We all do it sometimes – take photos that turn out to be a little bit blurry. Thankfully, app stores offer a wide variety of apps to fix blurry photos.
As a result, we can turn images that we would otherwise send to the trash into keepsake memories.
But as there are so many apps available to sharpen a photo, it can be tough to decide which one is best for your needs.
Fortunately for you, we’ve taken the time to download and test the most popular phone apps that can help you fix your blurry photos – no more need to resort to Photoshop to sharpen your images!
The great thing is that most of these apps are free, so downloading a bunch and seeing what works for you has never been easier.
Obviously, fixing blurry images completely isn’t always possible, but depending on the quality of the shot you have to start with, you can usually have a good go at adjusting the blur.
Let’s jump in and take a look at the pros and cons of a range of apps for both Android and iOS.
How to Fix Blurry Photos: 16 Apps
1. Adobe Lightroom CC
Adobe products such as Lightroom are synonymous with photography and image editing.
Their desktop apps are some of the best in the business. Fortunately, Adobe makes mobile-friendly versions such as Adobe Lightroom CC for mobile.
While Lightroom CC is not the fastest mobile photo editing tool, it is feature-packed. Many enthusiasts and pro photographers use this app for editing on the go.
If you have an existing Adobe subscription for the desktop software, the full features of the mobile version are automatically unlocked.
You can also bounce between the mobile version and the desktop version of Lightroom CC as the subscription includes cloud storage.
With the included masking tool, you can be selective of what parts of the blue in the image you want to sharpen. This resolves the issue you get with a lot of apps where over-sharpening can distort the whole image.
Lightroom Mobile also happens to be the best free camera app for iPhone owners.
2. Enhance Photo Quality
The Enhance Photo Quality app, found on the Google Play store, has one of the more effective sharpening tools available.
This app is super easy to use and is just the ticket for anyone wanting to fix blurry photos. But it’s best to make minor adjustments and check the results on the image.
Sharpening tools like this can result in image artifacts that spoil the overall look if sharpening is taken too far.
Like a lot of apps, there is a banner for advertising that runs at the bottom of the app. It’s a little distracting, but you can tolerate that for a free tool.
3. Lumii
Lumii is a comprehensive image editing tool that is available from the Google Play store as a free app.
You can unlock the app’s full set of features with a Pro version for a fee.
Lumii has some neat tricks that allow you to apply filters, layers and effects to your images. And, much like a pro-level editing tool, it will allow you to adjust the tonal curve of the image.
Fixing blurry photos with this app takes a couple of adjustments mostly to the sharpen and then the grain levels. The end results are pretty good when you make a comparison between your before and after shots.
Plus, while you’re at it, you can use the other features to completely edit the image when you’re done correcting the blur.
4. Vividit Photo Enhancer
Vividit is an app to fix blurry photos with one single click for both Android and iOS. Equipped with AI technology, it helps people who have zero Photoshop experience upscale their pictures anytime with one tap.
This app has various features packaged together including tools to upscale photos, fix underexposed images, turn a portrait into a cartoon, animate photos, colourize black and white photos, fix blurry photos and remove anything you don’t want from your photo background.
It’s free (if you don’t mind the occasional ad), or with a three-day free trial for the paid version which is less than 3 dollars a month. Vividit also features a web app called cutout.pro and API solutions for businesses.
5. Sharpen Image
As the name suggests, the Sharpen Image app has only one function – to sharpen images. It’s a free app available on the Google Play store that has received mixed reviews.
Sharpen Image is a very basic looking app that’s plagued by advertising (there’s ‘free’ and then there ‘s ‘free with consequences’ – this app falls into the later).
While it does an ok job of sharpening images, it’s a fine line between fixing a blurry picture and turning it into a mess.
Over-sharpened images have the look of someone intentionally trying to apply a glitch or effect. But, with only two controls to adjust the intensity and radius of the grain, it’s certainly the most straight forward solution.
For a free app, it does the job, but there are plenty of other ways to fix blurry pictures or increase the picture quality.
6. Photo Editor Pro
Photo Editor Pro is a free app available from the Google Play store with an upgradable version available for a price.
I make no secret of the fact that I hate ads in apps – especially photo editing apps. They’re so distracting, and I found this to be the case in Photo Editor Pro.
The banner for advertising sits at the top, and while I used the app, animated adds played. Of course, the paid version removes these, but I just needed to get that off my chest.
Photo Editor Pro has a vast range of photo editing tools. These are easily defined and are sorted into folder groupings that make a lot of sense.
I could easily see this as being someone’s only photo editing app – the pro version that is.
As for fixing blurry pictures, the app does a good job thanks to the dedicated sharpening tool. I really liked this one, and I’m not usually an Android user.
7. Fotogenic
Fotogenic is a great photo editing app that’s available for both Android and iOS.
As we’ve seen with most of these apps, the free version offers a good range of editing tools, and the paid version provides an extensive range of tools (so many tools!).
There are the usual editing tools, and then some that caught my eye. You can add a tattoo layer so that you have tattoos appear on your body, or even add an oil painting filter.
As for fixing a blurry image, you can apply the sharpening tool and then control the intensity and location.
I didn’t find the tool to be that effective, especially not with images that were very blurry. But, this app looks great and uses a brilliant grid system for displaying all the tools.
8. PhotoSoft
I came across the PhotoSoft image editing app on the Google Play store while investigating this article.
The app has a great selection of photo editing tools, and you can use it to shoot images directly from within the app.
I especially like that, for a free app, it offers some pro tools like applying an HD effect. This adds a level of intensity to colour, contrast and details to give an HDR feel.
All of this helps with sharpening the image when combined with the sharpening tool.
I like the layout as it’s super easy to follow and you quickly get a feel for how to best use the app.
