These days a lot of services ask you to upload an ID card photo: renting, opening a bank account, real-name verification, creating an account… You snap a photo of your ID and send it off without thinking. But have you considered that your name, ID number, and address on that card, if screenshotted and misused, could lead to serious trouble?
The simplest way to protect yourself is to mosaic the ID photo before sharing it. But how to do it, what to cover, and which tool to use — that's what a lot of people aren't sure about.
Which Info on Your ID Card Must Be Covered?
- ID number — this is the most critical; always cover it completely
- Name — unless the other party genuinely needs it, it's best to cover it
- Address — your home address is private; cover it whenever possible
- Photo — if only the info is needed, you can also consider covering the portrait area
Note: Many services (like real-name verification) require the full information to be visible, so you can't mosaic in those cases. Mosaicing only makes sense in non-essential scenarios, like posting to your feed or showing a private individual.
Mosaic vs. Blacking Out vs. Cropping
| Method | Effect | Recoverable | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mosaic redact | Blurs it; precise placement | Not recoverable | Recommended |
| Black marker | Covers a whole block | Not recoverable | Simple and blunt |
| Crop it out | Cuts away the sensitive area | Not recoverable | ID photo regions |
| Sticker overlay | Covers but opaque | Not recoverable | Looks nicer |
How to Mosaic an ID Card with PixelForge
Open the PixelForge mosaic tool:
Step 1: Upload your ID card photo. PNG, JPEG, and WebP are supported.
Step 2: Choose mosaic or blur. The tool supports both mosaic and blur for privacy handling.
Step 3: Brush over the sensitive info. Brush over the ID number, name, address, and other areas until they're completely unreadable.
Step 4: Download. When done, download the mosaicked image. Everything happens locally in your browser, so your ID photo never gets uploaded to a server — even better for privacy.
Mosaicing Tips
- Cover the whole area — don't cover just half; better to over-cover and make sure nothing is readable
- Use large mosaic blocks — the smaller the blocks, the easier they are to reconstruct; use bigger mosaic cells
- Double up — besides the ID number, cover the name and address too
- Check before sending — zoom in and verify the sensitive info is completely invisible before you hit send
Summary
When sharing ID photos online, mosaicing is a basic way to protect yourself. With an online mosaic tool that processes locally in your browser, you can cover up your ID information tightly in seconds while keeping your privacy safe.