The short answer
Why use Bulge & Pinch?
A tilted, flipped, or distorted photo is distracting even when the picture is good. Here you can see the change as you make it and undo it easily.
Strength runs from −100 to 100. Positive values swell the area around the center outward like a magnifying glass, negative values pull it inward, and 0 changes nothing. Radius sets the size of the affected circle as a percentage of the shorter side of the photo, and the center moves wherever you tap or drag on the preview.
Only pixels inside the circle move, and the effect fades out toward its edge, so the rest of the photo stays as it was. For a funny face, put the center on the nose and set the radius to about the width of the face; a much larger radius starts bending the background too.
Fish Eye uses the same kind of circle but only bulges, with a stronger lens-like curve. Swirl twists the circle instead of scaling it. Liquify is the hand-drawn option when one round area is not enough.
Where Bulge & Pinch fits
Funny faces
Give a friend a giant nose or tiny eyes for the group chat.
Meme edits
Swell one object in a photo so it becomes the punchline.
Warped lettering
Pinch the middle of a word or logo for a bent poster look.
Start to finish
How to use Bulge & Pinch
- 01Tap Choose image, drop a photo on the box, or paste one from your clipboard.
- 02Tap the preview where the effect should center, then set Strength (−100 to 100, default 50) and Radius (default 45%).
- 03Tap Apply changes, then Download result to save the distorted PNG.
What to expect from Bulge & Pinch
| Check | What it means here |
|---|---|
| Supported input | JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, SVG and browser-supported AVIF images |
| Main controls | Angle, strength, center, radius, or inset, depending on the tool |
| Output | A PNG image with the change applied |
| Working limit | 50 MB and 50 megapixels per image |
Bulge & Pinch tips
- Set Strength below 0 to squeeze the area inward instead of swelling it.
- Keep Radius close to the width of a face so the background does not bend.
- Type Center X and Center Y as percentages when tapping on a small screen is too rough.
- For a stronger lens curve that only bulges, try Fish Eye.
Bulge & Pinch FAQ
Something missing? Ask us.
How do I move the center of the effect?
Does Bulge & Pinch upload my file?
Is Bulge & Pinch free to use?
Why did Bulge & Pinch fail or look wrong?
Related tools
More in Transform & Distort.