{"id":40468,"date":"2014-04-17T20:05:13","date_gmt":"2014-04-17T14:35:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=40468"},"modified":"2026-10-15T13:37:26","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T08:07:26","slug":"download-google-camera-app-to-defocus-background","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2014\/04\/download-google-camera-app-to-defocus-background\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Camera Lens Blur: How to Blur Photo Backgrounds (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Want to blur the background in your photos? In April 2014 Google released the <strong>Google Camera<\/strong> app for Android with a new Lens Blur mode that did exactly that, making the subject pop out against a soft, defocused background. This article covers what Lens Blur did, what happened to the Google Camera app, and how to blur photo backgrounds on any phone today.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-67093\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/google-camera-blur-background-2026-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"Google Camera lens blur and how to blur photo backgrounds on a phone\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/google-camera-blur-background-2026-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/google-camera-blur-background-2026-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/google-camera-blur-background-2026-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/google-camera-blur-background-2026-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/google-camera-blur-background-2026.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> Google Camera&#8217;s 2014 Lens Blur mode let Android phones fake the shallow depth of field of an SLR, with a slider to change the blur after you took the shot. The app was renamed Pixel Camera in 2023 and now only works on Pixel phones. On other phones, use the built-in Portrait mode or an editing app such as Snapseed.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6af295203d64d\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6af295203d64d\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2014\/04\/download-google-camera-app-to-defocus-background\/#Google_Camera_Lens_Blur_in_2014\" >Google Camera Lens Blur in 2014<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2014\/04\/download-google-camera-app-to-defocus-background\/#What_happened_to_the_Google_Camera_app\" >What happened to the Google Camera app<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2014\/04\/download-google-camera-app-to-defocus-background\/#How_to_blur_the_background_in_photos_today\" >How to blur the background in photos today<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2014\/04\/download-google-camera-app-to-defocus-background\/#Tips_for_a_better_blurred_background\" >Tips for a better blurred background<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2014\/04\/download-google-camera-app-to-defocus-background\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2014\/04\/download-google-camera-app-to-defocus-background\/#Can_I_still_download_Google_Camera\" >Can I still download Google Camera?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2014\/04\/download-google-camera-app-to-defocus-background\/#What_was_Lens_Blur_in_Google_Camera\" >What was Lens Blur in Google Camera?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2014\/04\/download-google-camera-app-to-defocus-background\/#How_do_I_blur_the_background_on_a_non-Pixel_phone\" >How do I blur the background on a non-Pixel phone?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2014\/04\/download-google-camera-app-to-defocus-background\/#Is_Portrait_mode_the_same_as_Lens_Blur\" >Is Portrait mode the same as Lens Blur?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Google_Camera_Lens_Blur_in_2014\"><\/span>Google Camera Lens Blur in 2014<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This example photo shows how lens blur makes the subject stand out from the blurred background:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-40469\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/lens-blur.jpg\" alt=\"Google Camera lens blur example with the subject in focus and a blurred background\" width=\"500\" height=\"214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/lens-blur.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/lens-blur-150x64.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/lens-blur-300x128.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I always wanted to do this from my smartphone, but until then it seemed impossible without an SLR camera or professional image editing software. Lens Blur gave SLR-like photos with a shallow depth of field.<\/p>\n<p>Google Camera used the same phone camera but added processing after the shot. You tapped the subject to keep it sharp, then moved a depth-of-field slider to simulate different aperture sizes and get a pleasing bokeh effect. The app also took Photo Spheres with 360\u00b0 views and high-resolution panoramas, which made it a must-have for photo enthusiasts at the time.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happened_to_the_Google_Camera_app\"><\/span>What happened to the Google Camera app<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google Camera started as a free download for many Android phones, but over time it became the camera for Google&#8217;s own Nexus and then Pixel phones. In October 2023 Google renamed it <strong>Pixel Camera<\/strong> on the Play Store, and the latest version only works on Pixel phones running Android 14 or later.<\/p>\n<p>The idea behind Lens Blur lives on as Portrait mode, now built into the camera app on most smartphones, Pixel included.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_blur_the_background_in_photos_today\"><\/span>How to blur the background in photos today<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Pixel phones:<\/strong> open the <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.google.android.GoogleCamera\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pixel Camera<\/a> app and choose Portrait mode.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Other Android phones:<\/strong> most have a Portrait or Live focus mode in the built-in camera app. Look in the camera&#8217;s mode list.<\/li>\n<li><strong>iPhone:<\/strong> use Portrait mode in the Camera app on supported models.<\/li>\n<li><strong>After the shot:<\/strong> Google&#8217;s free <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Snapseed<\/a> editor has a Lens Blur tool that adds blur to any photo.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_for_a_better_blurred_background\"><\/span>Tips for a better blurred background<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Keep some distance between your subject and the background; the further away the background, the stronger the blur.<\/li>\n<li>Get reasonably close to your subject and tap on it to focus.<\/li>\n<li>Check the edges around hair and glasses, where software blur often makes mistakes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For more ideas, see our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/09\/take-better-pictures\/\">phone photography tips<\/a> and these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/06\/photo-editing-tips\/\">photo editing tips for beginners<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_still_download_Google_Camera\"><\/span>Can I still download Google Camera?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The app is now called Pixel Camera, and the latest version only works on Pixel phones running Android 14 or later.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_was_Lens_Blur_in_Google_Camera\"><\/span>What was Lens Blur in Google Camera?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A 2014 mode that simulated shallow depth of field. You tapped the subject and used a slider to blur the background after taking the photo.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_blur_the_background_on_a_non-Pixel_phone\"><\/span>How do I blur the background on a non-Pixel phone?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Use the Portrait mode in your phone&#8217;s camera app, or add blur afterwards with an editing app such as Snapseed.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Portrait_mode_the_same_as_Lens_Blur\"><\/span>Is Portrait mode the same as Lens Blur?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It does the same job, keeping the subject sharp and blurring the background, using newer depth sensing and processing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to blur the background in your photos? In April 2014 Google released the Google Camera app for Android with&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":67093,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-apps"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40468"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40468\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67094,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40468\/revisions\/67094"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}