It reads the text
PrivacyBlur's automatic detection looks for faces. Smudge reads the words as well, and highlights names, phone numbers, emails, card and bank numbers, addresses and links.
Smudge vs PrivacyBlur
PrivacyBlur detects faces and blurs or pixelates them. Smudge reads the words too, so it finds the names, numbers and emails in a screenshot and hides them all in one tap.
Why Smudge instead of PrivacyBlur
- It hides text, not just faces: names, numbers, emails and card details
- A solid blackout bar and emoji stickers as well as blur and pixelate
- Made for screenshots of chats
Side by side
| Feature | Smudge | PrivacyBlur |
|---|---|---|
| Finds personal details in text | Yes: names, phone numbers, emails, card numbers, addresses, dates of birth and links | No. It detects faces |
| Solid blackout bar | Yes | Not listed. Its listing offers blur and pixelate |
| Blur with noise mixed in | Noise mixed into every blurred or pixelated block | Not stated |
| Metadata such as location | Removed from every export | Not stated |
Smudge is coming soon to Google Play. PrivacyBlur details checked 24 September 2026.
Where Smudge is better.
More ways to hide
PrivacyBlur blurs and pixelates. Smudge also covers details with a solid blackout bar or emoji stickers, and you can give each box its own style.
Made for screenshots
Smudge is tuned for chats in WhatsApp, iMessage, Telegram, Signal, Instagram, Messenger and Google Messages. It finds sender names and the profile photos beside each message.
Blur that holds up better
Ordinary blur and pixelation can sometimes be reversed: tools like Unredacter rebuild pixelated text in the right conditions. Smudge mixes random noise into every block it blurs or pixelates to stop that kind of matching, and its Blackout style leaves nothing underneath at all.
Sources for the details above, checked 24 September 2026.
Questions
Can PrivacyBlur blur text automatically?
Its Google Play listing describes automatic face detection. Smudge detects names, phone numbers, emails and other personal details in the text for you.
How do I hide a phone number in a screenshot?
Open the screenshot in Smudge, or share it to Smudge from your gallery. Smudge highlights phone numbers, in UK and international formats, along with names and emails. Tap Hide all, then share, save or copy the safe copy.
Is it safe to share a blurred screenshot?
Usually, but ordinary blur and pixelation can sometimes be reversed. For card numbers and anything else really sensitive, use a solid bar. Smudge's Blackout style covers each detail with nothing left underneath.
More comparisons
- Smudge vs Point BlurTrace every area by hand, with ads
- Smudge vs Blur Photo Editor & MosaicText is selected by hand, with ads
- Smudge vs Screenshot EditorDetects text, but Premium is £12.99
- Smudge vs MosaicPixelate Blur Censor: draw over every area, with ads
- Smudge vs ObscuraCamFaces only, last updated in 2017
Spill the tea. Smudge the names.
Smudge is coming soon to Google Play. It's free, with no ads and no account, and your screenshots never leave your phone.