Blur & Pixelate
Hide faces, names or numbers in a screenshot before you share it.
About this redaction tool
Paint over anything in an image you would rather other people did not see β a face, a name, an email address, a card number, a home address in a screenshot. Three styles: pixelate, blur, or a solid black box.
The image is processed on your device and never uploaded, which is a genuine requirement rather than a nicety. The whole reason you are redacting something is that it is sensitive; sending it to a stranger's server first defeats the purpose entirely.
Redaction that actually removes the data
The pixels underneath are replaced, not covered. The exported file no longer contains the original detail, so there is nothing to recover from it.
That is not true of the methods people usually reach for. A black rectangle drawn over a PDF is an object sitting on top of the text, and the text is still in the file β selectable, copyable, and recoverable in seconds. The same applies to shapes in a layered image editor if the file is saved in a format that keeps layers. Both have caused real-world leaks of court documents and personal data.
A note on blur specifically: light blurring can sometimes be reversed well enough to read short text, because the original information is still partly present. For anything genuinely sensitive β account numbers, passwords, addresses β use the black box, or pixelate heavily. Heavy pixelation destroys the detail outright.
What to redact before sharing a screenshot
- Faces, and anything identifying in the background
- Names, usernames and email addresses of other people
- Account numbers, card numbers, sort codes, IBANs
- Home and work addresses, and anything showing your location
- API keys, tokens and session identifiers in developer screenshots
- Browser tabs, bookmarks and notification previews around the edges β these leak far more than people expect
Frequently asked questions
How do I blur out a face in a photo?
Load the image, choose Blur or Pixelate, set the brush size, and drag over the face. Download the result β the saved file no longer contains the original pixels.
Can blurred or pixelated text be recovered?
Light blurring sometimes can be, because some of the original information survives. Heavy pixelation and a solid black box cannot. For account numbers, passwords or addresses, use the black box.
Is a black box in a PDF safe?
Usually not. A rectangle drawn over a PDF sits on top of text that is still in the file and can be selected or copied out. This tool replaces the actual pixels, so there is nothing underneath to recover.
Is my image uploaded anywhere?
No. It is processed on a canvas in your browser and never transmitted, which is the whole point β the images you redact are by definition the sensitive ones.
What should I blur in a screenshot before posting it?
Names and email addresses of other people, account and card numbers, addresses, API keys, and the browser chrome around the edges β open tabs, bookmarks and notification previews give away far more than most people realise.