CSS: How to Blur Text – The Right Way to Add Stylish Obscurity

Blurring text in CSS is a simple yet powerful effect used in modern web design. Whether you’re creating a login screen, hiding sensitive information, or adding a stylish frosted-glass effect, CSS provides multiple ways to blur text. In this blog, we’ll walk you through how to blur text using CSS filters, text shadows, and other creative techniques.

🎯 Why Blur Text?

Blurring text can be useful for:

  • Adding mystery or a focus effect (e.g., hover to reveal)
  • Hiding sensitive data until interaction
  • Styling modern UIs with frosted glass or depth effects
  • Accessibility-friendly designs where text becomes readable only on action

🧪 Method 1: Using filter: blur()

The most straightforward method to blur text is with the filter property.

✅ Example:

<p class="blur-text">This text is blurred using CSS filter.</p>

.blur-text {
  filter: blur(3px);
}

🔍 Explanation:

  • filter: blur(3px); applies a Gaussian blur to the text.
  • Adjust the value to control the intensity of the blur.
  • Works on all modern browsers.

🧊 Method 2: Blur Text on Hover (Interactive)

You might want to blur text initially and reveal it on hover.

✅ Example:

<p class="hover-reveal">Hover to read the message</p>

.hover-reveal {
  filter: blur(5px);
  transition: filter 0.3s ease;
  cursor: pointer;
}

.hover-reveal:hover {
  filter: blur(0);
}

🖱️ Result:

This creates an interactive effect — great for passwords, quiz answers, or Easter eggs.

🎨 Method 3: Using Text Shadow (Faux Blur)

If you prefer not to use filters, you can mimic a blur using multiple layers of text-shadow.

✅ Example:

<p class="shadow-blur">This is a faux blur using shadows.</p>

.shadow-blur {
  color: transparent;
  text-shadow: 0 0 2px black, 0 0 4px black, 0 0 6px black;
}

⚠️ Note:

  • It’s not as smooth as filter: blur().
  • Can be useful in scenarios where filter is unsupported or needs to be avoided for performance reasons.

🖼️ Bonus: Blurred Text Over a Background

Use backdrop-filter to blur the area behind the text, while keeping the text sharp.

<div class="blur-background">
  <p class="clear-text">This text stays sharp, but the background is blurred.</p>
</div>

.blur-background {
  backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
  background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
  padding: 20px;
}
.clear-text {
  color: #000;
}

⚙️ Browser Compatibility

FeatureChromeFirefoxSafariEdge
filter✅✅✅✅
backdrop-filter✅✅*✅✅

Firefox requires the layout.css.backdrop-filter.enabled flag to be set to true.

🧠 Final Tips

  • Use filter: blur() for the best native support and cleanest result.
  • Always test for accessibility: blurred text should not hinder usability unless intentionally hidden.
  • Combine with transition for smooth effects.

💡 Conclusion

Blurring text with CSS is not only easy but also adds a creative edge to your web interfaces. Whether you want to hide, highlight, or stylize your content, CSS gives you the tools to blur text effectively and elegantly.

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