About 30 seconds a photo
Upload a photo, set the blur and let it run. Most runs finish in about half a minute, so a whole set of photos takes minutes, not an evening.
AI background blur
Blur Background with AI: Sharp Subject, Soft Lens Bokeh
Image2Layer's blur background tool turns a photo of a person, pet or product into a portrait with a soft background, free to try. The subject stays sharp, the blur grows with distance, and it takes about 30 seconds.
- Free to try
- Subject stays sharp
- Lens bokeh or Smooth
- PNG in about 30 seconds
1. Upload an image
Sexual or explicit content isn't allowed. Images and results that contain it are blocked automatically.
No image handy? See a sample
2. Set the blur
The subject stays sharp; the blur grows with distance.
3. Blur Background
10 credits per photo · Failed runs never use credits
Real result of this tool
Upload your own image to get a PNG.
What it does
What Blur Background Does to a Photo
Blur background gives an ordinary photo the look of a portrait lens. Upload a picture that is sharp from front to back and the AI keeps the person, pet or product in focus while the scene behind it falls softly out of focus, with no mask to draw and no prompt to write.
The background blur grows with distance, so the ground at the subject's feet stays a little sharper and the far background melts away. Lens bokeh turns lights into round circles, and Smooth gives an even blur. Put a product on a clean white background instead, or split the finished photo with image to layers.
- Subject kept sharp
- Blur grows with distance
- Light, Medium or Strong
- Lens bokeh or Smooth
- People, pets and products
- PNG in about 30 seconds
BeforeBlurredWhy Blur Photo Background with AI
Six reasons to blur the background here instead of by hand.
The subject stays the same
The AI is told to keep faces, hair, fur, colors and pose exactly as they are and to change only what is behind the subject.
Blur that grows with distance
Like a real lens, the far background gets the most blur while the ground right at the subject stays a little sharper, so nobody looks cut out and pasted in.
Lens bokeh or Smooth
Lens bokeh turns street lamps and string lights into round circles, a bokeh effect photo without a fast lens. Smooth gives a calm, even blur for products and nature.
No portrait mode needed
Blur background online in your phone browser, with nothing to install, even on photos you took years ago.
10 credits, failed runs free
Each photo costs 10 credits. No subscription is needed, and a run that fails never uses credits.
How to Blur the Background of a Photo in 3 Steps
No mask, no prompt and no editing skills: three steps from a photo that is sharp from front to back to a soft portrait background.
JPGPNGWebPup to 24 MB
Background Blur That Looks Like a Real Lens
Three things this background blur tool does on everyday photos. Drag, hover or watch each example.
BeforeBlurredBlur the Background Behind a Person, More with Distance
On this boardwalk the planks at her feet stay a little sharper, while the railing, the trees and the people further back soften step by step. The AI is asked to blur the background more the farther away it is, so the photo reads as if it came from a portrait lens. Drag the divider to compare.
Blur a portrait
Move to see the originalAdd a Bokeh Effect to Evening Photos
Choose Lens bokeh and the string lights behind her turn into soft round circles, the look of a fast lens after dark. Move the lens across the picture to see the sharp lights of the original. For daylight portraits and products, Smooth gives an even blur with no circles. To take a stray passerby out of the frame first, use the object remover.
Add bokeh to a photo
AfterBlur Image Background and Keep Hair Sharp
Curls, stray hairs and fur are where a hand-drawn mask usually fails. The AI is told to keep the edges of the subject exactly as they are, so the zoom shows defined curls against a park that has melted into soft color. To lift the person out onto a transparent background instead, use cut out image.
Blur a close-upBackground Blur Before and After
Six photos of people, pets, products and food, with the settings used in each note. Hover a card to wipe between them, or open it to compare closely.
Family picnic, light blur
A light blur softens the park behind a family of three, while the trees and the path stay easy to recognize.
Iced coffee on a cafe counter
Pendant bulbs behind the glass turn into round bokeh, and the shelves fade into warm color.
Handbag product shot
The street and shop windows behind the bench become a soft backdrop, so the stitching and leather of the bag catch the eye.
Cat on a garden wall
The garden behind the cat melts into soft green, while its whiskers and fur stay crisp.
Street portrait at night
Street lamps and lit windows behind him become glowing bokeh circles on a dark street.
Birthday cake with candles
The cake and its candles stay sharp, while the party guests behind become soft shapes.
Tips to Blur Image Background Naturally
Four habits that make a blurred background look real.
Leave some space behind the subject
A street, a park or a room stretching away gives the blur something to work with. A subject pressed against a wall has little background left to soften.
Pick the strength for the photo
Light suits group and travel photos where the place matters, Medium suits most portraits, and Strong gives the creamy look of a fast lens for close-ups.
Lens bokeh at night, Smooth by day
Lens bokeh shines in evening shots with lamps, candles or string lights. Smooth gives a calm, even blur to products, food and nature in daylight.
