How to censor a photo before posting it on social media
A checklist of what to hide before you post a photo: faces, plates, house numbers, screens, tickets and hidden location data, and how to cover them in a minute.
Updated · 2 min read
Do it now: free, in your browser, nothing uploaded.
Open Blur face in photoThe short answer
Look at the photo as a stranger would and ask what it tells them about who, where and when. Then cover those details in Blur face in photo or Blur image and post the exported copy, which also leaves out the photo's hidden location data.
Once a photo is public, it can be saved, reshared and searched. Taking a minute before posting is much easier than trying to take it back afterwards.
The pre-posting checklist
| Look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Faces of strangers and other people's children | They didn't agree to be posted |
| School uniforms, name badges, lanyards | Show where someone studies or works |
| House numbers, street signs, parcel labels | Point to your address |
| Car number plates | Link back to a registered owner |
| Tickets and boarding passes | Names, booking references and barcodes |
| Screens, letters and documents | Emails, account details, ID numbers |
| Keys, cards and ID on a table | Can be read or even copied from a clear photo |
Barcodes and QR codes on tickets and passes often contain more than the printed text, such as your name and booking reference. QR codes are detected automatically; draw a box over barcodes yourself.
Censor the photo
- Open Blur face in photo and drop the photo in. Faces, QR codes and readable text such as numbers and emails are found on your device.
- Reject the faces you want to keep, such as your own.
- Drag boxes over anything else from the checklist: plates, house numbers, badges, screens.
- Pick a style. Blur or Pixelate looks natural on faces and backgrounds; use Solid on numbers and text.
- Download and post the new copy. It has no EXIF data, so no GPS location.
Posting several photos from the same trip or event? Add up to 20 at once and download them as a ZIP.
Timing and context
Some clues aren't in the pixels at all. Posting a holiday photo while you're still away tells people your home is empty. A caption, a location tag or a check-in can undo all your careful blurring. Consider posting after you're back, and leave out the location tag.
For more on specific clues, see How to blur faces in photos, How to blur a license plate in a photo and How to remove location from photos.
Questions
Don't social networks remove location data anyway?
Some do and some don't, and it can depend on how you share. Exporting a clean copy first means you don't have to rely on it.
Is a strong blur enough for faces?
A strong blur on a face is generally enough. Clothing, tattoos and the setting can still identify someone, so look at the whole photo.