How to Blur Faces in iMovie on Mac & iPhone and Best AI-Powered Alternative

Part 1: How to Blur a Face in iMovie on Mac

iMovie doesn't have the face blur feature in the proper sense, but you can blur your face manually with a trick. It requires you to add a blurred image or video clip over the video and place it on the face that you want to blur. To do this, you must use the Picture-in-Picture or Cutaway overlay tools. It takes more time compared to using automatic tools but serves the purpose for short clips and videos with less face movement. Follow the steps given below to how to blur faces in iMovie.

Step-by-Step to Blur Faces in iMovie on Mac

• Step 1.First of all, select iMovie > Preferences and launch iMovie software. Then select general settings, tick "Show advanced tools" and exit iMovie.

  

• Step 2.Next, select the video clip appearing on the license plate. The clip now appears in the iMovie viewer.

• Step 3.Press Shift + Command + 4 to take a screenshot of your face. Release the mouse button after the shooting. The shutter clicks, indicating that the screenshot was saved to the desktop.

• Step 4.Open with image editing software such as Photoshop and Gaussian. These software can blur images. Save the image on the desktop after making the necessary adjustments.

• Step 5.Drag the clip over and select Picture In Picture from the menu that appears. After completing this task, the blurred image is a still picture in the viewer and iMovie project panes.

  

• Step 6.Adjust the length of the clip to cover the license plate while the clip is playing.

• Step 7.The last step is to resize the image and place it in the desired position.

Limitations of This Method

• Without automatic tracking function; If the face moves, the blur must be moved manually.
• It will take time, especially if there is face movement.
• The blur effect is not perfect and depends on overlay images and videos.

Part 2: How to Blur a Face in iMovie on iPhone

iMovie on iPhone is a simple video editing app, but it does not offer built-in tools to how to blur face in video and objects directly. However, it is possible to blur your face using a basic workaround. This method uses the Picture-in-Picture function to add blur and mosaic images onto the face. This is not a flawless method, but it works to hide your identity effectively and easily. This method requires manual adjustment, and it can be difficult to edit in detail, especially when the face moves in the video or editing on the iPhone's small screen.

Steps to Blur Faces in iMovie on iPhone

• Step 1.Launch the photo application and create a blurred or mosaic picture and save it to the iPhone camera roll.

• Step 2.Launch iMovie and import the video clip you want to edit. Add to timeline.

  

• Step 3.Tap the "+" button and select the blurred picture. Then click the three-point reader icon and select "Picture in Picture".

  

• Step 4.Resize and drag the blurred image using your fingers to place it over the face or area where you want the blur.

  

• Step 5.Preview the video and review. If alright, export the done video to your phone.

Things to Know

• No automatic face tracking.
• Dragging overlays manually to compensate for moving faces is difficult.
• This can be more restrictive and less accurate than on Mac.

Part 3: The Best iMovie Alternative to Blur Faces in Video with AI

If you would like to blur the face in your video in a more simple and faster way, HitPaw Univd is the best option. Unlike iMovie, it does not require you to manually add overlays or trim frames, and HitPaw Univd can automatically detect and blur all the faces in the video using intelligent AI technology. This will cost you a lot of time and effort, especially when you have multiple faces and moving faces. This tool is easy to use even for beginners to achieve a professional and clean result. It supports both Mac and Windows, which also makes it an excellent multifunctional iMovie alternative.

Here are the key features of HitPaw Univd that make it an excellent iMovie alternative for blurring faces in videos with AI:

• AI-Based Face Detection for Videos: Automatically detects all human faces in the video using advanced AI, making the blurring process faster and more accurate than manual editing in iMovie.
• Smart Face Tracking During Conversion: Ensures the selected faces remain blurred throughout the video, even as they move ideal for seamless video output.
• Support for Multiple Face Blurring: Easily blur several faces at once in a single video, making it suitable for group recordings or crowded scenes.
• Customizable Blur Effects: Offers various blur styles like pixelated, mosaic, and smooth blur to match your desired output before converting the video.
• Intuitive Workflow for Beginners: No technical expertise required just import your video, apply the blur, and convert it to your preferred format with a few clicks.

How to Blur Faces in Videos Using HitPaw Univd

• Step 1.Visit the official HitPaw website, download HitPaw Univd for your operating system (Windows or Mac), and follow the installation instructions to set it up.

  
  

• Step 2.Launch HitPaw Univd and switch to the Editor tab. Then, select AI Face Blur to begin editing your video.

  

• Step 3.In the AI Face Blur interface, click to add your video file or simply drag and drop it into the workspace.

  

• Step 4.Once the video is imported, HitPaw Univd will automatically detect faces in the video.

  
  

  If multiple faces are detected, they will be labeled with different numbers. Choose the face you want to blur.

  
  

  You can also adjust the blur intensity by moving the slider between 0% and 100%, and preview the effect in real time.

  

• Step 5.If you prefer to cover the face with a sticker instead of a blur effect, click on a sticker from the available options.

  

• Step 6.To edit another video, click the Replace button and select a new file from your computer.

  

• Step 7.Once you're satisfied with the edits, click the Export button to save the final video with blurred faces or added stickers to your device.

  

FAQs About Blurring Faces in iMovie

Conclusion

You can blur your face in iMovie on Mac and iPhone, but it is manual work and time-consuming, especially for moving faces. iMovie does not have automatic face detection, and the procedure is to manually place the how to blur face in video. As a more convenient, faster and more accurate solution, HitPaw Univd is an excellent option. Detect and blur your face automatically with AI for a seamless and beginner-friendly process. For saving time and achieving more satisfactory results, you can give HitPaw Univd a try.