Blurring photos on a smartphone is a task faced by both beginners and experienced users. On Samsung Galaxy A51 with its 48 MP camera and Exynos 9611 processor, this can be done in several ways: from built-in functions Samsung Galleries to specialized applications like Snapseed or Adobe Lightroom. But not all methods are equally effective - somewhere the quality is lost, somewhere the blur looks unnatural, and some applications require a subscription.

In this article we will look at 5 proven methodsincluding hidden functions of the standard Galleriesthat work without the Internet. You'll learn how to blur the background (bokeh effect), hide unwanted details in a photo, or create an artistic effect - all without a computer. And at the end - a comparative table of methods in terms of speed, quality and complexity.

Samsung Gallery has a built-in editor with basic tools, including blur. This method is suitable for quick edits when you need to slightly soften the background or hide small details. The main advantage is that you do not need to install additional applications. Galaxy A51 has a built-in editor with basic tools including blur. This method is suitable for quick edits when you need to slightly soften the background or hide small details. The main advantage is that you do not need to install additional applications.

To blur a photo:

  1. Open Gallery and select the desired photo.
  2. Click Edit (pencil icon at the bottom of the screen).
  3. Go to the tab Effects (magic wand icon).
  4. Select Blur (or Focus in some firmware versions).
  5. Adjust the intensity with the slider and save the changes.

Limitations method:

  • 🔄 Blur is applied to to the entire photo, it is impossible to select a specific area.
  • 🎨 The effect looks artificial, especially in portable photographs.
  • 📉 Image quality can worsen with strong blur.

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If your version of Gallery does not have the "Blur" option, update the application via Galaxy Store —Samsung regularly adds new features.

2. Using the "Portrait" mode (bokeh effect)

If you take photographs right nowand do not edit old photographs, use the mode Portrait in the standard application Camera. It automatically blurs the background, simulating shooting with a professional DSLR camera. On Galaxy A51 this mode works on both the main and front cameras.

How to enable:

  1. Open application Camera.
  2. Swipe the shooting modes to the left and select Portrait.
  3. Point the camera at the subject - the background will automatically blur.
  4. After shooting, you can adjust the intensity of the blur in Gallery (click Edit → Portrait).

Important nuances:

  • 📸 Works only when shooting living objects (people, animals). For objects, the effect may not work.
  • 🔍 The distance to the object should be 1-2 meters - otherwise the background will blur too much or unevenly.
  • 💡 In the dark, mode Portrait may produce noisy pictures - use additional lighting.

📊 How often do you use the "Portrait" mode on your smartphone?
Constantly
Sometimes
I tried it before, but didn’t like it
Never used it

3. Blurring individual areas in Google Photos

The application Google Photos offers more flexible editing tools than standard Samsung Gallery. Here you can blur specific areas photo without affecting the rest of the image. The method is suitable for retouching - for example, to hide license plates, faces of random people or unnecessary inscriptions.

Step-by-step guide:

  1. Open the photo in Google Photos and click Edit.
  2. Select tab Tools → Blur (or Retouch in new versions).
  3. Trace the area you want to blur with your finger. The application will automatically determine the boundaries.
  4. Adjust the intensity and click Done.

Advantages of the method:

  • 🎯 Precise blur selected zones (for example, only the background or only one object).
  • 🔄 Ability to cancel changes and return the original.
  • ☁️ Synchronization with the cloud - edited photos are available on all devices.

How to return the original after editing in Google Photos?

In the application, open the photo → Three dots → Revert original. All edits will be canceled, but the original file will be saved in the cloud.

⚠️ Attention: Google Photos may compress photos when uploading to the cloud. To avoid loss of quality, select Original quality (requires more space) in the application settings.

4. Snapseed

For those who want maximum. control more effects, a free application Snapseed from Google is suitable. It allows you to blur photos by adjusting the radius, shape and intensity, as well as combine effects with other filters.

How to blur a photo in Snapseed:

  1. Install the application from Play Market and open the photo.
  2. Click Tools → Lens (circle icon).
  3. Select the blur type:
    • Blur —uniform effect.
    • Tilt-shift —imitation of lens tilt (artistic effect).
  • Adjust the blur center, radius and strength of the effect.
  • Save the result to the gallery.

