You may believe that it can’t be done unless you upload the photo to a computer and use an image editing program. However, it’s entirely possible to do it from the phone itself.
The App: Point Blur
To blur out photos on Android, we’re going to need the assistance of a third-party app. I’ve taken a look at a few example apps, with emphasis on both ease of use and being free. One that I particularly like is called Point Blur, and you can imagine what it does from the name alone. Point Blur makes it simple to blur out photos on Android. You just simply draw with your finger what you’d like blurred, and Point Blur does the rest for you. You can even toggle the size of the blur brush, as well as how intense the blur is. This makes Point Blur great for both miniscule edits and larger blurs. So, how do you use Point Blur to blur images? For the sake of this example, I’ll be using this stock image. My goal is to blur the face of the person on the right.
What Do the Options Do?
When you boot Point Blur, you’ll have the choice between “All” and “Square.” “All” is probably the best choice, as “Square” crops the image and will cut some bits out.
You’ll be brought to your Android device’s image gallery where you can select the image you’d like to blur. Once selected, it’ll appear in an image editor with a variety of options that look like the following image.
Let’s take a look at what each one does. Touching “All Editing” will allow you to blur the entire image, like this.
“Touch” allows you to change the location of the reticle relative to where you touch the screen. This allows you to blur images without blocking the image with your finger.
“Reselect” allows you to pick a different image, “Clear” undos all effects you’ve performed, and “Effects” makes the image monochrome. “Move” lets you zoom in and out, as well as change the rotation of the image. “Save” saves the image. On the bottom, the “Freehand” button allows you to add or remove blur. When it’s purple, your strokes blur the image. When it’s blue, any strokes you perform remove blurs you’ve placed before. The slider changes the blur pen size, and the “Level” changes the strength of the blur. “Undo” and “Redo” cycles through your past actions, and “Type” allows you to select three different censoring methods: “Blur,” “Mosaic” (pixelate), and “Triangle.”
How to Blur Part of an Image
Now you’re up to speed on the tools, blurring an image is probably less complex than the settings! Adjust your brush size and blur strength to your liking, then draw on the place you want to blur with your finger. You’ll begin to paint a purple trail on the image; this is what the app will blur. The moment you lift your finger off the screen, the app will make the area you painted blurred.
Here’s the blur effect in action.
Here is the mosaic setting.
And here is the triangle mode.
Once you’re done, tap the Save button. Point Blur will automatically save the image into a Point Blur folder in your image galleries.
Staying Safe
Given how quickly information can spread on the web, it’s vital to censor sensitive information before sharing anything. As mobile phones become ideal for taking quick pictures, the ability to blur out photos on Android has become quite important. Point Blur fills this niche nicely, offering a free solution to help you keep sensitive information safe. Have you found yourself needing to blur a photo you took with your phone’s camera? If so, how did you do it? Share your stories below.
