How to blur the background of a photo like portrait mode
Published
Open Remove backgroundOpen Remove background, choose your photo, and under Background pick Blur. The person stays sharp and the room behind them goes soft, like a phone's portrait mode. Raise Blur strength for more, then download.
Steps
- Open Remove background and choose a photo.
- Let the page find the person. For a pet, a product or a plate of food, choose Tap to pick under Keep and tap it; use Add a part for anything it missed.
- Under Background, choose Blur.
- Move Blur strength until the background is as soft as you like.
- Adjust Edge softness so the line between subject and background does not look cut.
- Under Save as, choose JPG for a photo to share, since a blurred background has no transparency to keep.
- Download.
How much blur looks real
A real lens blurs the background more the further it is from the subject. This tool blurs the whole background by one amount, so a light touch usually looks more natural than a strong one.
| Photo | Suggested blur | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Head-and-shoulders portrait, wall close behind | Low | A real lens would barely blur a near wall |
| Person outdoors, trees or street far behind | Medium to high | Distant backgrounds go very soft on a real lens |
| Product on a table | Low to medium | Keeps the table's edge readable so the product does not float |
| Group photo | Low | People at slightly different distances all stay inside the sharp area |
Edges are where it gives itself away
The cut between subject and background matters more than the amount of blur. The page finds people with a model made to tell people from what is behind them, and it softens the edge rather than cutting strand by strand.
- Flyaway hair near a sharp background can show a halo. Raise Edge softness a little.
- A hand or a cup held away from the body may be counted as background and blurred. Choose Tap to pick, tap the person, then Add a part and tap the hand or the cup.
- Glass and see-through things take on the blur behind them, which is what a real lens does too.
When to use another tool instead
This tool blurs everything except the subject. If you need the opposite, blur only one part (a face in the crowd, a number plate, a screen), use Blur image with a box or a brush. That tool is made for hiding details before you share a photo.
If you want the background gone rather than soft, keep Remove for a transparent PNG, or Colour for a plain backdrop. For a more dramatic look, the Background fade look in Photo filters, under the Person tab, makes the background soft and pale while the person gets a little crisper and richer.
Combine it with other edits
The page is the photo editor opened on its Background tool, so the rest of the tools are in the list beside it:
- Light adds a ring light, a soft glow or a light leak that lights the person found.
- Crop tightens the frame on the subject, which also makes the blur look stronger.
- Filters adds a film or mood look on top.
A small "Made with t.myu" credit starts in the bottom-left corner. Tap the cross on it to save without it.
Questions
Can I blur the background of a photo I already took?
Yes. That is what this does: the subject is found in the finished photo and only the pixels behind it are blurred.
Can I blur the background behind a pet?
Yes. Choose Tap to pick and tap the pet, then choose Blur.
Does it work on group photos?
The page finds people by themselves and works best with one or two people facing the camera. In a larger group, check the edges of people at the sides and use Add a part for anyone missed.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The blur is applied in your browser and the photo stays on your device.
Remove background
Clear, recolour, blur or replace the background behind a person, a pet or a product, on your device.
Open Remove backgroundRelated tools
- Blur image: Blur faces, plates or any area with a box or brush, or the whole photo.
- Photo editor: Crop, adjust, filter, add text, emoji, blur and frames, with undo.