This article is part of a directory: Mobile Photography Week 2023: Our big phone camera celebration
Table of contents

Google Pixel smartphones take amazing pictures thanks to an excellent camera array and a powerful chipset. The Google Pixel 7, for example, has a 50-megapixel main camera, while the Pixel 7 Pro has the same, along with a 48-megapixel telephoto sensor. While that may not match up to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, it has the added benefit of being powered by the Google Tensor G2 chipset, which adds to the overall quality of the pictures you take.

Banner with the AP logo in black along with a black and gray smartphone. The text "Mobile Photography Week" appears horizontally and a "2023 flag is diagonally positioned in the right corner.

All that won't help if you're trying to eliminate the blur from a Portrait Mode photo, which is called the bokeh effect. There is a way to take photos on your Pixel device to get copies of the photo with the bokeh effect on and with it off. Here's how to do it.

How to remove a bokeh effect from your photos

If you've taken a picture in Portrait Mode and later decide you want to ditch the blur, you're in luck. Google Pixel phones make removing this effect easy so that you can enjoy your images in their crystal-clear glory. Here are a few steps to remove Portrait Mode on a photo on a Pixel phone:

  1. Open the Camera app on your phone.
  2. Select the rear or front-facing camera option.
  3. Select Portrait from the side-scrolling menu at the bottom.
  4. Take a picture.
  5. Click Edit at the bottom of the display.
  6. Side scroll to the Tools menu.
  7. Select Portrait blur from the Tools menu.
  8. Set the slider to zero (or whatever number you prefer).
  9. Click Save copy in the lower-right corner.

How to create a bokeh effect in your photos

The best way to take a high-quality picture with the bokeh effect is to take the original picture in Portrait Mode from the start. However, if you have an old picture that you want to bokeh-ify, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the Google Photos app on your phone.
  2. Find and select the picture that you want to unblur.
  3. Click Edit at the bottom of the display.
  4. Side scroll to the Tools menu.
  5. Select Portrait blur from the Tools menu.
  6. Set the slider to 100 (or whatever number you prefer).
  7. Click Save copy in the lower-right corner.

While this feature works great on a Google Pixel phone, it's also available on other Android devices, including the Samsung Galaxy S23.

Where to find the original and blurred photos

If you can't locate your Portrait Mode pictures or their unblurred counterparts, we can help. Instead of clicking the photo icon in the lower-right corner of your camera app, head over to the Google Photos app. There, you'll find the pictures you took and the images you downloaded or shared on social media (if those settings are enabled).

If your photos don't show up, make sure you're in the correct folder by clicking the Library tab at the bottom of the screen and navigating the folders that appear.

Keep your Google Photos collection neat and organized

To make sure all these Portrait Mode pictures and unblurred shots don't take up too much space, check out our guide for some tips and tricks to tame your Google Photos collections. And don't forget that Google Pixels will be getting Android 14 soon, which could unlock even more innovative features, particularly with the Google Pixel 8 rumored to adopt a new HDR technique for its cameras.

  • Render of the Pixel 7 Pro in Hazel
    Google Pixel 7 Pro
    $599 $899 Save $300

    Whether you have Portrait Mode on or not, the Pixel 7 Pro will get a great picture every time. The biggest difference from the standard Pixel 7 is the 48MP telephoto lens, which adds a lot of clarity to zoomed-in shots. Whether that alone is worth the extra cost is up to you.

  • Google Pixel 7 on white background
    Google Pixel 7
    $500 $600 Save $100

    Google did not reinvent the wheel with the Pixel 7, but there was no need to. With improved cameras, the next-gen Tensor G2 chipset, and Google's wonderfully feature-filled software, the Pixel 7 earns its price tag again this year.