Summary: Creating blur or bokeh effects with best 10 blur tools selected by TopTen.AI can be as easy as a few clicks. Read this blur tools review, and you will access the quickest way to blur photo background for DSLR bokeh effect.

Why do people want to blur background?

Creating blurred background is a common technique among photographers who want to emphasize the focus point in an image. But thanks to blur tools either powered by AI technology or conventional techniques, anyone can blur photo background to create intrigue and dreamlike effects.

blurred background

To blur background of an image is likely to create bokeh effects as if taken by an expensive camera. A suitable amount of blur added to your image can create depth of field and dreamy bokeh effect. Additionally, background blur can perfectly get rid of distractions. No matter if you want to transform a selfie, a product, a landscape photograph or any images, you can make use of blur effects to hide the unwanted objects in the background.

Tips: check out more AI background remover to get rid of background before you blur its background.

Here we made a general overview table, if you want to see our more detailed review, please keep reading:

Product Name Processing Speed Output Quality User-Friendliness Online/Offline AI-Based Free/Paid Suitable for
Removebg ★★★★☆ ★★★★☆ ★★★★☆ Online Freemium Casual users or anyone with basic needs
BGremover ★★★☆☆ ★★★☆☆ ★★★★☆ Online Freemium Social media enthusiasts or amateur photographers
Removal.ai ★★★★☆ ★★★★☆ ★★★★☆ Online Paid Professional designers or social media marketers
Befunky ★★★☆☆ ★★★★☆ ★★★★☆ Online Freemium Graphic designers or social media influencers
Fotor ★★★★☆ ★★★☆☆ ★★★★☆ Online Freemium Photographers or small business owners
PicMonkey ★★★☆☆ ★★★★☆ ★★★☆☆ Online Paid Content creators or digital advertisers

5 Best AI Blur Apps Online

1. Removebg – Blur Background for Free

Removebg is a bookmarked tool for handling background. With the AI tool, you can replace photo background or solid-color background and blur it automatically. There is no limit on the number of preview images you can download. But the downside of the AI blur tool is that it lacks editing tools for adjusting the level of blur manually. Click to read our full review about Removebg.

removebg blur background

Pros:

  • Offer sample photo background
  • Four blur effects to choose from

Cons:

  • Lack editing features

How to blur background with Removebg

Step 1: Upload an image to the website of the blur app

Step 2: Once the AI eliminates the background automatically, click "Edit"

Step 3: Replace the background and choose a blur effect to apply

2. BGremover -Blur Background Automatically

BGremover can serve as an automatic blur tool that allows you to blur background in one click. It just takes one more step before you can blur photo background: eliminating the original background. Using AI technology and deep learning, this blur background app online lets you eliminate the background accurately so that you can blur the original background or the new image background as you like.

vance ai background remover to blur image

Pros:

  • Download limitless preview images for free
  • Offer 5 credits to download HD images for free
  • Safe to use

Cons:

  • Advanced features like batch processing are limited to paid users

How to blur background with BGremover

Step 1: Drag and drop an image to the AI tool

Step 2: Click "Continue" to let AI eliminate background automatically

Step 3: Click "Edit" and choose "Background Blur" to add blur to image background

3. Removal.ai

Removal.ai is another great AI tool using which you can blur photo background for customizing effects. With this blur background app, you can blur background of photo and highlight the subject in a few clicks. It combines AI technology with rich editing features, such as adjusting scale, noise, brightness, contrast and background replacement. Another cool part of the AI tool is that you can choose to add shadow to the subject and adjust the level of blur.

removal-ai-blur-background

Pros:

  • Download limitless preview images for free
  • Move slider to make adjustments when blurring background
  • Useful editing features

Cons:

  • Download limited preview images for free (50)

How to blur background with the blur background app

Step 1: Drag and drop an image to the blur app online

Step 2: Eliminate the background automatically and then click "Edit" and "Edit Preview"

Step 3: Click background icon and move the blur slider to adjust the level of blur added

4.Slazzer – Blur Background Online

This AI-powered tool claims to separate the foreground and background in your images online in seconds. Based on advanced computer vision algorithms, you can access a clean cut-out just by uploading an image to it and then blur background effortlessly.

slazzer blur background

Pros:

  • Free to use (limited to low-resolution preview images)
  • Fast to use
  • Cut out background more precisely with manual tools
  • Delete your file in 60 minutes

Cons:

  • Only offer 2 free credits for downloading HD images

How to blur background with the photo background blur app

Step 1: Click "Upload image" to get rid of the background

Step 2: Click "Edit Image" and "Edit Preview"

Step 3: Choose a blur effect from the four models available to apply blur effects

5. Blur Background Using Deep Learning - Github-based

This is a GitHub-based AI project that allows you to blur photo background using deep learning. Based on a convolution neural network called image segmentation, this AI has the ability to identify object in your image and segment it automatically before applying blur effects.

blur background with deep learning

Pros:

  • Blur background precisely using deep learning
  • Available for techies

Cons:

  • Not easily accessible to beginners

Learn how to blur background with this AI in this post: Generate Background Blur using Deep Learning in Python.

