 'custom';
+      }
+      // Fallback
+      return 'transparent';
+    },
+    set(v: string) {
+      if (v === 'custom') {
+        isCustomMode.value = true;
+        // Switch UI to custom mode but keep the stored value as a color
+        const fallback = '#ffffff';
+        const current = settingsStore.backgroundColor;
+        const fromStore = isHexColor(current) ? current : null;
+        const fromLocal = isHexColor(customColor.value) ? customColor.value : null;
+        const color = fromStore || fromLocal || fallback;
+        customColor.value = color;
+        settingsStore.setBackgroundColor(color);
+      } else {
+        isCustomMode.value = false;
+        settingsStore.setBackgroundColor(v);
+      }
+    },
+  });
+
+  // Ensure canvas redraw and UI flush after background changes
+  watch(
+    () => settingsStore.backgroundColor,
+    async () => {
+      await nextTick();
+      requestDraw();
+    }
+  );
+
   // Grid metrics used to position offset labels relative to cell size
   const gridMetrics = computed(() => calculateMaxDimensions());
 
diff --git a/src/composables/useExport.ts b/src/composables/useExport.ts
index f5e9050..ae84853 100644
--- a/src/composables/useExport.ts
+++ b/src/composables/useExport.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import type { Sprite } from '../types/sprites';
 import { getMaxDimensions } from './useSprites';
 import { calculateNegativeSpacing } from './useNegativeSpacing';
 
-export const useExport = (sprites: Ref<Sprite[]>, columns: Ref<number>, negativeSpacingEnabled: Ref<boolean>) => {
+export const useExport = (sprites: Ref<Sprite[]>, columns: Ref<number>, negativeSpacingEnabled: Ref<boolean>, backgroundColor?: Ref<string>) => {
   const downloadSpritesheet = () => {
     if (!sprites.value.length) {
       alert('Please upload or import sprites before downloading the spritesheet.');
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@ export const useExport = (sprites: Ref<Sprite[]>, columns: Ref<number>, negative
     canvas.height = cellHeight * rows;
     ctx.imageSmoothingEnabled = false;
 
+    // Apply background color if not transparent
+    if (backgroundColor?.value && backgroundColor.value !== 'transparent') {
+      ctx.fillStyle = backgroundColor.value;
+      ctx.fillRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
+    }
+
     sprites.value.forEach((sprite, index) => {
       const col = index % columns.value;
       const row = Math.floor(index / columns.value);
@@ -71,6 +77,7 @@ export const useExport = (sprites: Ref<Sprite[]>, columns: Ref<number>, negative
     const jsonData = {
       columns: columns.value,
       negativeSpacingEnabled: negativeSpacingEnabled.value,
+      backgroundColor: backgroundColor?.value || 'transparent',
       sprites: spritesData.filter(Boolean),
     };
     const jsonString = JSON.stringify(jsonData, null, 2);
@@ -91,6 +98,7 @@ export const useExport = (sprites: Ref<Sprite[]>, columns: Ref<number>, negative
 
     if (jsonData.columns && typeof jsonData.columns === 'number') columns.value = jsonData.columns;
     if (typeof jsonData.negativeSpacingEnabled === 'boolean') negativeSpacingEnabled.value = jsonData.negativeSpacingEnabled;
+    if (typeof jsonData.backgroundColor === 'string' && backgroundColor) backgroundColor.value = jsonData.backgroundColor;
 
     // revoke existing blob urls
     if (sprites.value.length) {
@@ -156,6 +164,11 @@ export const useExport = (sprites: Ref<Sprite[]>, columns: Ref<number>, negative
 
     sprites.value.forEach(sprite => {
       ctx.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
+      // Apply background color if not transparent
+      if (backgroundColor?.value && backgroundColor.value !== 'transparent') {
+        ctx.fillStyle = backgroundColor.value;
+        ctx.fillRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
+      }
       ctx.drawImage(sprite.img, Math.floor(negativeSpacing + sprite.x), Math.floor(negativeSpacing + sprite.y));
       gif.addFrame(ctx, { copy: true, delay: 1000 / fps });
     });
@@ -192,6 +205,11 @@ export const useExport = (sprites: Ref<Sprite[]>, columns: Ref<number>, negative
 
