If you have spent some time using Google Maps and Street View you will have seen that some houses, apartments and other buildings have been blurred so you can no longer see them. But what happens if you don't want your property to be blurred on Google Street View? What if you changed your mind? Or what if you purchased a property and find that it is blurred on Google Street View and want to unblur it?
Takeaways:
- How do you unblur a house, apartment or other building on Google Maps & Google Street View?
- Why are some houses and buildings blurred on Google Street View and Google Maps?
- Can you unblur a house on Google Maps and Street View?
Table of Contents
How to Unblur a House on Google Maps or Google Street View.
At this point in time there is no way to unblur anything on Google Maps, this includes, houses, apartments, people, cars, businesses etc. Once something has been blurred on Google Maps and Street View it will remain blurred forever. Even if you are the new owner of a property that has previously been blurred you cannot undo the blur request.
What Other Options do you have? Check different mapping services
While Google Maps is by far the most popular mapping service, other mapping services like Bing Maps, OpenStreetMap, and Apple Maps might have unblurred images. However, you will need to check each of them individually. Each service has its own set of images and privacy policies, so it’s worth checking out. Perhaps someone submitted a request with Google but none of the other map services.
Maybe Historical Imagery can help?
Google Earth Pro has an option called “Historical Imagery,” which allows you to view past images of a location. Sometimes, earlier images before the blurring request might offer a clearer view:
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Download and open Google Earth Pro on your desktop.
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Enter the property’s address in the search bar.
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Click on the “Historical Imagery” icon (a clock with an arrow) to browse through available images.
What if you want to Request Something to be Blurred in Google Maps?
If you want Google to blur your house or a face on Google Maps or Street View, you'll need to submit a request via Google Maps. It's a pretty straightforward process that you can submit automatically without any verification. For a full detailed guide on the process check out the guide below How to get your house blurred on Google Maps. Hide your house on Google Maps.
Is there a way to unblur your house on Google Street View?
Not at this point in time, Unfortunately, the process of blurring something on Google Maps is a permanent process, as once a blur is applied to an image it isn't possible to remove it. Think of a .jpg or .png image you've blurred in Photoshop. Now try to unblur that same image, it's impossible. While it isn't an option, it would be nice if Google added the ability to submit a request so that the next time the Street View car goes past blurring requests can be updated.