Also read: How to Unblur an Image | 5 Best Ways for Beginners.

5 Best Online Blur Apps for Customization (Non-AI)

1. Befunky

Befunky is a useful blur tool that allows you to blur the edge of focus in images, adjust lens blur or bokeh intensity and blur the entire image. Using Paint Mode feature, you can have full control over the image that you want to blur to make the focus pop in one click.

befunky-blur-image

Pros:

  • Blur edges in one click
  • Adjust the amount of blur
  • Adjust bokeh intensity
  • Blur any part of an image
  • Variety of editing tools

Cons:

  • Many advanced features are not free to use

How to blur background with Befunky

Step 1: Upload a photo that you want to blur to this blur tool

Step 2: Go to "Edit"> "Blur & Smooth"> "Blur"

Step 3: Move slider to adjust the level of blur in one click

2. Fotor

Fotor blur app comes with useful blur modes that allow you to blur any parts of your image or the entire photo. Powered by image processing technology, Fotor is a good choice for you to easily create bokeh effects. It's free to use. You can adjust the size of blur and its intensity for tailored effects.

fotor blur background

Pros:

  • Blur background manually but effectively
  • Blur the entire photo using the circular mode

Cons:

  • Not easy to control the size and intensity of blur for beginners

How to blur background with the blur app online

Step 1: Upload the photo you wish to edit with Fotor's blur effect tool.

Step 2: Go to Tilt-Shift and choose the proper blur modes before blurring your picture.

Step 3: Apply the Blur effect, changing your image blur intensity.

3. Adobe Photoshop Express

The online blur tool from Adobe allows you to highlight the subject and strengthen the contrast in image in one click. You can easily control the blurred background by moving the slider. This blur app also comes with rich editing features such as Vignette effect and Black-and-White filter.

adobe photoshop blur background

Pros:

  • Blur photo background and adjust the level of blur
  • Free to use

Cons:

  • Not able to blur the entire photo
  • Only allow you to blur the original background of an image, instead of the replaced one

How to blur background with Photoshop

Step 1: Upload an image to Photoshop and sign in with your account

Step 2: Click the Auto-Remove Background button

Step 3: Choose the blur tool and move slider to adjust the amount of blur

4. PicMonkey

PicMonkey allows you to blur photo background while highlighting the background in a few clicks. The best part of the blur app is that you can highlight any part in your image using the Focus tool. But it requires you to sign up before you can access the tool. It is not free to use. To download the blurry image you process, you need to upgrade a plan starting from $7.99 per month.

picmonkey blur background

Pros:

  • Offer useful "Focus" tool to place emphasis on subject in image
  • Blur the whole image in one click
  • 7-day free trial

Cons:

  • Enter credit card and info before you can access the free trial

How to blur background with the blur app online

Step 1: Select an image from your device and upload it to the app

Step 2: Go to "Effects" and "Soften"

Step 3: Upgrade a plan to download the result

Also read: Top 15 AI Image Upscaler for 2024 | Make Images Professional with AI Upscaling.

5. Lunapic – Best for blurring photo for free

Lunapic can be the best option to blur photo for those who want to blur a whole image. The blur app comes with a variety of free editing tools that let you add text or make adjustments after image blur. But you might opt out of this blur tool because it only allows you to blur the whole photo instead of a specific part or the background.

lunapic blur image

Pros:

  • No need to sign up or download any software
  • Best tool for casual users who just want to blur the entire photo

Cons:

  • Lack option to blur parts of your image

How to blur background with Lunapic

Step 1: Upload an image to Lunapic

Step 2: Go to "Adjust"> "Blur" and move slider to adjust the level of blur

Step 3: Click "Save" to download the result for free

Conclusion

AI tools for background blur are easy to use for beginners who opt for automatic background blur. Although you will need to make a bit more effort before you can blur photo background, AI tools are still worth trying out because you can blur background and highlight the foreground in an image effectively. But AI still needs improvement. The cut-outs are not that perfect in many cases, especially when the foreground and background are indistinct. That's where conventional photo editing tools come in. Traditional blur tools allow you to blur part of an image, the background or the entire image for tailored effects. You can also read our previous review to reduce blur for clear and crisp effects: Top 15 Image Sharpener Review 2024

Harley Wayne
Senior Editor

Harley Wayne is a Senior Editor at TopTen.AI. He received his bachelor's degree in Artificial Intelligence and Human-Computer Interaction from Carnegie Mellon University in 2008, and has worked in software development and software promotion for years. In 2017, he started his own blog posting AI and tech-related articles and joined TopTen.AI. He has amassed 6 years of experience crafting articles within the technological realm. He knows a lot about photo, audio, and video products, and he always knows what attracts users the most and what users want to know about software. With his professional education, keen interest in technology, and extensive work experience, Harley Wayne has written many articles with over 100K+ views. As a leading writer for TopTen.AI, Harley Wayne will continue to be keenly attuned to experiencing new technology products and is committed to providing readers with the most valuable information.