A step-by-step guide to unblur images and photos
Brendan McConnellFebruary 20, 2025
The moment my sister put on her first pair of glasses, everything changed for her—colors popped, details sharpened, and the world finally made sense. Fixing a blurry photo feels the same. Whether it’s a cherished memory or a product shot, clarity makes all the difference.
In this guide, I’ll break down why photos turn out blurry, how to fix them with AI, and the best tools—like Photoroom—to bring your images back into focus effortlessly.
Table of contents:
What causes a blurry photo?
Blurry photos can happen for a variety of reasons. Knowing what’s behind the blur makes it easier to fix and, even better, prevent it from happening in the first play.
Here are five common causes of blurry images.
1. Camera or subject movement
Even the slightest shake or movement while taking a photo can cause motion blur, creating ghosting or a double image effect. This often happens in low light or when capturing fast-moving subjects.
2. High ISO levels
Using a high ISO in dark settings can introduce grain and reduce sharpness. While it helps brighten photos, too much noise can make images look blurry rather than crisp.
3. Shallow depth of field
A wide aperture (low f-stop) results in a narrow focus area, making only part of the image sharp while the rest is blurred. This is great for portraits but problematic if key details end up out of focus.
4. Missed focus
If the wrong part of the image is sharp while the subject is soft, the autofocus likely missed its target. Or, you might have manually set the wrong focus point with your camera.
This is common in portraits or action shots when the camera locks onto the background instead of the subject.
5. Poor lens quality
Some lenses struggle to maintain sharpness across the frame, especially at extreme focal lengths or high apertures. Dust or smudges on the lens can also soften an image.
Why is unblurring images crucial for e-commerce?
In e-commerce, blurry product photos don’t just look bad, they can cost you sales. That’s because images are the products of online shoppers. They can’t touch, feel, or try before they buy your products, so crisp, high-quality visuals have to do all the convincing.
A recent Etsy survey found that 90% of buyers say product images influence their purchase decisions. Why? Because sharp and clear product images:
Increase perceived value. A blurry image makes a product look cheap, while a crisp one signals quality and professionalism.
Build trust. Customers associate clear visuals with credibility. If your images look sloppy, they’ll wonder if your business is, too.
Help buyers visualize the product. The better they can see the details, the more confident they’ll feel hitting “Add to Cart.”
Blurry images can mean lost customers. But the good news? You don’t need a reshoot to fix them. AI-powered tools like Photoroom can sharpen your product photos in seconds, making them ready for your online store, without having to hire an expensive graphic designer.
Taking product photos? Read our guides for the best shots:
How to unblur a photo with Photoroom
Photoroom offers a suite of AI-powered editing tools that allow you to sharpen, upscale, and restore clarity to your images in just a few taps. Here’s how to bring your blurry images back into focus.
1. Sharpen your image using AI adjustments
Start with Photoroom’s AI Enhance tool to improve the details within your image.
For example, you can:
Increase Sharpness to define edges without overdoing it.
Tweak Contrast, Brightness, and Clarity to make textures pop while keeping the image natural.
To do that, open the Photoroom app on your mobile device or desktop and upload your image. Go to Adjustments, and increase the image’s sharpness. You can also experiment with contrast, brightness, and clarity settings to find a natural and crisp look for the image.
Here’s an example of an image sharpened using Photoroom’s filters: brightness +18, contrast +8, saturation +4, highlights +5, sharpness +17, and blend +9. Notice how the details stand out without introducing noise?
2. Upscale image resolutions for low-quality shots
If your photo is blurry and low resolution, then Photoroom’s AI upscaling tool is the fix. This is a Pro tool that’s currently only available on the iOS version.
To use it, open Photoroom on your iOS device, upload your image, and select AI Upscale.
From there, you can choose to:
Enhance. Sharpens while keeping the original look.
Transform. Adds missing details for a cleaner finish.
Reimagine. Creates a high-resolution version inspired by your image.
As you edit the image, you can use the Before & After slider to compare results before saving
3. Remove backgrounds and unwanted objects for extra clarity
If your photo is blurry and contains a background or extra objects that distract from the main subject, then we recommend one extra step to remove those distractions.
Photoroom offers two options.
First, you can use the AI Background Remover tool to get rid of your existing background, and replace it with a new one (or a solid background color). Simply upload the image to Photoroom, and the app will automatically remove the background.
From there, you can use pre-built background templates, solid colors, or use AI Backgrounds to generate an entirely new background based on text prompts or an analysis of the primary object in your photo.
If you just want to get rid of one or more objects in your image, then go with AI Retouch. This lets you paint over parts of the image that you don’t want. Photoroom’s AI then removes that object and blends the left-over area with the background.
Tips for preventing blurry photos
While tools to fix blurry images are aplenty, the best tactic is always to avoid them in the first place. With a few simple techniques, you can capture sharp, high-quality images every time.
Here are five tips:
Prioritize image quality. A good photo starts with the right settings. Use high-quality lenses, adjust your camera settings, and position your subject for the best clarity.
Master manual focus. Autofocus isn’t perfect, especially in low light. Switching to manual focus lets you control exactly where the sharpest details land.
Use focus assist. Many cameras highlight sharp areas in real-time, making it easier to ensure perfect focus, especially in tricky lighting or fast-moving scenes.
Stabilize your shot. A tripod or image stabilization prevents camera shake, while a faster shutter speed freezes moving subjects.
Watch the environment. Haze, humidity, and poor lighting can soften your photos. Adjust settings accordingly to maintain crisp details.
By fine-tuning your technique and using the right tools, you’ll reduce blur and capture stunning, clear images every time.
Bonus tips for editing blurry images
If you took all the steps above and still end up with some blurry photos, don’t worry—we got you. In addition to the Photoroom tools outlined above, here are five tips for editing blurry images.
Convert to black and white. Removing color can reduce the appearance of blur, making textures and contrasts stand out more.
Enhance texture with grain. Adding a slight film grain effect can make an image look more intentional and mask minor blur.
Stack multiple images. If you have several similar shots, use image stacking to combine the sharpest parts of each.
Use selective blur. Intentionally blurring the background or edges can make the main subject appear sharper by contrast.
While these tricks won’t fix extreme blur, they can help improve clarity and make the most of a soft image.
Sharpen your photos to boost your e-commerce sales
Just as clear vision brings memories into focus, sharp images make your e-commerce products more compelling and memorable. Take steps to prevent blur, and if it happens, Photoroom’s AI tools can help you unblur images effortlessly.
Try Photoroom today on Web, iOS, or Android to see the power of AI-powered image unblurring for yourself.
FAQs
1. Why do images turn out blurry?
Blurry images are usually caused by camera shake, subject movement, poor focus, high ISO noise, or low-resolution settings during capture.
2. How can I fix a blurry photo without losing quality?
You can use AI-powered tools like Photoroom’s AI Upscale or sharpening adjustments to enhance details without introducing noise.
3. What is the best way to prevent blurry photos?
Use a tripod, fast shutter speed, and manual focus to reduce motion blur and ensure sharp images from the start.
4. Can I unblur a photo on my phone?
Yes, mobile apps like Photoroom offer AI sharpening and upscaling features to restore clarity in just a few taps.
5. Why do my product photos look blurry online?
Compression, incorrect resolution, or poor lighting can cause blur—export images in high resolution and optimize for web use to maintain clarity.
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Brendan McConnellI write about ecommerce photography and image editing tips.