Click and drag the mouse cursor over the background of the image to apply the blur effect. Use multiple passes over an area to increase the amount of blur.

1. After 2. Before Before you get started. Photoshop includes a handful of different options to blur a background, with each option offering a varying level of control — and level of difficulty.

And if you want your images to pop a little more, there's a new Background Blur option in the editing mode, very similar to the portrait mode on most cell phones today.