- What you
- The Short Version
- Duplicate the image layer
- Click the Object Selection Tool
- Select the object you want to blur
- Click the Add Layer Mask icon to mask this selection
- Click Filter
- Hover over Blur
- Click Gaussian Blur
- Adjust the amount of blur with the slider
- Troubleshooting
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Want to blur an object out of your image in Photoshop? Here’s how to do it in just a few clicks.
The Blur filters are an easy way to disguise people, objects and words you don’t want people to see in your photos.
Whether you accidentally left your credit card in the frame or your friend isn’t happy with how they look in the background of a shot, here’s how to apply a blurring effect to specific people, objects, text or anything else using Adobe Photoshop.
What you’ll need:
- Adobe Photoshop
- A Creative Cloud subscription
The Short Version
- Duplicate the layer
- Use the Object Selection Tool to select an object
- Click the Add Layer Mask icon
- Click Filter
- Click Blur
- Choose Gaussian Blur
- Adjust the slider and hit OK
Step
1Duplicate the image layer
You can do this by right-clicking on the layer and clicking Duplicate Layer, or by dragging the layer to the plus icon in the bottom right corner of the screen.
Step
2Click the Object Selection Tool
You may need to right-click here to find the tool.
Step
3Select the object you want to blur
You can do this by clicking on the object or dragging a box over it.
Step
4Click the Add Layer Mask icon to mask this selection
This is the rectangular icon with the circle in the bottom right corner of Photoshop. Make sure the image is selected instead of the mask in your layers.
Step
5Click Filter
You can find this in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Step
6Hover over Blur
You can also use the Pixelate filters if you prefer.
Step
7Click Gaussian Blur
You can also experiment with other blurring effects.
Step
8Adjust the amount of blur with the slider
Then, just hit OK when you’re done!
Troubleshooting
To remove the effect immediately, simply hit Edit and Undo Gaussian Blur or press Ctrl+Z/Cmd+Z.
If you’ve continued to work on your project but have changed your mind about the blur, you can always delete the mask and layer the blur filter was applied on. Just make sure you have the image saved in another layer or are able to open it up again on your computer.
Another way to blur objects in Photoshop is by using the Mosaic filter to make the object look pixelated.
To do this, just follow steps 1 to 5, but, instead of clicking Blur at step 6, choose Pixelate and then Mosaic.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.