     sprites.value.forEach((sprite, index) => {
       ctx.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
+      // Apply background color if not transparent
+      if (backgroundColor?.value && backgroundColor.value !== 'transparent') {
+        ctx.fillStyle = backgroundColor.value;
+        ctx.fillRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
+      }
       ctx.drawImage(sprite.img, Math.floor(negativeSpacing + sprite.x), Math.floor(negativeSpacing + sprite.y));
       const dataURL = canvas.toDataURL('image/png');
       const binary = atob(dataURL.split(',')[1]);
diff --git a/src/composables/useExportLayers.ts b/src/composables/useExportLayers.ts
index f77049b..d348e1d 100644
--- a/src/composables/useExportLayers.ts
+++ b/src/composables/useExportLayers.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@ export const useExportLayers = (layersRef: Ref<Layer[]>, columns: Ref<number>, n
     canvas.height = cellHeight * rows;
     ctx.imageSmoothingEnabled = false;
 
+    // Apply background color to entire canvas if not transparent
+    if (backgroundColor?.value && backgroundColor.value !== 'transparent') {
+      ctx.fillStyle = backgroundColor.value;
+      ctx.fillRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
+    }
+
     for (let index = 0; index < maxLen; index++) {
       const col = index % columns.value;
       const row = Math.floor(index / columns.value);
@@ -57,6 +63,7 @@ export const useExportLayers = (layersRef: Ref<Layer[]>, columns: Ref<number>, n
       if (!cellCtx) return;
       cellCanvas.width = cellWidth;
       cellCanvas.height = cellHeight;
+      cellCtx.imageSmoothingEnabled = false;
       drawCompositeCell(cellCtx, index, cellWidth, cellHeight, negativeSpacing);
       ctx.drawImage(cellCanvas, cellX, cellY);
     }
@@ -92,7 +99,13 @@ export const useExportLayers = (layersRef: Ref<Layer[]>, columns: Ref<number>, n
       })
     );
 
-    const json = { version: 2, columns: columns.value, negativeSpacingEnabled: negativeSpacingEnabled.value, layers: layersData };
+    const json = {
+      version: 2,
+      columns: columns.value,
+      negativeSpacingEnabled: negativeSpacingEnabled.value,
+      backgroundColor: backgroundColor?.value || 'transparent',
+      layers: layersData,
+    };
     const jsonString = JSON.stringify(json, null, 2);
     const blob = new Blob([jsonString], { type: 'application/json' });
     const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
@@ -126,6 +139,7 @@ export const useExportLayers = (layersRef: Ref<Layer[]>, columns: Ref<number>, n
 
     if (typeof data.columns === 'number') columns.value = data.columns;
     if (typeof data.negativeSpacingEnabled === 'boolean') negativeSpacingEnabled.value = data.negativeSpacingEnabled;
+    if (typeof data.backgroundColor === 'string' && backgroundColor) backgroundColor.value = data.backgroundColor;
 
     if (Array.isArray(data.layers)) {
       const newLayers: Layer[] = [];
@@ -244,7 +258,13 @@ export const useExportLayers = (layersRef: Ref<Layer[]>, columns: Ref<number>, n
           sprites: await Promise.all(layer.sprites.map(async s => ({ id: s.id, width: s.width, height: s.height, x: s.x, y: s.y, name: s.file.name }))),
         }))
       );
-      const meta = { version: 2, columns: columns.value, negativeSpacingEnabled: negativeSpacingEnabled.value, layers: layersPayload };
+      const meta = {
+        version: 2,
+        columns: columns.value,
+        negativeSpacingEnabled: negativeSpacingEnabled.value,
+        backgroundColor: backgroundColor?.value || 'transparent',
+        layers: layersPayload,
+      };
       const metaStr = JSON.stringify(meta, null, 2);
       jsonFolder.file('spritesheet.meta.json', metaStr);
     })();