Blur Size
Amount of blur.
Higher values spread detail farther and create stronger softness.
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EffectsBeginner
Blur
General-purpose softening
Softens image detail and edges for depth, backgrounds, masks and transition effects.
Blur
DaVinci Resolve · Fusion
Blur is a general-purpose image filter used throughout compositing and motion graphics.
Overview
What Blur does
Blur reduces high-frequency detail and is useful for both creative and technical work. It can soften a background behind text, feather a generated light pass, hide unwanted detail or prepare an image for another effect.
In node-based compositing, blur is often more useful on a separate branch than on the final image. This keeps the original source intact and makes it easy to blend only the softened portion back into the comp.
When a mask edge looks too hard, you may want mask Soft Edge rather than an image Blur. Understanding which layer needs softening keeps the graph cleaner.
Mental model
Blur spreads each pixel into its neighbors, reducing detail and creating a softer image.
Common uses
Defocus a background
Soften graphics before Glow
Hide sensitive details
Create depth separation
Smooth textures
Blur only a masked region
Flow anatomy
Inputs & outputs
The port structure shows how this node fits into a Fusion graph.
Input
Source image for the operation.
Effect Mask
Optionally restricts the blur to a selected region.
Blur
Fusion node
Output
The processed result from this node.
Inspector
Important parameters
Start with these controls before reaching for more complicated workarounds.
X Blur / Y Blur
Sets the amount of blur.
Lock X/Y
Links the X and Y values for the paired controls.
Filter
Selects the filtering method.
Chooses the resampling or filtering method used by the operation.
Blend
Mix between processed and original image.
Useful for subtle softening.
Clipping / Edges
Controls how the operation treats image or region edges.
Effect Mask
Limits the effect to the connected mask.
Practical setup
A reliable workflow
- 1
Connect the image to Blur.
- 2
Set the overall blur amount.
- 3
Add an Effect Mask if the blur should be local.
- 4
Check the frame edges for clipping artifacts.
- 5
Continue into Merge or another effect.
Typical node chain
MediaIn→
Blur→
Merge→
MediaOut
Examples
Where this node fits in real work
Soft background for titles
Blur a duplicate branch of the footage and place text over it.
MediaInBlurMergeText+
Masked privacy blur
Limit Blur with a tracked mask.
MediaInBlur + MaskMerge
Troubleshooting
Common mistakes
Blurring the whole comp when only one branch needs softness.
Using a very large blur and creating visible edge artifacts.
Using Blur to feather a mask when the mask’s own soft edge would be simpler.
Production notes
Practical tips
Blur before Glow often creates a larger, softer light source.
Use masks to keep blur local and preserve image detail elsewhere.
Check performance: very large high-quality blur can be expensive.
Related nodes