How to use Blur, Pixelate and Redact Image
- Choose one JPEG, PNG or WebP image, up to 64 MiB and 40 megapixels.
- Pick an effect. Blur and pixelate change the area; only the solid fill replaces the selected pixels with an opaque colour.
- Enter one region per line as x,y,width,height, or drag a rectangle on the preview and adjust it with the arrow keys.
- Select Apply effect, check the reported regions and download the result.
Example: Blur, Pixelate and Redact Image
A small receipt image with a card number in the middle that should not be shared.
Options
- Effect
- Blur softens the area, pixelate replaces it with large blocks, and the solid fill covers it with one colour. Only the solid fill fully replaces the selected pixels with an opaque colour before the file is saved; the other two change the picture but leave the original detail in a form that can sometimes be narrowed down again.
- Blur radius or block size
- The blur radius in pixels, or the width of one block in the pixelate effect. A larger radius hides more at the cost of a soft halo around the area, and larger blocks hide more at the cost of a coarser pattern. The fill ignores this setting.
- Regions
- One region per line as x,y,width,height. Lines use pixels or percent of the image, matching the unit you choose. A line that does not fit the image is refused with its line number, and nothing is moved or shrunk to make it fit.
- Region units
- Pixels are exact and suit a screenshot with known coordinates. Percent is quicker when the same area has to be covered on several images of different sizes, because the numbers follow each picture.
- Output format
- Auto keeps the source format. The whole picture is encoded again, so the output size can change, and JPEG cannot store transparency, which means any transparent pixel is filled with white.
Supported inputs and limits
Where your input is processed
This tool processes your input in this browser. Your text and files are not uploaded to UseFreeTools. Check this tool's limits for anything it may save on your device.
Why a blur and a fill are not the same promise
A blur mixes each pixel with its neighbours, and a pixelation replaces a block with one averaged colour. Both destroy some information, but the pattern that remains can still be tested against possibilities, which is why a blurred number can sometimes be read back. A solid fill replaces the rectangle with one colour, so there is nothing left to reconstruct. Choose the effect by the cost of being wrong: a background blur for a waiting-room screen, a fill for anything that identifies a person or an account.
Coordinates in pixels and in percent
Pixel coordinates are exact and easy to copy from a screenshot tool. Percent keeps the same proportional area on every image, which suits a repeated template such as a form with a fixed layout, but the edges land on whatever whole pixel the percentage reaches. The two units describe the same rectangle, so switching units rewrites the numbers instead of changing the area.
Questions about Blur, Pixelate and Redact Image
Is a blur enough to hide a card number?
No, and the result says so. A blurred number or a blurred face can sometimes be narrowed down again. Use the solid fill when the area must not be readable and keep the blur for a softer look.
How do I know which pixels will be covered?
Each line is x,y,width,height with x and y measured from the top-left corner. The preview draws every region, and dragging a rectangle or using the arrow keys on the selected box writes the numbers into the field.
Can I cover several areas at once?
Yes, one region per line and up to 50 in a run. The same effect and setting apply to all of them. Use the Region to edit list to choose a box and change it with the arrow keys.
Does the tool remove the hidden data from the file?
The solid fill fully replaces the selected pixels with an opaque colour before the image is encoded, so the covered area is not recoverable from the exported file. A blur or a pixelation changes the picture without destroying it. The file on your device is never modified.