How to blur PAN card details, depending on why it's asked for

Start with the reason

A PAN card carries your PAN, name, father's name, date of birth, photo and signature, and newer cards also have a QR code. Whoever asks for a copy rarely needs all of it. Before you blur anything, work out what the copy is for.

These are typical cases, not rules. If you're unsure, ask the organisation which details it actually checks.

How to blur a PAN card

1. Open Blur PAN card and drop in a photo, scan or PDF of the card.
2. The PAN, date of birth and QR code are ticked by default and covered straight away.
3. Untick the PAN if the recipient needs it. Tick father's name, name or photo if they don't.
4. To hide your signature, tick Signature. If it isn't found, draw a box over it.
5. Download. The file is processed in your browser and never uploaded.

Use a solid box for the PAN. It's only 10 characters (5 letters, 4 digits, 1 letter), and short structured text is the easiest kind to guess back from a blur.

Why the signature and date of birth matter

A PAN, a name and a date of birth together are the details many forms ask for to identify you. On their own each is less useful, which is why hiding the date of birth is a sensible default when the recipient only needs the number.

A clear image of your signature is worth hiding whenever the recipient doesn't need it. Most people never need to share it to prove they have a PAN.

Mark the copy

Some people also write the purpose on the copy, such as "For KYC with X only" and the date, so it's harder to reuse elsewhere. You can do this before you scan, or by hand on a printout. For more on sending ID copies, see How to share ID documents safely for KYC.