MotionShineShort answer: the Markup toolbar in Preview on Mac does not have a blur tool. Apple's Preview page lists its tools and blur, pixelate and redact are not among them. Your built-in options are to crop the text out of the picture or to cover it with a filled shape. If you need an actual blur, use a separate tool. For passwords and card numbers, cover or remove the text completely. A blur can sometimes be guessed.
This guide uses Apple Support's page "Annotate an image in Preview on Mac", read on 23 October 2026. It shows no publish date, only a 2026 copyright line. It does not mention blur, pixelate or redact anywhere.
What Apple's Markup toolbar has
Open the screenshot in Preview, then click Show Markup Toolbar if the bar is hidden. Apple's page lists these tools: selection tools, Sketch, Draw, Shapes, Highlight, Zoom, Text, Sign, Adjust Color, Adjust Size, Shape Style, Border Color, Fill Color, Text Style, Rotate, Crop and Image Description.
None of them is a blur. Two of them look related, so here is what they really do:
- Zoom is a magnifying lens. Apple's page says you drag the green handle to increase or decrease the zoom. It makes text bigger, which is the opposite of what you want.
- Highlight is for marking an area. Apple's page does not describe it as a way to hide anything.
Option 1: crop the text out
If the private text is near an edge, crop it away. Apple's page describes Crop as a way to hide part of an image: you drag a frame over the area to keep, then click Crop to apply it. This is the surest built-in method, because the part you cut is not in the picture you share.
It only works when the text is at the edge. If it is in the middle, crop will cut away the parts you want too.
Option 2: cover the text with a filled shape
- Open the picture in Preview and show the Markup toolbar.
- Choose Shapes and click a rectangle. Drag it over the text, and resize it with the blue handles.
- Use Fill Color to fill the shape with a solid colour, and Border Color if you want to match the edge.
- Save the file.
Apple's page says the Fill Color tool changes the color inside a shape. It does not say that the shape is a safe way to remove what is below. Two things to know:
- Pick a solid, fully filled colour. A shape with only an outline hides nothing.
- Apple's page warns that annotations cannot be edited, moved or deleted after you save an image file. If you might change your mind, work on a copy. Apple suggests converting to a PDF first if you need editable annotations, but Apple's page does not say what a PDF keeps under a shape, so do not send that version as proof the text is gone.
Apple's page does not say whether the saved picture still holds the pixels under a shape. Because it is not stated, do not rely on this for secrets. Share a flattened PNG you made from a copy, and keep the original private.
Option 3: a free tool that really blurs
The Mac's own tools do not blur, so a separate tool is the honest answer. MotionShine has a free blur image tool, by the maker of this blog. It blurs, pixelates or blacks out marked areas with boxes, ovals or a brush. Its page says it runs in your browser and that pictures are not uploaded, and that the new file replaces the original pixels rather than covering them with a layer.
Its own page recommends black for anything sensitive, because blur on small text can sometimes be guessed. There is also a pixelate image tool for the pixel look.
MotionShine, the screen recorder, does not have a blur tool, so this applies to screenshots and photos only. For hiding faces in a video there is a separate blur faces in a video tool, and crop video removes an edge.
Which method for which job
| Job | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Private text at the edge | Crop in Preview | The text is gone from the file |
| A name or email in the middle | Filled shape on a copy, or the black-out in the blur image tool | Solid cover, no guessing |
| A face or a general hint of detail | The blur image tool | Gives a real blur |
| Password, card number, API key | Black out, never blur. Better, retake it without them | A light blur can be read back |
A better habit: avoid the problem
The easiest fix is to not show private text at all. Close tabs and chat apps before you capture, and take the shot again. The shortcuts are in Mac screenshot shortcuts. If you are making a video instead, how to screen record on Mac covers recording just one window, so the rest of your screen never appears.
FAQ
Can you blur a screenshot in Preview on Mac?
No, not with the Markup tools Apple lists. Its page has no blur, pixelate or redact tool. You can crop or cover the text with a filled shape.
How do I cover text in a screenshot on Mac?
Open it in Preview, show the Markup toolbar, add a rectangle from Shapes, and set Fill Color to a solid colour. Work on a copy, because Apple says saved annotations cannot be changed.
Is a blurred screenshot safe to share?
Not always. Blur on small text can sometimes be guessed. For passwords, card numbers and keys, black the text out completely or retake the screenshot without them.
Does the Zoom tool in Markup blur anything?
No. It is a magnifying lens that makes the area larger.
Can I blur a face in a photo on Mac?
Not with the Markup tools Apple lists. A browser tool such as the blur image tool can blur marked areas or faces.
Can I blur part of a screen recording?
Not in Preview, and MotionShine has no blur tool. Crop the recording, or use a separate video tool for faces.
