How To Add Background Blur in Photos on Windows

Capturing the perfect shot often involves more than just pointing and clicking; it’s about creating a visual masterpiece that draws attention to the subject. One effective way to enhance your photography is by adding a beautiful background blur. This technique not only adds a professional touch but also elevates your photos to a new level of artistry. If you’re a Windows user looking to explore the world of background blur, you’re in luck. 

How To Add Background Blur in Photos on Windows

In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of adding that coveted background blur to your photos.

How To Add Background Blur in Photos on Windows?

Concealing the background of a particular image helps you in various official situations or even in editing them. To conceal a specific part of an image, you can use the blur effect on your Windows PC. The Blur effect makes the image out of focus or part where you want it to be. 

To blur an Image on Windows, you can several useful methods or software to do so. The list of the specific tools are: 

Microsoft Paint

MS Paint is the basic editing tool that you can get on every Windows PC. To blur an image in this tool, follow the steps: 

  • Firstly, launch the MS Paint on your PC.
  • Open the image in the tool by clicking on the File and then on the Open option.
  • Now, select the area you want to blur using the Select Tool in the Toolbar. You can also choose between Rectangular or Free-form selection. 
  • Click and hold the cursor from the bottom right corner and drag the selection inwards.
  • Now, decrease the size of the selection by 10%.
  • Don’t deselect and again take the cursor to the bottom right corner.
  • Drag it outwards and bring it back to its original size. 
  • Lastly, you’ll need to repeat the steps 3-7 to deepen the effect. 

Microsoft Word/PowerPoint

MS Word and PowerPoint feature a Blur artistic effect that you can apply to the images used in Word or PowerPoint. To blur images using MS Word and PowerPoint, follow the steps: 

  • Launch Word or PowerPoint
  • Open a Blank Document or Presentation.
  • Insert the image you want by using the Insert option and then selecting the Pictures option.
  • Head to the Picture Format Tab.
  • Click on the Artistic Effects dropdown under the Adjust section.
  • Select the Blur effect.
  • If you want to modify the blur effect, select the Artistic Effects option.
  • Now, adjust the Radius to increase or decrease the blur effect. 

Alternatively, you can also create a blur effect using the Picture Correction option in MS Word/PowerPoint. To do that, just follow the steps: 

  • First, select the Picture.
  • Now, switch to the Picture Format tab.
  • Click on the Corrections dropdown in the Adjust section.
  • Now, select the “Picture Correction Options…”
  • Move the Sharpness Slider to the left until you get the blur effect in the Format Picture Panel on the right side. 

GIMP

GIMP is a powerful open-source editing tool available for Windows. You can easily edit images as it has a wide range of editing tools. Now, you can use more than 1 GIMP tool to create the Blur Effect on your images. To do that, first, you’ll need to download and install the GIMP on your system. Once installed, open the tool and use your image to edit it. Once you’re in, you can use any of the below methods to create the Blur Effect:

Using the Blur Tool

  • Click on the Tools menu.
  • Now, select Paint Tools and then on Blur/Sharpen
  • Move the Size slider to adjust the brush size from the Settings panel. 
  • Scroll down and increase the Rate option to 100.
  • Using your mouse, take the blur tool over to the area of the image that you want to blur. 
  • Now, click and hold to move the tool over the area to get the desired blur effect. 

Using the Smudge Tool

  • On the left side, right-click on the Blur Tool to view the other tools.
  • Select the Smudge tool.
  • You can adjust the rate value to 40 or more.
  • Using your mouse pointer, take it to the section that needs to be blurred and do a left click.
  • Press the Shift Key and move the mouse to make a horizontal line. 
  • Now, left-click again and release the Shift key. 

Using the Blur Filters

While using the GIMP software, you can use more than one blur filter such as Focus Blur, Gaussian Blur, Lens Blur, Median Blur, etc to create different blur effects. To apply a blur effect, select the Fliters > Blur > Focus Blur. You can adjust the settings as per your requirements. 

Paint.NET

Paint.NET is another free image editing software that you can install to blur the image on Windows. It offers you a wide range of tools that make it premium just like some other photo editors such as Adobe Photoshop and Corel PaintShop Pro. 

To get it done, first, you need to download and install the free version of Paint.NET from the official download page. After that, unzip the file and download and set up the Paint.NET. Once done, follow the steps below: 

  • Launch the Paint.NET.
  • Open the image you like by using the File > Open option. 
  • Now, click on the Effects menu.
  • After that, select Blurs and then Unfocus. Or you can try Motion Blur or Gaussian Blur. 
  • Lastly, move the Radius slider to adjust the blur effects. 

Photoshop Express

  • First, download and install Photoshop Express from the MS Store.
  • Once done, launch the app. 
  • Now, sign in or sign up with your Google account credentials or Adobe or Facebook. 
  • Click on the Picture Library icon and open the image that you want. 
  • Select the Corrections option on the left.
  • Scroll down to locate Blur.
  • Now, click on the right arrow (>) icon to view the other Blur Effects.
  • After that, select the Full option.
  • Lastly, adjust the slider to deepen the blur effects. 

These are all the methods and steps through which you can blur out the background of an image on Windows. 

Also read: How to lock YouTube screen on Android and iOS?

Conclusion

As we wrap up our exploration into the realm of background blur on Windows, it becomes evident that the power to enhance your photographs is right at your fingertips. The applications and methods discussed in this guide provide you with the tools needed to effortlessly add a professional and visually pleasing blur to the background of your photos. So, go ahead, experiment, and let your creativity shine. Whether you’re capturing precious moments or showcasing your artistic vision, the ability to add background blur on Windows is a powerful tool in your photography arsenal. Elevate your photos, tell compelling stories, and enjoy the endless possibilities that await behind the lens of your Windows device.

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