Hide sensitive info in images
Hiding sensitive info in an image? Blur isn't enough
Blurring or pixelating a name, number or face feels safe, but it leaves a scrambled copy of the original pixels behind. For anything that matters, cover it with a solid box. RedactSnap does that in your browser without uploading the image.
Drop an image here, or click to choose
PDF, PNG or JPG
Opens in your browser. The file is never uploaded.
When blur fails
Short, predictable text
Card digits, phone numbers, dates and email addresses use a small set of characters, so an attacker can try every candidate and compare the blurred results.
Light or low-strength blur
A soft blur preserves the shapes of letters. Sharpening the image or adjusting contrast can make them legible again.
Semi-transparent highlighters
Highlighter tools in phone markup apps are partly see-through. Raising the exposure or contrast can reveal the text underneath.
Large pixelation blocks on large text
Tools like Depix and Unredacter have recovered pixelated text when the font and size could be guessed.
How to hide sensitive info in an image properly
- 1
Drop the PNG or JPG into the box above. It stays on your device.
- 2
Drag a solid box over each item. Cover the whole word or number, including the edges.
- 3
Hide context too. A blacked-out name next to a visible email address isn't redacted.
- 4
Download the PNG. The boxes are burned into the pixels, and the original image's metadata is not carried over.
Is blur ever fine?
For a decorative background or a face in a crowd shot where nobody is at risk, a heavy blur is usually fine. For anything that identifies someone or gives access to an account, such as names, addresses, ID numbers, card numbers, passwords and API keys, use a solid box.
The metadata problem
Photos taken on a phone usually carry EXIF metadata: the GPS location, the time and the device model. Blurring the picture does nothing to that. RedactSnap rebuilds the exported file from pixels, so the original EXIF data does not come with it.
Frequently asked questions
Can blurred text really be un-blurred?
Not always, but often enough that you shouldn't rely on it. Recovery works best on short text in a known font, such as a number or an email address, which is exactly the kind of thing people blur.
Does RedactSnap have a blur tool?
Screenshot Studio (redactsnap.com/studio) has blur and pixelate modes, which are fine for non-sensitive details. For names, numbers and keys, use its Blackout mode or the tool on this page, which uses solid boxes only because they cannot be reversed.
Can RedactSnap find sensitive info in a screenshot automatically?
Partly. Screenshot Studio (redactsnap.com/studio) reads the text in an image on your device and boxes API keys, tokens, card numbers and names for you. It doesn't look for email addresses or phone numbers yet, so check for those and add boxes by hand. The tool on this page uses Smart Scan, which needs a PDF text layer, so on images you draw the boxes yourself.
Is my image uploaded anywhere?
No. The image is read by your browser and edited in memory on your device. There is no upload endpoint and no server-side copy. You can check this in your browser's network tab while you redact.