Pixelate part of an image online — without sending it anywhere.
Arrowbox pixelates any part of an image in your browser. Drag a rectangle or ellipse over a number plate, a face, a username, an ID number — the tool replaces the area with solid mosaic blocks. You set the block size yourself. Nothing is uploaded: the page makes zero network calls after it loads.
Pixelation here is not a cosmetic layer. When you export to PNG, JPEG or PDF, the image is flattened and the original pixels under each region are destroyed. There is nothing behind the blocks to recover. Pick a block size large enough that the fine detail is gone, and it stays gone.
It works on photos, not just screenshots. Paste a photo straight from the clipboard or drag in a file from your desktop, censor what needs censoring, and export at the exact original size — no resizing, no watermark, no account. If you want proof nothing leaves your machine, save the page and run it offline.
Open Arrowbox — free, no sign-upRuns in your browser. Nothing is uploaded — zero network calls, enforced by the page’s Content-Security-Policy. Desktop browsers work best.
How it works
- Add the imagePaste it with Ctrl+V, drag the file onto the board, or click Open. Photos and screenshots both work, and you can put several images on one board.
- Choose PixelateSelect the redaction tool and set its mode to Pixelate. Blur and solid black are there too, but pixelate is the one that turns the area into visible blocks.
- Cover the areaDrag a rectangle over the plate, username or ID field — or an ellipse over a face. Add as many regions as the image needs.
- Set the block sizeAdjust the block size until the detail is unreadable even at full zoom. Bigger blocks discard more information.
- ExportExport as PNG, JPEG or PDF, or use Copy to put the flattened result on the clipboard. Either way, the pixels under each region are destroyed in the output.
Why Arrowbox
- Zero network calls after load — enforced by an automated build gate, not just a promise.
- Exports are flattened: the pixels under every pixelated region are genuinely destroyed.
- Block size control, with rectangle and ellipse regions.
- Works on photos as well as screenshots; multiple images on one board.
- No account, no sign-up, no watermark, no telemetry. Free, donation-supported.
- Runs offline from a saved HTML file — fine on a USB stick or an air-gapped machine.
Questions
Can pixelated images be de-pixelated?
Not from an Arrowbox export. Exports are flattened — the pixels under each region are overwritten, so there is no hidden layer for recovery tools to find. Block size matters: bigger blocks discard more detail. One caution: a saved .json project keeps the originals for re-editing, so share exports, not project files.
How do I pixelate a face in a photo online?
Paste or drag the photo into Arrowbox, pick the redaction tool, set the mode to Pixelate, and choose the ellipse region — it follows the shape of a face better than a box. Drag it over the face, adjust the block size, then export. The face is destroyed in the exported file.
Is my image uploaded when I pixelate it?
No. Arrowbox runs entirely in your browser and makes zero network calls after the page loads — enforced by a Content Security Policy of connect-src 'none'. The image never leaves your machine, which is rather the point when you are censoring plates, IDs or usernames.
Should I pixelate or blur to censor an image?
On export both destroy the covered pixels, so the security is the same. The difference is the look. Pixelation is deliberate — chunky blocks read as redacted. Blur can pass for an accident of focus. Use pixelate when you want the censoring obvious; Arrowbox also does blur and solid black.