Click to upload or drag & drop a photo
Position the box over your subject — everything outside it gets blurredHow this differs from AI background blur
Phone portrait modes use depth sensors or machine learning to automatically detect the subject's exact outline. This tool works differently: you tell it where your subject is with a simple box, and everything outside that box gets blurred uniformly. It won't trace precisely around hair or an irregular outline, but for a quick background-blur effect on a photo taken after the fact, it does the job without needing special hardware.
How to use Blur Background of Photo
- Upload the photo you want to edit.
- Adjust any sliders, colours, or options shown above the upload box — the preview updates as you go.
- Compare the before and after side by side.
- Download the edited photo once it looks the way you want.
Tips for best results
- Try a few different settings before downloading — most sliders here update the preview instantly, so it's quick to compare options.
- Work from your best-quality original; effects applied on top of an already-compressed photo tend to look rougher.
- If you're combining this with another tool (like compressing afterwards), apply this effect first, then compress last.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Can I apply this more than once to stack the effect?
Yes — download the result and re-upload it to apply the effect again, though stacking some effects can look over-processed quickly.
Does this work on PNG images with transparency?
Transparent areas are generally preserved unless the tool specifically converts to JPG, which fills transparency with white.
Will this trace exactly around my subject's outline?
No — it blurs everything outside a rectangular box you position, rather than tracing an exact silhouette the way phone portrait mode does.
Can I adjust the blur strength?
This tool uses a fixed, moderate blur strength suited to a background-blur look; for a stronger effect on the whole photo, try our full blur tool instead.
What if my subject isn't rectangular, like a person with arms out?
Position the box to cover the full extent of your subject; some background near the edges of an irregular shape may stay sharp inside the box.