The short answer
Why use Blur?
A blurred copy of a photo makes a calm background for text on a slide, a story or a website banner. Here it is one slider, and the edges stay filled instead of fading into a dark or see-through border.
The blur slider covers 0 to 100, with 50 preset. The blur radius is Amount divided by 5, measured against a 1400 pixel long side, so 50 gives about 10 pixels at that size and 100 gives about 20. On a bigger photo the radius grows with it, so the preview and the full-size download look the same.
A plain blur pulls in empty pixels from outside the picture and leaves a dark or faded rim. This tool copies the border pixels outward before blurring, so the edges stay clean. In browsers without canvas filter support, a box blur is used instead, which looks very slightly blockier at high amounts.
Blur Frame blurs only the edges and keeps the middle sharp. Lens Blur, Bokeh and Tilt Shift keep a chosen area in focus while the rest softens. For hiding faces, number plates or text, Blur Face and License Plate Blur work only on the areas you mark.
Where Blur fits
Story backgrounds
Blur a photo behind a quote for an Instagram story so the words stay readable.
Lock screen wallpaper
Soften a photo so app icons sit clearly on top of your phone's home screen.
Website hero sections
Blur a large banner photo so the headline over it reads at any screen width.
Start to finish
How to use Blur
- 01Tap Choose image and pick the photo to soften.
- 02Move Amount from its default of 50; every 5 points adds about one pixel of blur radius at 1400 pixels.
- 03Tap Apply changes, check that the edges stayed filled, then tap Download result.
What to expect from Blur
| Check | What it means here |
|---|---|
| Supported input | JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, SVG and browser-supported AVIF images |
| Main controls | Amount slider, plus a color picker for effects that need one |
| Output | A PNG image with the effect applied |
| Working limit | 50 MB and 50 megapixels per image |
Blur tips
- Amount 80 to 100 turns a busy photo into a smooth color wash behind text.
- Blur does not hide a face reliably at low amounts; use Blur Face for privacy.
- Large photos get a proportionally larger radius, so the download matches the preview.
- Save as WebP later with Compress Image; blurred images compress very well.
Blur FAQ
Something missing? Ask us.
Can I blur only part of the picture?
Is a blur safe for hiding text or a face?
Does Blur upload my file?
Is Blur free to use?
Why did Blur fail or look wrong?
Related tools
More in Filters & Effects.