    • Tips for a natural result:

    • 🎨 Use Mask (brush) to blur only the desired areas, leaving the rest clear.
    • 🔍 For portraits, blur the background radial (from the center to the edges), not evenly.
    • 📏 Blur radius 10-30% usually enough for a natural effect.

    Increase the brightness (if the photo is dark)|Crop off excess edges|Save a copy of the original|Check the focus on the main one object-->

    5. Blurring using applications for collages (PicsArt, Canva)

    If you need not only to blur a photo, but also add text, stickers or create a collage, multifunctional editors like PicsArt or Canvaare suitable. They offer ready-made templates with blur effects, which speeds up the process.

    Example in PicsArt:

    1. Open the photo in the application and select Effects.
    2. In the search, enter Blur (blur).
    3. Apply the filter you like (for example, Motion Blur for a motion effect).
    4. Adjust the intensity and save.

    Pros and cons of the method:

    Advantages Disadvantages
    🎨 Large selection of artistic effects 📱 Heavy for smartphones (may slow down Galaxy A51)
    📌 Ready-made templates for stories and posts 💰 Some filters require a premium subscription
    🔄 Ability to combine blur with other effects 🔍 The quality of the source may deteriorate during export

    ⚠️ Attention: Applications like PicsArt often add watermarks to free versions of effects. Before saving, check the export settings or use the paid version.

    Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

    To determine the best method, evaluate your goals:

    Method Speed Quality Difficulty When to use
    Standard Gallery ⚡ Instantly ⭐⭐ (average) 🟢 Easy Quick editing without installing applications
    Portrait mode ⚡ Instantly ⭐⭐⭐ (good) 🟢 Easy Shooting new photos with bokeh effect
    Google Photos ⏳ 1-2 minutes ⭐⭐⭐ (good) 🟡 Average Blurring of individual areas
    Snapseed ⏳ 3-5 minutes ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (excellent) 🔴 Difficult Professional retouching
    PicsArt/Canva ⏳ 2-4 minutes ⭐⭐ (average) 🟡 Average Collages and artistic effects

    For Samsung Galaxy A51 the optimal balance of quality and speed is provided by a combination of the "Portrait" mode (for new photos) and Snapseed (for editing old ones). If you urgently need to hide details, use Google Photos.

    Common mistakes and how to avoid them

    Even simple tools can give poor results if you do not take into account the nuances. Here are typical user mistakes Galaxy A51:

    • 🔍 Blur too much —the background turns into a uniform spot, details are lost. Solution: use the intensity no more 50%.
    • 🎯 Inexact boundaries —blur comes to the main object. Solution: in Snapseed, use the tool Mask for manual correction.
    • 📸 Blur on an out-of-focus photo —if the source is already with noise, the effect will enhance artifacts. Solution: first increase the sharpness in the editor.
    • 🔄 Save in low resolution —some applications compress photos when exporting. Solution: in the settings, select Maximum quality.

    If after blurring the photo looks unnatural, try adding light noise (in Snapseed: Tools → Grain). This will blur the artificiality of the effect.

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    Before editing, always save a copy of the original! In Samsung Gallery this is done automatically, and in third-party applications - manually through Save as a copy.

    Is it possible to blur the background on an already taken photo? if the "Portrait" mode was not used when shooting?

    Yes, but the result will be worse than when shooting in the Portraitmode. Use Snapseed (tool Lens) or Google Photos (blur by mask). For a realistic effect, you will need to accurately outline the object.

    Why did the photo become pixelated after blurring in the Samsung Gallery?

    This is due to strong blur in the photo with low resolution. Galaxy A51 saves pictures in 12 MP by default (despite the 48 MP camera). Before editing, check the permission in the file properties. If you need to preserve details, use Snapseed with a radius setting <20%.

    Which application gives the most natural blur?

    According to tests on Galaxy A51, the best result is shown by Adobe Lightroom Mobile (tool Radial filter). It allows you to smoothly adjust the transition between blurry and clear areas. The free version has limitations, but they are enough to blur.

    Is it possible to blur video on Samsung A51?

    No using standard means. Video will require specialized applications like CapCut or KineMaster. They have blur effects (for example, Gaussian blur), but they require more resources and can slow down Galaxy A51 when processing Full HD video.

    How to remove blur if you saved a photo with the effect?

    If you edited the photo in Google Photos or Samsung Gallery, the original can be restored (see spoiler above). If you used third-party applications without saving a copy, it is impossible to restore clarity. In the future, always duplicate the sources!