9. VSCO
I personally use VSCO on an iOS device, and I have to say it’s by far my favourite. In fact, I use it to edit my phone pics as well as those I take using my pro camera.
VSCO is most well known for the multitude of filters that you can apply to an image.
Most of the filters are actually film simulations – this is the name for a filter or preset that replicates actual film photography images. There are some great old-school film looks available as well as the latest film styles on offer.
The sharpening tool is relatively effective and can adjust a blurry pic to add sharpness.
The flip side to this amazing app is that while the demo is free, for the full app, you have to pay an annual membership. But it can be worth it if you consider that VSCO constantly adds new filters and film simulations to its catalogue.
10. Afterlight
Afterlight is a free photo editing app that’s available on iOS and that has a really slick layout without overdoing the number of tools.
The ability to shoot from within the app is enhanced by the aperture, ISO and white balance controls. Much like a pro-level camera, you can achieve amazing photos with manual controls like this.
As for image editing, Afterlight has an excellent range of ready-to-apply filters. Plus, the editing tools are not overdone, so you can have a simple workflow without scrolling through tools you never intend to use.
Image sharpening to fix a blurry photo is quite responsive and delivers good results.
Of course, you cannot fix an image that is super-blurry no matter how good your app is. But for getting rid of the common shakes in an image, it does a good job.
I was impressed with the free version and questioned why I would ever need to upgrade to the paid option.
11. Snapseed
Snapseed is a very popular mobile editing app that’s available on both Google Play and Apple.
A lot of my photography friends use this app for editing on the go, and they love it – and these are serious camera nerds.
This free app has a clean look with minimal tools on the editing screen. But when you tap what is there, it opens an expanded list of editing tools.
The list is comprehensive and offers pro-level features like amending the tonal curve, healing blemishes on the skin and creating an HDR look.
The sharpening tool is very useful as I was able to transform a blurry, hazy image into something that I felt was worthy of sharing on my socials.
There is also a Looks tab that offers a great assortment of ready-to-apply filters. I especially liked the monochrome ones.
12. Pixlr
Pixlr is a free image editing app that’s available on both Android and iOS.
For a fee, you can upgrade the app to remove the ads, although I didn’t notice them too much for a change.
I love the look of this app as it’s very clean and the editing tools are neatly organised. Aside from editing, the app has a nice assortment of creative tools with the ability to draw on the image, add text and apply some really fun filters.
Plus, the framing option lets you apply borders to make your images stand out on your social media.
As for the editing tools, Pixlr has a dozen core tools that allow you to fine-tune the appearance of your photo.
To fix a blurry photo, the sharpening tool applies a nice amount of change to clean up the image. You can pump the sharpness to the extreme with very little evidence of distortion to the image.
13. Fotor
I downloaded Fotor from the Google Play store and was pleased to find that the free version included the tool for fixing blurry photos.
With the paid version, you get extended access to more tools and to Fotor’s online community for sharing images. While I didn’t subscribe, I like the idea of people being encouraged to join photography communities.
Fotor’s editing tools include filters and other effects to alter your images.
When it came to sharpening a blurry image, it was effortless to fix a photo and make it crisp and clear. As usual though, if you go too far with the sharpening, you start to get image distortion.
14. Whitagram
Whitagram is another one of my favourite apps that I use on iOS. This free app offers a comprehensive range of editing and creative tools.
There’s a paid version that unlocks an extension of existing features such as stickers that you can overlay or superimpose pictures on your photos.
I especially like Whitagram as I can edit my photos on the go and then apply borders before posting to my social media. I often apply a white border to make my photos stand out on Instagram.
The sharpening tool on Whitagram helps to fix blurry photos, and I’ve found it especially effective.
Aside from sharpening, you can apply a range of other edits, filters, text and even stickers to your photos.
For a free app, it’s well worth a look.
15. Adobe Photoshop Express: Photo Editor Collage Maker
Much like Lightroom, Photoshop Express is another pro-level editing tool from Adobe.
In fact, the desktop version of Photoshop is arguably the most popular and powerful photo editing application available.
Where the desktop application of Photoshop is daunting to use, the mobile version is far more user friendly, and great for making a collage.
You can take photos from within the app and even apply filters before you take the shot. This way, you can see what you’re going to get in the end.
Plus, there’s also a free companion app called Photoshop Camera that has even more imaging options.
As for editing, it wouldn’t be an Adobe product without powerful editing tools.
And the sharpening tools are incredibly effective. The app includes a sharpening tool, clarity tool, and a ‘magic wand’ that with a single tap will spruce up your image sharpness.
16. Instasize
Instasize is a mobile editing app that can sharpen your blurred images through a simple slider interface. Just open your image, go to settings, go to Sharpness, and adjust the bar as necessary.
Aside from editing your image settings down to the granular level, you can let your creativity loose with Instasize. Create collages, add custom borders, overlay vintage film textures, and insert stylized text to make your images look sharp, literally and figuratively.
Pro Tip: Instead of sharpening your photos, you can also use the blurriness of your image to your advantage by playing around with vintage film effects. Add textured grain, light leaks, and date stamps to give your photo a creative edge. You can enjoy Instasize’s editing features for free by downloading it on iOS or Android. You can also subscribe to Premium for $4.99/month to access 100+ filters, patterns, and other artistic effects.
Goodbye Blurry Pictures! Final Words
It’s pretty frustrating when you take a great photo, only to find that your subject is a bit out of focus or you have some unwanted camera shake or motion blur.
That’s where these apps can help. The beauty is that you can fix blurry pictures directly from your mobile device, regardless of whether you’re using Android or iOS.
Give some of these a shot and no doubt you’ll be able to find one that works for you. And from there, you can say goodbye to blurry pictures!
How much success have you had in fixing blurry images? Let us know in the comments.
