Oh, digital photos… You probably have a large number of them on your smartphone or computer where you have saved them. The advent of digital technology and the emergence of cameras on our smartphones have exploded the number of photos we take. But did you know that you can edit, enhance or retouch these photos?
For example, in portrait photos, it is sometimes interesting to blur the background, regardless of whether the subject is a person, an animal, or an object. This helps to highlight the subject and draw attention to the main subject by blurring surrounding elements. Artistic background blur is also called bokeh.
Here we invite you to discover a free tool integrated directly into the Windows 11 photo manager. Thanks to this software you can give a new dimension to your photos in just a few clicks. You no longer need to use paid software!
What do you need to know about the Background Blur feature in Photos?
It may be necessary to blur the background of a photo to differentiate and isolate a subject from its surroundings to make it stand out. While it was previously necessary to use a third-party application to add this blur effect to the background of an image, Microsoft recently added this functionality to its Photos application on Windows 11.
Soberly called “background blur,” it allows you to blur the background of a subject in just a few seconds. The tool is able to automatically identify the area behind the subject that needs to be blurred. In addition, you can adjust the intensity and position of the blur on any part of the photo.
You should know that this feature is a new feature and is not yet available to the general public at the time of writing. Background blur is integrated in version 2023.11090.13001.0 of the Photos app, the release date of which is not yet known. To test it out now, you must be a member of the Windows Insider program and upgrade to this specific version.
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To blur the background of an image using the Background Blur feature in the Photos app on Windows 11, follow these steps.
First, launch the Photos app by pressing the button win on your keyboard and then type Pictures in the search bar. Once the app is open, scroll down to the image you want to edit and then double-click it to open it in the preview window.
Now click on the icon Edit image in the top bar. Then click on the option Background blur top right. The tool then starts identifying the background of the image and then automatically applies the blur effect.
If you're happy with the result, great. Otherwise, you can make some adjustments by accessing the option Blur intensity in the right section. Use the slider to increase or decrease the blur effect on your image.
When you have made all the necessary changes, click Applythen click the button Save a copy top right. Enter a name for the edited image and click Save save.
Note that with the new Background Blur feature it is possible to blur only certain parts of the image. To do this, click on the switch next to theSelection Brush Tool below the option Blur intensity. It is used by default Select area. Then use your mouse to select the area you want to blur. Again, you can use the adjustment slider to adjust the blur intensity (if necessary).
An option Deselect area is also available belowSelection Brush Tool. This allows you to deselect part of the blurred image with the mouse.
When you're finished making the changes you want, click Applythen click the button Save a copy so that everything is saved.
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