How to pixelate part of a picture
- Choose a picture, drop it on this page, or paste it with Ctrl+V. PNG, JPG and WebP all work.
- Drag a box over what you want to hide. Add as many boxes as you need; Undo brings the last one back.
- Pick how to hide it: Pixelate, Blur or Black box, and set the strength.
- Download. You get a copy with
-pixelated,-blurredor-hiddenin its name, in the same format as the original. The original file isn't changed.
Want to blur a whole photo, for a background or a teaser? Press Whole picture and turn the strength up.
Pixelate, blur or black box: which one to use
| Method | Looks like | Use it for | Safe for numbers and text? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pixelate | Big square blocks | Faces, number plates, screenshots | Mostly. Small text pixelated lightly can sometimes be guessed back. |
| Blur | Soft and smooth | Backgrounds, people in a crowd, a softer look | Not for text. Turn strength up, or use a black box. |
| Black box | A solid black bar | ID numbers, BSN, bank details, signatures | Yes. Nothing of the original is left. |
Researchers have shown that lightly pixelated text can be reconstructed by trying letters until the blocks match. For anything someone could misuse, like a document number, choose Black box. The hidden part is really gone from the saved copy: it isn't a layer on top that can be removed.
Hiding details on an ID or passport scan
Companies sometimes ask for a copy of your ID: a landlord, a gym, a rental shop. You may be allowed to hide what they don't need, which makes the copy less useful to anyone who gets hold of it. In the Netherlands, for example, the government advises covering your BSN and passport photo when that's allowed. Typical things to cover:
- The document number and your personal number (in the Netherlands, your BSN).
- The two lines of letters and numbers at the bottom (the machine-readable zone). They repeat your number and date of birth.
- Your photo, if the company doesn't need to see your face.
It also helps to write on the copy who it's for and why, like "Copy for Rental Shop, 27 Oct 2026". Ask the company what they need first; some must see the full document by law.
Is my picture uploaded?
No. The tool runs in your browser tab: the picture is opened, changed and saved on your own device, and none of it is sent to us or anyone else. You can check: once this page has loaded, switch off your Wi-Fi and the tool still works.
As a bonus, the downloaded copy has no hidden photo info. Phone photos often carry the place they were taken and the phone model; saving from the browser keeps only the picture itself.
Quick answers
Is it free?
Yes. No sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many pictures you do.
Can a pixelated or blurred part be undone?
Not by removing a layer: the saved copy only contains the hidden version. But lightly pixelated or blurred text can sometimes be guessed. For numbers, use a black box.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. Choose a photo, then drag over the part to hide with your finger. iPhone photos in HEIC format need to be shared as JPG first; most iPhones do that automatically when you pick a photo from a website.
Which formats can I use?
PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, BMP and AVIF. You get the same format back for PNG, JPG and WebP, and PNG for the others. Very large pictures are made smaller to fit (at most 6,000 pixels on the long side).
Can I hide parts of a PDF?
Not with this tool. Save the PDF page as a picture first, or use the TopDock app's tools on Windows.
Hiding a number before you email a scan? TopDock keeps scans like that encrypted on your PC as Saved files, ready to attach to an email or drag into an upload form.