How to Blur and Remove Backgrounds in Windows 11 Photos

Two Background Tools Built Into Windows 11 Photos

The Photos app includes two AI background tools: Background blur (adds a portrait-style bokeh effect) and Background removal (removes the background entirely). Here's how to use both.

Background Blur: Add Portrait Mode to Any Photo

1. Open a photo in the Photos app
2. Click Edit image (or press Ctrl + E)
3. In the editing panel, click Background blur
4. The AI detects your subject automatically and blurs everything behind it
5. Use the Blur intensity slider to control the strength of the effect
6. Click Apply, then save your edited photo

Best for: Portrait photos, pet photos, product shots — any image where you want the subject to stand out from a distracting background.

Background Removal: Cut Out the Subject

1. Open a photo in Photos → Edit image
2. Click Remove background
3. The AI removes the background, leaving a transparent area
4. Use the Restore brush if the AI removed part of the subject
5. Use the Erase brush to clean up any remaining background areas
6. Save as PNG (PNG supports transparency; JPEG does not)

Best for: Product photos for online selling, profile photos, creating stickers, or extracting people for use in other designs.

Tips for Better Results

• Both tools work best with clear contrast between subject and background
• Complex backgrounds with overlapping objects produce less clean results
• Use the Restore and Erase brushes to manually refine edges on tricky photos