Blur faces, number plates, addresses and usernames in a photo or screenshot before you share it. Drag a box over anything you want to hide, choose blur, pixelate or a solid box, and download. It’s free, works on your phone, and your image never leaves your browser.
Blur & redact
Hide faces, plates, addresses and usernames before you share.
Drag over anything you want to hide. Click an area to select it, drag to move it, or use the corner handle to resize.
Hiding text? For addresses, passwords or card details, use Solid box. It can’t be reversed, while light blur or big pixels can sometimes be read back. The downloaded copy also has its hidden metadata (like GPS location) removed.
How to blur part of an image
- Drop in your photo, click to choose one, or paste a screenshot with Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on a Mac).
- Drag a box over the face, plate, name or text you want to hide. Add as many areas as you need.
- Pick Blur, Pixelate or Solid box, set the strength, and choose a box or an oval. Ovals look more natural on faces.
- Click an area to move it, use the corner handle to resize it, or press the × to remove it.
- Click Download image. You get the full-size image in its original format.
Blur, pixelate or solid box: which should you use?
| Effect | Best for | How safe is it? |
|---|---|---|
| Blur | Faces, backgrounds, people walking past, number plates in everyday posts | Strong blur hides detail well. Light blur on large text can sometimes still be guessed. |
| Pixelate | A classic “censored” look, faces, logos | Big blocks hide detail. Small blocks over text can sometimes be reconstructed. |
| Solid box | Passwords, addresses, card numbers, documents, private messages | The safest option: the hidden pixels are replaced completely and can’t be recovered. |
Rule of thumb: use Solid box for anything that would be a problem if someone read it, and blur or pixelate when you just want something out of focus.
What to hide before you post
- Faces of people who didn’t agree to be in your photo, especially children.
- Number plates, house numbers and street signs that reveal where you live.
- Names, emails and phone numbers in screenshots of chats, comments or dashboards.
- Notifications and usernames visible at the top of a phone screenshot.
- QR codes and barcodes on tickets, boarding passes and parcels.
- Documents, ID cards, invoices and anything with an account number.
Blurring part of a YouTube thumbnail
A light blur on the background makes the subject of a thumbnail pop, and it’s also the quickest way to hide a face or a name you can’t show. Blur the area here, download it, then check how it looks in a real feed with the YouTube Thumbnail Tester.
Your image stays private
Everything happens on your own device: the image isn’t uploaded anywhere. The downloaded copy is also saved without hidden metadata such as the GPS location where the photo was taken. To clean photos without blurring anything, use the Metadata Remover.
Frequently asked questions
Is this blur tool free?
Yes. There’s no signup, no watermark and no limit on how many images you blur.
Can a blurred image be unblurred?
A strong blur or a solid box can’t simply be undone. Light blur or small pixels over text can sometimes be read back, which is why we recommend a solid box for sensitive text.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. Open the page on your phone, choose a photo from your gallery and drag with your finger to mark the areas.
Will my photo lose quality?
Only the areas you mark are changed. The rest of the image is saved at full resolution in its original format (JPEG, PNG or WebP).
Can I blur a video?
This tool works on images. For video, blur each frame in your editing app, or export a still frame and blur that for your thumbnail.
More free tools: Watermark Tool · Metadata Remover · Post Prep