We are the MozFace team. A casual shot of the front of your house, or the view from your balcony. From the nameplate, address, distinctive building, or license plate caught in it, your home or neighborhood can be pinpointed. Many people are careful about location data, yet overlook identification from "what's in the frame." This article is about what to hide so a photo doesn't reveal where you live.
Turning off location data isn't enough
A well-known precaution is turning off a photo's location data (geotag). That's an important setting, but it isn't enough on its own. Because even with location data stripped, the place can be worked out from "what's actually pictured" in the photo.
A surname on a nameplate, an address posted by the door, a distinctive nearby sign or building, the license plate on a parked car. When several of these clues line up, the spot can be identified by cross-referencing map services. What you need to protect is not just the "data" but the "scenery in the frame."
Hide nameplates, addresses, plates, and distinctive landmarks
Here's what to check before posting. A surname on a nameplate or mailbox, an address shown by the door or on a wall, the license plate of a car or motorcycle, and distinctive signs, shop names, or landmark buildings. The more of these in a single frame, the bigger a clue they make. If a person is in the shot, hiding their face too is the safe choice.
Aim the manual brush at the landmarks
MozFace blurs faces automatically, but non-face landmarks like a nameplate, address, or license plate can be aimed at and hidden with the manual brush. Just trace over the spot with your finger. Choose mosaic or blur, adjust the strength, and you can cover text until it's unreadable. Change the brush size and it fits a small nameplate or a large sign alike.
In a photo with people, faces are hidden together by automatic detection. With this combination — faces automatic, landmarks with the manual brush — you can wipe out every "clue that leads to your home" in a single photo. A single tap undoes a mistake, so you can adjust until you're satisfied.
To keep your home from being revealed, you need to hide the nameplate, address, plate, and landmarks in the frame, not just turn off location data. Handle faces automatically and landmarks with the manual brush, and before posting, check the corners once more for any clue left behind. Editing happens entirely on the device, so your photos are never sent anywhere.
MozFace
Auto-mosaic or blur faces, and cover nameplates, addresses, and plates with the manual brush. Hide every clue that leads to your home. Fully offline.
Learn more about MozFaceFrequently asked questions
Does turning off location data keep my home private?
Turning off location data matters, but it isn't enough on its own. A nameplate, an address sign, a distinctive building, and other things pictured in the photo can pinpoint the place, so you need to hide what's in the frame too.
What should I hide in the photo?
A surname on a nameplate or mailbox, address signs, a car's license plate, and distinctive signs or landmark buildings. If a person is in the shot, hide their face too. The more clues that line up, the easier the place is to identify.
Can MozFace hide a nameplate or license plate?
Yes. Faces are blurred by automatic detection, and a nameplate, address, or license plate can be traced over and hidden with the manual brush. Turn the mosaic strength up and you can cover text until it's unreadable.
Are my photos ever sent over the internet?
In MozFace, editing happens entirely on your device, and your photos are never sent to any external server. It works even with no signal.