How to Blur the Background on iPhone (Photos & Videos)

The fastest way to blur an iPhone background is to shoot in Portrait mode — open the Camera app, swipe to Portrait, frame your subject, and tap the shutter; the background blurs automatically. For a Portrait photo you’ve already taken, adjust the blur in Photos using the Portrait toggle and the Depth Control slider. The built-in editor only adds depth blur to photos captured with depth data, so blurring an ordinary photo needs an app like Snapseed or TouchRetouch. For related edits, see how to edit photos on iPhone.

The three ways to blur a background

Method 1: Shoot in Portrait mode

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Swipe the mode selector to Portrait (next to Photo).
3. Step back until the background softens and a yellow box appears around your subject. If you see “Move farther away,” you’re too close.
4. Tap your subject to set the focus point.
5. Optional: tap the ƒ (Depth Control) button and drag the Aperture slider. A lower number (ƒ2.8) means more blur; a higher number means less.
6. Optional: swipe the on-screen strip to choose a Portrait Lighting effect.
7. Tap the shutter.

Method 2: Add or adjust blur on a Portrait photo in Photos

1. Open the Photos app and tap the Portrait photo.
2. Tap Edit.
3. If portrait controls aren’t visible, tap the Portrait control to switch the effect on.
4. Tap Depth Control and drag the slider — left for less blur, right for more. A dot marks the original value.
5. To change lighting, tap Portrait Lighting, swipe to an effect, and drag the slider for intensity.
6. On iPhone 13 or later, tap a different person or pet to move the focus point.
7. Tap Done.

Two details trip people up. There is no ƒ button in the Photos editor — ƒ belongs to the Camera app, and in Photos the controls are labelled Portrait and Depth Control. And this only works on photos that contain depth data. A regular photo of a landscape has none, so no Portrait option appears. On some newer iPhones the Camera captures depth automatically in regular Photo mode, so a shot of a person, dog, or cat may still show a Portrait option; there’s no way to generate depth for an arbitrary photo after the fact.

Method 3: Blur any photo with an app

Snapseed (completely free)

1. Open Snapseed → Open → choose a photo.
2. Tap Tools → Lens Blur.
3. Drag on the photo to set the focal point and blur boundary; pinch to resize the sharp area.
4. Drag the Blur slider up.
5. Tap the checkmark, then Export.

To blur one exact area, use Tools → Brush with the Blur value and paint over the part you want softened.

TouchRetouch (free download, paid unlock)

TouchRetouch’s Blur tool paints blur exactly where you brush — handy for a licence plate or a distracting sign. It’s a free download with a paid unlock, so it isn’t fully free; Snapseed is the one that costs nothing.

Which iPhones support Portrait mode

Single-camera models — iPhone XR, iPhone SE (2nd gen) and later, and iPhone 16e — require the camera to detect a person’s face before Portrait mode will fire, so they won’t blur an object or pet.

Portrait Lighting effects

Available on iPhone 8 Plus and later; swipe through them in the Camera or tap Portrait Lighting in the Photos editor.

Common problems and fixes

There’s no Portrait option in the Camera

Your model may not support it, or you’re using the front camera on a rear-only model. The iPhone 8 and older non-Plus phones have no Portrait mode. On single-camera models it stays hidden until a face is detected.

“Move farther away” keeps appearing

You’re too close — step back until the background softens. In dim light the depth effect can also fail, so move to better light or switch to the main wide camera.

The blur looks fake

Pull the Depth Control slider back toward the original dot; heavy blur causes the cut-out look. Fine edges like hair, glasses, and pet fur are hardest to separate, so keep the subject against a contrasting background.

I can’t change the focus point after shooting

Changing the subject after the shot requires iPhone 13 or later. On older phones the focus point is fixed, but Depth Control and Portrait Lighting still work.

Blurring a video background

Record in Cinematic mode (iPhone 13 or later) for a background that blurs as you shoot and can be refocused later. If you need to shorten the clip, see how to trim a video on iPhone, or resize an image on iPhone for exact output dimensions.

FAQ

Can I blur the background on any iPhone?

No. Portrait mode needs an iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X or later, or iPhone SE (2nd generation) or later; the iPhone 8 (single camera) can’t. On any other iPhone or non-Portrait photo, use Snapseed’s Lens Blur.

How do I blur a photo I already took?

If it was shot in Portrait mode, open it in Photos → Edit, switch on Portrait, and drag the Depth Control slider. If it wasn’t captured with depth data, the built-in editor can’t add blur — use Snapseed or TouchRetouch.

What do the Portrait Lighting effects do?

Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Light Mono, and High-Key Light Mono change how the subject is lit. Natural keeps the original look, Stage Light blacks out the background, and the Mono versions are black and white.

How do I blur a video background on iPhone?

Record in Cinematic mode (iPhone 13 or later), which blurs the background as you shoot; you can then change the focus subject and amount of blur in Photos.