Automatic face privacy
Automatic face blur online: blur or pixelate faces in photos
Pixlery can suggest face regions locally after you click Auto-detect faces. The regions remain editable, so you can review a group photo, switch between Blur and Pixelate, or add manual coverage before exporting.
Last updated: July 14, 2026
Which effect should you use?
| Effect | Best for | Privacy boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Blur | Reducing recognition while keeping a photographic look | Visual anonymization; not an irreversible guarantee |
| Pixelate | Making the concealment obvious in screenshots or group photos | Still review context and other identifying clues |
| Solid redaction | Passwords, account numbers, addresses, ID numbers, and sensitive text | Replaces selected output pixels; keep the original private |
What automatic face detection does
The detector looks for likely face boxes in the current image and turns them into editable ellipse Blur regions. It does not identify people, create face embeddings, infer age or other attributes, or send the image to a cloud AI service.
The first automatic run loads a small local model and its browser runtime only after you click the button. After the suggestions appear, you can move, resize, delete, or replace regions with Pixelate or Solid redaction using the same editor controls.
Detection is probabilistic. Small distant faces, profiles, heavy occlusion, reflections, screens, posters, and unusual lighting can be missed or misdetected. Treat the result as a shortlist to review, not a statement that every face is covered.
Open the photo
Choose a static JPG, PNG, or WebP. The manual editor remains available immediately.
Blur, Pixelate & Redact ImageRun automatic face detection
Click Auto-detect faces. The model and WASM runtime load locally on demand; no image upload is required.
Review every candidate
Check the main subject, background people, reflections, screens, and printed images. Add a rectangle, ellipse, or brush region for anything missed.
Blur, Pixelate & Redact ImageChoose Blur or Pixelate
Use Blur for a softer photographic result or Pixelate for an obvious mosaic. Use Solid redaction for sensitive text rather than relying on visual softening.
Inspect the exported copy
Open the result at full size and normal sharing size. Share only the edited copy and keep the original private.
Automatic suggestions or manual regions?
Use automatic detection first
The photo contains one or several visible faces and you want to reduce repetitive box drawing.
Blur, Pixelate & Redact ImageStart manually
The image is mostly a poster, screen, reflection, profile, or very small distant subjects; manual coverage is more predictable.
Blur, Pixelate & Redact ImageUse Solid redaction
The region contains a secret or high-sensitivity text. Blur and Pixelate are not the right privacy boundary.
Blur, Pixelate & Redact ImageBefore sharing
- Every visible face and repeated reflection was checked
- Small background faces and partially visible profiles were reviewed
- Names, badges, plates, screens, and addresses were checked separately
- Blur or Pixelate was changed to Solid redaction for sensitive text
- The downloaded copy was reopened and inspected
- Only the edited copy will be shared
Does automatic face blur identify people?
No. Pixlery uses local face detection to suggest regions; it does not identify people or create face embeddings.
Does the detector find every face?
No. It can miss small, distant, side-facing, occluded, reflected, or unusual faces. Review the complete image and add manual regions.
Is face blur the same as permanent redaction?
No. Blur and Pixelate are visual anonymization effects. Use Solid redaction for secrets and sensitive text, then share only the exported copy.
Does Pixlery upload the photo for face detection?
No. The detector, model, and image processing run in the browser session. The page does not send the photo, face boxes, or confidence values to a cloud AI service.
Official sources
Specifications checked on 2026-07-14. Platform documentation can change.