How to Make a Blurry Photo Clear in Photoshop: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to unblur an image in Photoshop? You've taken pictures of your recent camping trip, only to realise when you get home that every image in your camera roll is blurry. Not one picture is crisp and clear. All the precious memories with your family weren't captured well on camera. So what do you do?

Hundreds of people struggle with blurry photos, often losing precious memories in the process. But don't worry; after reading this guide, you'll know how to restore clarity to your images. We'll walk you through how to unblur an image in Photoshop and introduce you to other helpful tools as well.

Part 1: Understanding Blurred Photos

Blurred photos are the most common error that people make when taking photos and can easily ruin a great image. This issue occurs when an image lacks sharpness or clarity, often due to camera shake, motion, incorrect focus, or low light conditions. Blurriness can also result from low camera quality, which may produce unclear images due to poor lens performance or low-resolution sensors.

Fortunately, with the right tools and techniques, you can easily reduce blurriness in images and restore their lost clarity. However, before attempting to fix a blurry photo, it's important to first understand the causes of blur. It will help you improve photo quality and capture clear, sharp images.

Part 2: What Are Some Reasons for Blurry Images?

Everyone had to deal with unintentionally blurry pictures. The important thing is that you understand why your pictures are blurry so that you can fix them by tackling the source. Here are the five common reasons that can cause blurry images:

• 1. Camera Shake:One of the most common reasons behind blurry images is camera shake. When the camera moves while taking a photo, it causes the entire image to blur. This happens if the shutter speed is too slow or the photographer's hands are unsteady.
• 2. Out of Focus:An out-of-focus blur is when the background of the image is sharp and clear, but the object you were supposed to capture is blurry. This can happen if autofocus locks on the wrong part or if manual focus is not adjusted correctly.
• 3. Low Light:Low light conditions often need slower shutter speeds. This increases the risk of camera shake or subject movement, both of which can contribute to blur.
• 4. Low Resolution:As we all know picture resolution refers to how much detail an image has and is measured as pixels per inch. Low-resolution images can cause images to look blurry because there are fewer pixels available to make the image look crisp.
• 5. Dirty or Smudged Lens:A lens with fingerprints, dust, or smudges can scatter light and reduce image clarity, resulting in a blurry photo. This issue can be easily resolved by gently wiping the camera lens with a clean towel.

Part 3: How to Fix Blurry Pictures in Photoshop?

Unsharp Mask in Photoshop makes your pictures sharper. It looks at the edges, where light and dark meet, and boosts them. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to unblur a photo in Photoshop:

Step 1: Launch Photoshop

Download, install, and launch Photoshop on your PC. Click on the "Upload Image" icon and open your blurry photo in Photoshop. Now, unlock the background layer by clicking on the lock button next to your photo layer in the Layers panel.

Step 2: Duplicate the Background Layer

Once you have selected the photo layer, use Command + J or Control + J to duplicate the layer. This creates a duplicate layer that we can use to apply sharpening. It allows us to easily compare the before and after effects or adjust the opacity for a more subtle blend. After you've duplicated the background layer, your Layers panel should appear like this:

Step 3: Use the Unsharp Mask

The Unsharp Mask is a way of sharpening in Photoshop that happens to work quite well for sharpening blurry pictures to help remove blur. Go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask to open the Unsharp Mask dialogue box.

Step 4: Adjust the Sliders

Now, adjust the sliders.

• Amount: This controls the intensity of the sharpening effect. Start at around 150% and adjust based on your image.
• Radius: This determines the width of the edge that will be sharpened. Start at 1 pixel and increase if needed.
• Threshold: It decides how much contrast difference counts as an edge. Higher values ignore subtle edges, while lower values sharpen. Start at 0 and adjust for best results.

Step 5: Make Final Adjustments

Once all the requirements are fulfilled, click on OK and let it load out. Once loaded, you can adjust the settings and make final adjustments to your photo. Experiment with different settings to find what works best for your image. Avoid oversharpening, which can create unnatural-looking halos or artifacts.

Part 4: Bonus Tip: Fastest Way to Unblur a Photo: Try HitPaw Online Photo Enhancer

Unblurring photos with Photoshop is a complex and time-consuming process. Users must have editing skills if they want the best results. However, with HitPaw Online Photo Enhancer, you can unblur images with a single click. Yes, you've heard it right! HitPaw is an amazing AI Image Enhancer that uses AI technology to fix issues like blurriness, pixelation, and more. The standout feature of this program is that the entire image enhancement process is automated, requiring no editing skills or professional help.

Plus, HitPaw offers 4+ AI models, each with unique features and capabilities. These AI models include the Upscale Model, Colorize Model, Text Model, and more. HitPaw is a standout image enhancer that supports almost all devices that are compatible with web browsers, such as Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS. Another amazing thing about this tool is that it's a web-based tool, meaning no software downloading or installation is required to use the program.

Key Features of HitPaw Online Photo Enhancer

• AI Image Enhancer: HitPaw Online Photo Enhancer uses AI technology to fix major issues like blurriness, pixelation, and more. The best part is that it fixes blurry images within seconds.
• Image Upscaler: The tool enables users to enlarge images by up to 8 times their original size while doubling the image quality. It's ideal for printing and framing in a larger format.
• Web-Based Tool: HitPaw is a web-based program, meaning no software downloading or installation is required to enhance images. Further, it supports all devices that have an active internet connection.
• Free to Use: Unlike Photoshop, users can access and fix blurry images for free with HitPaw Online Photo Enhancer.

Step-by-Step Guide:

Follow the instructions below to learn how to unblur images with HitPaw Online Photo Enhancer:

• Navigate to the HitPaw Online Photo Enhance official site and log in with your free account. Click "AI Photo Enhancer" to begin the enhancement process.
• Click on the "Choose Image" option and upload the blurry image that you want to fix.
• Select "General Model" and click on the Process button. The unblur image process will begin.
• Within a few seconds, an enhanced version of your image will appear on your screen. Preview it and click on the "Download" button to save it on your PC.

Final Thoughts

After reading this guide, you now know how to make a blurry photo clear in Photoshop. While the process is complex and time-consuming, the results will be worth the effort. However, if you want a simpler solution, we recommend using HitPaw Online Photo Enhancer. This program uses AI technology to fix major issues like blurriness, pixelation, and more.