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How to Blur the Background on a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Use the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s Portrait and Portrait Video modes to add adjustable background effects, and learn what conditions can interfere with blur.
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To blur the background in a still photo on your Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, open Camera, choose Portrait, select an effect and its strength, then take the picture when the preview shows Ready. For moving footage, choose More > Portrait Video and use the same effect-and-strength controls before recording.

Blur the background in a still photo

  1. Open the Camera app and select Portrait.

  2. Tap the background-effect control, choose the effect you want, and adjust its intensity with the on-screen slider.

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  3. Wait until the preview displays Ready, then take the photo. Samsung says the effect works best with sufficient light. Samsung Galaxy S23 Series user manual

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If the result needs tuning, Samsung says you can edit the background effect after taking the picture. The manual does not establish one Gallery menu path that applies to every software version, so use the editing controls shown on your phone.

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Blur the background in a video

  1. Open Camera, tap More, then choose Portrait Video.

  2. Select a background effect and set its intensity using the slider.

  3. Wait for Ready to appear, then start recording.

Portrait and Portrait Video are separate shooting modes, and their effect options may differ. Samsung’s camera-mode instructions and the S23 Series manual document these workflows; labels or available controls can vary with software updates, so check the controls on your device.

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Why the background effect may not work well

Samsung identifies several conditions that can make the effect unreliable:

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  • The phone or subject is moving.

  • The subject is thin or transparent.

  • The subject and background have similar colors.

  • The subject or background is plain.

  • There is not enough light.

When practical, improve the lighting, hold the phone steady, ask the subject to remain still, and frame the subject against a more distinct background. These are practical responses to Samsung’s listed limitations, not guaranteed fixes. If the subject blends into the scene or has transparent edges, the camera may have difficulty separating it from the background even when the blur slider is strong. See Samsung’s camera-mode guidance and S23 Series manual.

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Choose an effect and strength that suit the shot

The effect selector controls the look of the background treatment, while its slider controls intensity. Try a lower strength if the subject’s outline looks unnatural, or increase it if you want a more pronounced separation. Check the preview before capture and wait for Ready; effects and controls available can depend on whether you are shooting a still or video.

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Which camera should you use?

The S23 Ultra has a 200 MP main camera, a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, and two 10 MP telephoto cameras with 3x and 10x optical zoom; its front camera is 12 MP. Samsung’s specifications describe the hardware but do not establish that a particular camera selection always gives the best Portrait-mode separation or blur. Choose framing and distance for the composition you want, then judge the Portrait preview rather than assuming one lens is universally best. Samsung Gulf’s S23 camera specifications

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