How to Blur a Face in a Photo

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Social media is more invasive than ever with tagging and linking personal information with pictures. In some situations, like with young kids, you might not want these pictures to be available online. It’s a good thing there are a variety of options for blurring faces in photos. You can blur faces using a website, an Android or iOS app, or a computer image editor.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Choosing a Blurring Service

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  1. Windows based computers often come with MS Paint , a simple image editing program. Apple computers have Paintbrush and other image manipulating programs as well. [1]
    • These programs may be found in various locations on your computer, so it may be quickest to do a keyword search for “MS Paint” or “Paintbrush.”
    • To bring up the search function in Windows, press the ⊞ Win and S keys at the same time. [2] Similarly, access the Apple Finder function by pressing ⌘ Cmd and F . [3]
    • Other common image manipulating programs you might want to search for (some might suit you better than others) include: Adobe Photoshop, CorelDraw, and GIMP.
  2. Free-to-use sites are often the quickest and easiest way of blurring a photo. Many of these don’t require registration or new software; all you need to do is visit the site, upload your picture, then use the site interface to blur the faces. [4]
    • Some common free-to-use sites include PicMonkey, LunaPic, and PhotoHide. Of these three, LunaPic is unique in that it automatically detects and blurs faces the moment your picture is uploaded.
    • If privacy is a concern, be sure to read the site's terms of use and user agreement carefully. Some sites may record your photos after you upload them.
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  3. A feature common to pay-to-use sites is auto-pixelation, which automatically blurs faces. This can be a real time saver if you’ll have to blur faces frequently.
    • You might also find pay-to-use services offer a wider range of pixelation options, like light or moderate blurring, which can be used for stylistic effect.
    • Lighter blurring will be less obtrusive than heavy blurring, which can make a blurred image more prominent.
    • The face detection processes of most pay-to-use services are usually higher quality than free to use services.
  4. There are quite a few apps out there for blurring your face and protecting your identity in pics. Some may suit your needs better than others. For example, some apps offer fun filters along with the classic pixelated blurring effect. [5]
    • Try finding apps by searching for things like, “face blurring apps,” “face pixelating apps,” “apps to blur faces,” and so on.
    • Check out user comments about the app. If it seems like the app team does a good job of responding to customer feedback, it’s usually a good sign.
    • Common Android blurring apps include ObscuraCam, Android Hide Face, and Pixlr. iOS blurring apps that are popular include Touch Blur, Photo Editor, and TADAA.
  5. If you’re trying to protect your privacy with blurring, it’s unlikely you’ll want sites saving unblurred copies. Read the privacy agreement and user information carefully before using a service. If you have any doubts, find another service.
    • If you’re uncertain whether a site is safe or not, do a general keyword search online for reviews about it. For example, you might search for “reviews for blurmyface.com.” [6]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Obscuring Faces with an Image Editor

