How to blur names in a group chat screenshot

The short answer

Open Blur WhatsApp chat, paste or drop in the screenshot, and cover every sender name, phone number and profile picture. Phone numbers are found automatically. For names, turn on the optional on-device AI or use Find and redact to cover each name everywhere it appears.

The people in a group chat didn't agree to be shown in public. Hiding who they are lets you share what was said, whether that's a funny exchange, a complaint or evidence of a problem, without dragging them into it.

Blur every name step by step

1. Take the screenshot, then paste it with Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on Mac) on Blur WhatsApp chat, or pick it from your gallery on a phone.
2. Phone numbers of people not saved in your contacts are highlighted automatically. Accept them.
3. Turn on the optional on-device AI to find names. It runs in your browser and may miss nicknames or unusual spellings.
4. Use Find and redact: type a name and every match in the screenshot is covered. Repeat for each person.
5. Drag boxes over profile pictures, the group name and photo at the top, and anything else that identifies someone.
6. Choose Solid or a strong Pixelate, then download.

If you have several screenshots of the same conversation, add them together (up to 20) so Find and redact covers a name across all of them at once.

Names aren't the only giveaway

• Profile pictures and avatars next to each message.
• Sender colours: some chat apps give each sender a colour, which can show which messages came from the same person even with names hidden.
• Quoted replies, which repeat the original sender's name inside the bubble.
• Mentions like @name inside messages.
• Details in the messages themselves: a workplace, a child's school, an address or a phone number someone typed out.
• Your own name or number at the top of the screen or in the status bar.

If the whole point is to show who said something, think twice about posting it publicly. Sharing it privately with the person who needs to see it is often enough.

Blur or a solid box?

Names are short text in a known font, which makes light blur risky. Use a solid box or heavy pixelation, and see Can blurred text be unblurred? for why. For phone numbers on their own, How to hide a phone number in a screenshot goes into more detail.