How to blur part of a picture on iPhone
The iPhone can blur a background, pixelate a face and cover text, but each needs a different tool, and none of them is called “blur”. Here’s which one to use for what you’re hiding.
By the BlurTap team · Updated
Short answer: to hide text, numbers or a screen, open the photo, tap Edit → Markup and cover it with a filled shape. To hide a face, use Clean Up (pixelates it) or a face-blur app. To blur the background, use Edit → Portrait on a photo with depth information.
Which tool for which job
| You want to hide | Best built-in option | Faster option |
|---|---|---|
| Text, numbers, a name | Markup: filled shape | Crop it out |
| Part of a screenshot | Markup: filled shape, or crop | Crop it out |
| A face | Clean Up (pixelates) | Automatic face blur |
| Many faces, or a video | None | Automatic face blur |
| License plate | Markup: filled shape | Automatic plate blur |
| The whole background | Portrait depth slider | n/a |
Hide text or part of a screenshot (Markup)
- Open the photo or screenshot in Photos and tap Edit, then the Markup (pen tip) icon. For a fresh screenshot, tap the thumbnail in the corner to go straight to Markup.
- Tap + and choose a shape. Set it to filled, in black or a colour that suits the image.
- Drag and resize it over the text. Repeat for each item.
- Tap Done.
Not the highlighter. It’s see-through, and adjusting brightness or contrast brings the text back. Pixelating text isn’t safe either: there are tools that read pixelated screenshot text. Why some blurs can be reversed.
Blur a face (Clean Up)
On iPhones that support Apple Intelligence, Edit → Clean Up pixelates a face when you brush over it. It handles one face per stroke and photos only. The full walkthrough, and the alternatives for older iPhones, are in how to blur faces on iPhone. For moving faces, see blurring a face in a video.
Blur the background (Portrait)
- Open a photo taken in Portrait mode (it shows a Portrait label) and tap Edit.
- Tap Portrait at the top if it’s off.
- Tap the f button and drag the slider. A lower number means a blurrier background.
- Tap Done.
Portrait blur is for looks, not privacy. Background blur is light, and a house number or plate behind someone can often still be read.
Blur any area automatically
BlurTap detects faces, license plates, text and addresses in photos and videos and blurs them in one pass, on your iPhone. It also removes the GPS location from the copy you share. To blur a single photo without installing anything, use the free online blur tool: faces are blurred automatically and you can drag a box over anything else.
Before you share
- Zoom in to check nothing shows through the edges of a cover.
- Check reflections, screens and windows in the background.
- Share without location: Share → Options → Location off. More ways to remove location.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a blur tool in the iPhone Photos app?
Not a general one. Photos can blur the background of Portrait photos, and Clean Up (on iPhones with Apple Intelligence) pixelates a face you brush over. There’s no brush for blurring any area you choose, so for text, screens or objects you either cover them with Markup or use another app.
How do I blur the background of a photo on iPhone?
If it was taken in Portrait mode, open it, tap Edit, then Portrait, and drag the f (depth) slider to a lower number for more blur. Recent iPhones can also save depth information for regular photos when a person or pet is in the frame, which lets you turn on Portrait afterwards. Photos without depth information can’t be blurred this way.
How do I blur text in a screenshot on iPhone?
Open the screenshot, tap Markup, add a filled shape or use the pen at full opacity, and cover the text completely. Or crop it out. Avoid the highlighter and pixelation for text: both can be read back.
Can I blur part of a picture for free?
Yes. Markup in the Photos app is free on every iPhone. Our online blur tool is free too: it blurs faces automatically, and you can drag a box over any other area to blur it, right in Safari.