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  1. In Windows, right click the photo you want to blur. Right clicking will open a drop-down menu. Hover your cursor over the “Open with” option in the drop-down menu, and select MS Paint, Photoshop, or “Choose another app.”
    • If you have to select “Choose another app,” a pop-up window will open a directory of programs. You’ll have to find your image editor in this directory. Try looking in the “Windows Accessories” folder. [7]
    • Apple users. Hold Ctrl and click the image you want to blur to open a drop-down menu where you’ll find “Open with.” Select Paintbrush, another program, or choose “Other…” to select an editor from your computer program directory. [8]
  2. Even basic image editors usually have a blur tool. In some cases, this may be a warping wand that distorts color, effectively hiding identity similarly to blurring. [9] Use the help feature of your image editor to search for “blur,” “blurring,” or “blur tool.”
    • Most programs have a visible “Help” tab somewhere at the top of the program window. “Help” is often the farthest right option in the standard status bar tabs (like “File,” “Edit,” “View,” “Options,” etc.).
  3. If your program uses a blurring tool, in most cases you can apply the blurring effect by clicking and dragging your cursor over the faces you wish to hide. [10] Some editors may create a blurred circle that overlays faces in the picture. These circles are often drawn by clicking and dragging. [11]
  4. Once you’re satisfied that the identities in your picture are sufficiently blurred, save the picture. Now it’s ready to be posted wherever you like, without it compromising your privacy.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Is there an app that blurs out faces?
    Annie Tao
    Professional Photographer
    Annie Tao is an award-winning Professional Lifestyle and Commercial Photographer and the Owner of Annie Tao Photography based in the San Francisco Bay Area. While some of her commercial clients include Starbucks, PayPal, Rice University, and United Airlines, Annie is also passionate about capturing genuine emotions and real moments in people’s lives. She has been recognized as Kodak’s Featured Photographer and has had work featured in The Wall Street Journal, Brides Magazine, and Glamour & Grace.
    Annie Tao
    Professional Photographer
    Expert Answer
    Yes, there are tons of free photo editing apps you can download that will do this.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 4 Helpful 1
  • Question
    Is there any way to blur photos in the camera?
    Annie Tao
    Professional Photographer
    Annie Tao is an award-winning Professional Lifestyle and Commercial Photographer and the Owner of Annie Tao Photography based in the San Francisco Bay Area. While some of her commercial clients include Starbucks, PayPal, Rice University, and United Airlines, Annie is also passionate about capturing genuine emotions and real moments in people’s lives. She has been recognized as Kodak’s Featured Photographer and has had work featured in The Wall Street Journal, Brides Magazine, and Glamour & Grace.
    Annie Tao
    Professional Photographer
    Expert Answer
    If you have a DSLR, you can adjust the aperture, which is the F/ stop, to a lower number. Typically, anything between 1.4 and 5.6 will make it easy to control what's blurry and what isn't. This effect is called "bokeh."
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 1
  • Question
    Which programs can I use on the computer to blur faces?
    Annie Tao
    Professional Photographer
    Annie Tao is an award-winning Professional Lifestyle and Commercial Photographer and the Owner of Annie Tao Photography based in the San Francisco Bay Area. While some of her commercial clients include Starbucks, PayPal, Rice University, and United Airlines, Annie is also passionate about capturing genuine emotions and real moments in people’s lives. She has been recognized as Kodak’s Featured Photographer and has had work featured in The Wall Street Journal, Brides Magazine, and Glamour & Grace.
    Annie Tao
    Professional Photographer
    Expert Answer
    Photoshop and Lightroom are probably the two most popular options out there. You just pull the image up in the program and use the blur tool to manually blur out any face you want to hide.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      References

      1. ↑ Annie Tao. Professional Photographer. Expert Interview. 3 March 2021.
      2. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201236
      4. ↑ Annie Tao. Professional Photographer. Expert Interview. 3 March 2021.
      5. ↑ Annie Tao. Professional Photographer. Expert Interview. 3 March 2021.
      6. ↑ http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-spot-a-fake-fraudulent-or-scam-website
      7. ↑ https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/windows-and-office/take-control-of-your-windows-7-open-with-menus/
      8. ↑ http://www.macworld.com/article/1152586/os-x/openwith.html
      9. ↑ http://simplephotoshop.com/photoshop_tools/blur_toolf.htm
      1. ↑ http://simplephotoshop.com/photoshop_tools/blur_toolf.htm
      2. ↑ https://techglimpse.com/blur-effect-tool-mspaint-windows-trick/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you want to blur a face in a photo, try using an app on your phone. Popular blurring apps for Android include ObscuraCam, Android Hide Face, and Pixlr. If you have an iPhone, try Touch Blur, Photo Editor, or TADAA. You can also use a free photo-editing website, like PicMonkey, LunaPic, or Photohide. Just upload your photo to the website, then use the blurring tool to blur the face in your picture. To learn how to find the blurring tool in your computer's image editor program, keep reading!

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