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You can't. The app has no blur tool, no blur brush and no blur effect. If you need to hide something, paint over it. If you need a real blur, use the free Photos app on Windows 11. It has a built-in background blur with a strength slider.
We checked every panel in the app and every label in its interface. The word blur does not appear anywhere. So the useful answer to how to blur in Paint 3D is to show you what the app can do instead.
What Effects actually does
Many people look in the Effects tab first, because that is where a blur would usually sit. It holds two things: a grid of color filters, and a Light wheel.
The filters change the color and mood of the whole scene. The Light wheel adjusts the scene's lighting. Neither one softens detail, so neither can hide text or a face.
The Brushes tab has ten tools: Marker, Calligraphy pen, Oil brush, Watercolor, Pixel pen, Pencil, Eraser, Crayon, Spray can and Fill. None of them smudges or blurs what is already there. They all add paint, or remove it in the case of the eraser.
Option 1: Cover it instead of blurring it
If your goal is to hide something, such as a face, a name or a number, covering it works just as well as a blur. It is also safer. A light blur can sometimes still be read.
- Click the Brushes tab and pick Marker or Pixel pen.
- Pick a color from the palette on the right. Black or a color from the photo looks tidy.
- Drag the Thickness slider up so each stroke covers more.
- Keep Opacity at the top, so nothing shows through.
- Paint over the area until it is fully covered.
Zoom in on the edges so you do not miss a corner. Press Undo if a stroke goes too far.
Option 2: Soften the look with low opacity
This does not blur anything. It lays a thin, see-through coat of color over an area, which can make a busy background look calmer.
- In the Brushes tab, pick Spray can or Watercolor.
- Lower the Opacity slider to a small amount.
- Pick a color close to the area you are working on.
- Make light passes over the area and build up slowly.
Test on a small patch first. Going over the same spot again makes it stronger.
Option 3: Use Photos for a real blur
Windows 11 comes with the Photos app, and Photos has a real blur tool. It finds the background by itself and runs on your own PC.
- Right-click the picture in File Explorer and choose Edit with Photos.
- Click the Background tab at the top of the editor.
- Pick Blur. The background goes soft while the subject stays sharp.
- Drag Blur intensity to make it stronger or softer.
- To blur an extra area, such as a second face, switch on Background brush tool and paint over it.
- Click Save options at the top right and save the picture.
The same Background tab can also Remove or Replace the background. If you change your mind, Reset background undoes it.
If you still want to finish the picture in the app, open the saved file with Menu, then Open, then Browse files. The blur stays because it is now part of the picture.
The Photos feature works on both standard and Arm-based Windows 11 PCs.
Why Paint 3D has no blur
Paint 3D was built for simple drawing and light 3D work, not photo editing. Microsoft stopped updating it and later pulled it from the Store, so no new tools will be added. Our page on what happened to Paint 3D tells the full story.
Classic Paint and Photos are where Microsoft now adds image tools. Our comparison of Paint vs Paint 3D shows which app is better at what today. If you want a different editor altogether, see our list of Paint 3D alternatives.
FAQ
Is there a blur tool in Paint 3D?
No. There is no blur tool, blur brush or blur effect in any tab. We checked every label in the app's interface.
How do I blur text in Paint 3D?
You can't blur it there, but you can cover it. Use Marker or Pixel pen at full opacity and paint over the text. For a true blur, open the picture in Photos on Windows 11, go to the Background tab, pick Blur, and use the Background brush tool on the text.
How do I blur a face in a picture?
Right-click it and choose Edit with Photos. Open the Background tab, pick Blur, and switch on Background brush tool to paint over the face. In Paint 3D itself, the only option is to cover the face.
Can Paint 3D blur the background behind a 3D model?
No. The Effects tab changes color and light only. It has no depth of field or background blur.
Does lowering opacity blur an image?
No. Lower opacity makes your new paint see-through. The picture under it stays exactly as sharp as before.
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