Blur the faces in a photo
To blur a face, drop your photo, then tap "Detect faces" if your browser offers it, or drag a box over each face with your finger or mouse. Choose blur or pixelation and the strength, then download. The image is processed in your browser and is never uploaded to any server.
- ✅ Free
- 🔒 No sign-up
- 📱 Works on mobile
- ⚡ Instant results
🔒 Everything runs in your browser. Your data and files never leave your device.
📌 Key facts
- To blur a face, the tool either spreads its pixels (Gaussian blur) or replaces them with average-color blocks (pixelation).
- Strength runs from 1 to 10; blur gives good anonymity from 6 up, pixelation from 5 up.
- The tool reads JPG, PNG, WebP and GIF images up to 60 MB and exports JPG, PNG or WebP.
- Automatic face detection (the FaceDetector API) exists only in some browsers; otherwise you draw each area by hand.
- Your photo is never uploaded, and GPS data is not copied into the new file.
Blur or pixelate: which to use
Gaussian blur spreads each pixel across its neighbors, turning a face into a soft smudge that looks natural. Pixelation replaces each block with its average color, which is crisper and makes it obvious that something was censored.
| Blur | Pixelate | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Soft | Blocky |
| Anonymity | Good at strength 6+ | Good at strength 5+ |
| Best for | Social posts, group photos | Documents, screenshots |
A light blur can sometimes be partly reversed with software. For real anonymity raise the strength and cover the whole face, forehead and chin included.
Automatic detection or manual areas
Some desktop and Android browsers include face detection (the FaceDetector API). When it exists it runs on your device and contacts no server. When it does not, you draw a box or oval yourself, which is quick even for ten faces.
Either way you can move each area by touching it, resize it with the purple handle, or delete it. The detector may miss a small face or a profile, so always check the result before posting.
Privacy tips
- Also blur anything that identifies: license plates, badges, screens, an address on an envelope.
- Prepare the photo here, then post the downloaded file: your original is untouched.
- Image metadata (GPS location, phone model) is not copied into the new file.
- For other families' children, get the parents' consent or blur them every time.
How to blur a face in 4 steps
- First, drop your photo: the tool reads JPG, PNG, WebP and GIF files up to 60 MB.
- Next, tap "Detect faces" or drag a box over each face.
- Then pick blur or pixelate, the shape (oval or box) and a strength from 1 to 10.
- Finally, choose JPG, PNG or WebP and download the photo.
When you blur a face, an oval follows the head better than a box. That way the background stays sharp. But on a square avatar, a box works fine.
What strength to use when you blur faces
| Strength | Effect | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Light, the person is still recognizable | Hiding a minor detail |
| 4 to 5 | Medium, check it up close | Distant passersby, background |
| 6 to 10 | Strong, face unreadable | Kids, documents, real anonymity |
If you want to blur a face for good, pick 7 or higher. The strength scales with the size of the area. So the same setting works on a small photo and on a large one.
Then zoom in on the result. If you can still tell who it is, raise the strength one notch.
Common mistakes when you blur a face
- Missing a profile or a face in the background, so reread the whole photo before you download.
- Drawing the area too small, which leaves the forehead and chin visible.
- Posting the original by accident, so always share the downloaded file.
- Ignoring other clues, because a license plate, badge or tattoo can also give someone away.
For example, after a school field trip, it is better to blur every child's face than to miss one. When you finish, you can crop your image, compress it or open the photo editor. If you would rather isolate a person than hide them, also try remove background.
Blur a face on your phone or computer
On a phone, draw the area with your finger. Then move it by touching it. When you need more precision, pinch to zoom the page.
On a computer, the mouse draws a box or an oval in seconds. So you can blur a face in under a minute, even with ten people in the shot.
Next, pick the format of the downloaded file:
- JPG: light, perfect for social media posts.
- PNG: lossless, handy for a screenshot with text.
- WebP: compact, but only recent browsers can open it.
In all three cases, your browser does the work. So the photo stays on your device from start to finish.
3 real-life examples
A class photo for a blog
You want to show the field trip without exposing students. Drop the photo, draw an oval on each face, pixelate at strength 8: nobody is recognizable.
A screenshot with names
A screenshot shows profile pictures. Use rectangle mode and a strong blur on each avatar: the rest of the screenshot stays readable.
A stranger in your landscape
A passerby appears in the foreground. One oval area, blur at strength 7: the photo stays beautiful and the person is anonymous.