How to blur all the faces in a group photo
Published
Open Blur facesOpen Blur faces in a photo and add the photo. Each face it finds is blurred straight away and the panel says how many, for example "23 faces blurred". Tap any face that may stay visible, check the photo for faces it missed, then press Download.
Steps
- Open Blur faces in a photo and drop in the group photo. On Blur image, press Blur every face under Faces instead.
- Wait for the search. The first time, a bar shows the face-finding files downloading; after that it takes a few seconds on a large photo.
- Read the count under Faces. If it says "No faces found in this photo", drag a box over each face yourself.
- Choose Blur or Pixelate, and raise Strength until no face can be made out. Both change every face at once.
- Tap a face that should stay visible, such as your own. Tap it again if you change your mind.
- Compare the count with the people in the photo. Drag a box over any face that was missed.
- Press Download.
Faces it can miss
The search finds faces turned towards the camera best, including small ones at the back of a group. These are the ones to look for after it runs:
| Face | Why it can be missed | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Half hidden behind another person's head | Too little of the face shows | Drag a box over what you can see |
| Under a cap, sunglasses or a hand | The eyes or mouth are covered | Drag a box, a little larger |
| Looking down at a phone, or in profile | The face is turned away | Use Brush to follow the head |
| A few pixels across, far in the background | Too small to tell from the scenery | Drag a small box over it |
| On a poster, a screen or a T-shirt | It may be found and blurred too | Tap it to keep it, if it may show |
Blur everyone except one person
Run Blur every face, then tap the one face to keep. It loses its blur and gets a dashed outline, so you can still see where it was found. The count changes to, for example, "22 faces blurred, 1 kept sharp". To keep several people, tap each of them. Blur the kept face too puts every kept face back.
With a keyboard, Tab to a blurred face and press Delete to keep it; arrow keys move it and Alt with the arrows resizes it.
Blur or pixelate?
| You want | Choose |
|---|---|
| A soft, calm look that suits a family photo | Blur |
| An obvious "hidden on purpose" look | Pixelate |
| The face gone with no doubt | Either, at a high Strength |
Strength is measured against each face's own size, so a small face at the back is hidden as well as a large one in front.
More than faces
People are also recognised by a name badge, a school or club logo, a car's number plate or the house behind them. Blur those with a box in the same session; How to blur a face in a photo before you post it covers checking a blur is strong enough, and the full photo editor can crop a detail out entirely.
Questions
Is the photo uploaded to find the faces?
No. The faces are found and blurred in your browser, and the photo stays on your device.
Does it find every face?
Not always. Check the photo before you post it, because small, turned or covered faces can be missed.
Can I move or resize one of the blurs?
Yes. Each face is an ordinary blur box: select it, then use the arrow keys to move it and Alt with the arrows to resize it.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. Tap Blur every face, then tap faces on the photo to keep them.
Blur faces
Find every face in a group photo and blur or pixelate them all in one tap.
Open Blur facesRelated tools
- Blur image: Blur faces, plates or any area with a box or brush, or the whole photo.
- Crop image: Crop to a ratio, a circle, or a freeform box.