How to blur names, numbers and addresses in a screenshot before sharing it

Open Blur image, drop in the screenshot, keep Box and drag a rectangle over each name or number, then push Strength high and Download. For anything that must not be guessed, such as a card or account number, crop it out instead of blurring it.

Steps

1. Open Blur image and drop in the screenshot or photo.
2. Under Hide parts, keep Blur with on Box. Boxes suit text, which sits in neat lines.
3. Drag a box over the first piece of private information. The blur appears when you let go.
4. Raise Strength towards 100. Small text needs a strong blur.
5. Add a box for every other item. Zoom out once at the end and scan the whole image for anything you missed.
6. Open Save as, choose PNG for a screenshot (it keeps the rest of the text sharp), and press Download.

What to hide in common screenshots

The status bar at the top of a phone screenshot can carry things too: the time, the network name and notifications from other apps. Crop it off if you do not need it.

Blur or crop?

A strong blur over a generous box makes text unreadable, and the saved file contains only the blurred pixels, not the original. But text is a special case. A short number in a known font, blurred lightly, can sometimes be guessed by trying every possible number and comparing the blur. For that reason:

• Blur for names, addresses, faces and anything where the shape of the rest of the screenshot matters.
• Crop for passwords, one-time codes, card and account numbers. Open Crop in the photo editor in the same session and cut that part away.
• Cover with a solid shape if you need the layout kept but the content gone: in the editor, open Emoji and drag a large sticker over it. Nothing shows through a sticker.

Tips for clean results

• Cover more than the text. Make the box a little wider and taller than the words, so no edge of a letter peeks out.
• One box per line. Separate boxes keep the rest of the screenshot readable around them.
• Check at full size. A blur that looks solid on a small preview can be readable when zoomed.
• No dragging? Add a blur box in the middle places a box you can then move and resize.

Number plates and faces in photos

The same steps work on a photo. For a number plate, a box with high strength is enough. For faces, the brush follows the shape of a head better; see blurring a face in a photo.

Questions

Is the screenshot uploaded while I blur it?

No. The blur is worked out in your browser, and the screenshot stays on your device. That matters most for exactly the kind of screenshot you want to blur.

Does the saved file keep the original underneath?

No. The blur is baked into the pixels. There is no hidden layer with the original text.

Will a blurred screenshot still look sharp elsewhere?

Yes, if you save it as PNG. JPG can leave faint smudges around the remaining text.

Can I undo a box I placed wrongly?

Yes. Use Undo, or Ctrl or Cmd + Z, before you download.