Start from the original, then check edges
Uploads are scaled to 2048 pixels on the longest side and the result comes back at about 1,200, so use the original photo, not a screenshot. Check hair and hands with the slider, and for a bigger print, enlarge the PNG with the image upscaler.
Blur Background vs Photoshop and Portrait Mode
Image2Layer next to a manual blur in Photoshop and the portrait mode of a phone camera.
- Time per photoImage2Layer:About 30 secondsPhotoshop by hand:Often 15 minutes or more for hair and furPhone portrait mode:Instant, while you shoot
- Photos already takenImage2Layer:Any photo you uploadPhotoshop by hand:Any photo you openPhone portrait mode:Usually only photos shot in portrait mode
- Skill neededImage2Layer:None: upload and choose the blurPhotoshop by hand:Selections, masks and a blur filterPhone portrait mode:None
- Pets, products and foodImage2Layer:Whatever is in focusPhotoshop by hand:Yes, with careful maskingPhone portrait mode:Depends on the phone and the distance
- Changing the strengthImage2Layer:Run it again for 10 creditsPhotoshop by hand:Any time, by handPhone portrait mode:Depends on the phone
- Result sizeImage2Layer:About 1,200 px on the longest sidePhotoshop by hand:The full size of the photoPhone portrait mode:The full size of the photo
Photoshop is a trademark of Adobe. iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc. Image2Layer is not affiliated with Adobe or Apple.
Who Uses a Background Blur
Anyone who wants to blur the background of an image so the subject stands out, from selfies to shop listings.
Profile pictures
Give a selfie or a headshot the soft background of a portrait lens for a profile, a resume or a team page.
Travel and social posts
Make a person stand out from busy streets and crowds in travel photos and stories.
Product photos
Blur photo background behind handmade goods and shop listings so the item is the first thing people see.
Pet portraits
Turn a quick snap of a dog or cat in the yard into a portrait where only the pet is in focus.
Food and drinks
Soften a busy restaurant behind a dish or a drink for a menu, a food blog or a delivery listing.
Events and milestones
Bring graduations, weddings and birthdays into focus by softening the crowd, then make a matching invitation or poster from a short description with the AI poster generator.
Blur Background FAQ
Answers about strength, bokeh, subjects, size, price and privacy.
Upload the picture above, choose Light, Medium or Strong and Lens bokeh or Smooth, then press Blur Background. About 30 seconds later the subject is sharp, the background is soft, and you can download a PNG.
Yes, once. Each account gets one free run across Image2Layer's AI tools: sign in, press Try it free, and you get a watermarked result with no credits needed. After that each photo costs 10 credits.
Yes, that is the point of every run. The AI is told to keep the people, pet or object in focus exactly as they are, from faces and hair to fur and edges, and to soften only what is behind them. Check fine strands of hair with the compare slider.
Yes. The AI is asked to blur the far background most and to keep the ground right at the subject a little sharper, the way a real lens does. It judges distance from the picture itself, not from a measured depth map, so the falloff varies from photo to photo.
Choose Lens bokeh before you run the photo. Small lights and bright highlights in the background, such as street lamps, candles or sun through leaves, turn into round bokeh circles. Choose Smooth for an even blur without circles.
Light softens the background but keeps it recognizable, Medium blurs it strongly so its details melt into soft shapes, and Strong blurs it very heavily until only soft shapes of color remain.
Not on the same result, because there are no sliders after the run. To try another strength or style, pick it and run the photo again, which costs another 10 credits.
Yes, that is what it is made for. It works on any photo you already have, so you can blur the background after taking a photo, even one shot without portrait mode or on an older phone.
Right here: blur image background online in the browser on your computer or phone. To blur background of photo on iPhone or Android, open this page, upload from your library and download the PNG; you do not need a separate blur background app.
Yes. People, pets, products, drinks and food all work, because the AI keeps whatever is in focus sharp. A product shot gets a soft backdrop that draws the eye to the item.
The result comes back at about 1,200 pixels on the longest side, in the same shape as your upload. That suits social posts, profile pictures and web pages; for a larger file, enlarge it with our image upscaler afterwards.
Yes, every run paid with credits lets you blur background without watermark. Only the free trial result carries a watermark, and it disappears as soon as you buy any plan or credit pack.
Each photo costs 10 credits, and a run that fails never uses credits. Credit packs need no subscription, and the pricing page lists the current plans and packs.
Photoshop gives you full manual control, but masking hair and building a blur that grows with distance by hand takes time and practice. Here a blurred background takes about 30 seconds, and you can still finish the PNG in any editor.
Your uploads and results are visible only to your account, and every upload passes our content checks. Only edit photos you own or have permission to use.
More Photo Tools Next to Background Blur
More image tools for the next step after a blur.
Keep Editing After You Blur the Background
Four tools for what usually comes next.
Background blur
Blur Background of Your Photo in About 30 Seconds
Upload a photo of a person, pet, product or meal and get a sharp subject on a soft background. Your first run is free with an account.
Blur a photo