If your photos contain sensitive information that you don’t want others to see, hide those parts using the tools at your disposal. You can use a built-in or a third-party app on your Windows 11 PC to do that.

Fill Areas in a Photo With Solid Colors Using Paint

The built-in Paint app has been a go-to tool for many users for basic photo retouches, including hiding parts in photos. You can use this app’s fill tool to fill a solid color on the part of the photo you want to hide.

To do that, open File Explorer (press Windows+E) and locate the photo to edit. Right-click the photo and choose Open With > Paint. Alternatively, launch the Paint app, select File > Open, and choose your photo.

When your photo launches in Paint, from the Colors section at the top, click “Color 2.” In the color palette, choose the solid color you’d like to use to hide information.

To use a custom color that isn’t already on the palette, click “Edit Colors” (the color wheel) and choose the color to use. You can select a color by entering its HEX code. Then, click “OK.”

From the Shapes section at the top, select the shape you’d like to use to hide parts in your photo. Then, on the photo, draw the shape so it covers the information to hide.

Paint will fill the shape with your chosen color, hiding that part of the photo. To ensure it’s a solid fill, right-click the shape and choose Fill > Solid Fill. If you choose another fill type, such as Crayon, some parts behind the shape will still be visible.

Ensure the information you want to hide is indeed hidden in the photo. To now save the photo as a copy of the original, from Paint’s menu bar, choose File > Save As and choose the desired image format. On the Save As window, select the folder to save the photo in, type a name for the photo in the “File Name” field, and click “Save.”

Hide Information in Photos Using GIMP

GIMP is a free and open-source app that allows you to edit and retouch photos on your computer. To use it to hide sensitive elements of your photos, launch the GIMP site and download and install the app on your PC.

Launch the app and select File > Open or press Ctrl+O. Navigate to the folder containing your photo and select the photo.

From the tools section on the left, choose the foreground color box (the top one). On the Change Foreground Color window that opens, select the color you’d like to use to hide information in your photo. Then, click “OK.”

In the tools section on the left, click the “Rectangle Select Tool” (press R) or the “Ellipse Select Tool” (press E). On your photo, draw the shape covering the part you want to hide. Right-click the shape and choose Edit > Fill With FG Color (or press Ctrl+,).

GIMP will fill the selected shape with the chosen foreground color. The selected part in the photo is now hidden. To now save the photo as a copy of the original, from GIMP’s menu bar, select File > Export As (or press Shift+Ctrl+E).

On the Export Image window, select the folder to save the edited photo in. Click the “Name” field and type a name for the photo. Choose the “Select File Type (By Extension)” option and select a format for your photo. Then, click “Export.”

Cover Up Information in Screenshots Using Snipping Tool

If you want to capture a screenshot and then hide certain parts on it, use the built-in Snipping Tool app. Launch Windows Search (press Windows+S), type Snipping Tool, and select the app.

In the app’s top bar, click “New” or press Ctrl+N to take a new screenshot. Then, capture the screenshot.

When the screenshot appears in the app, from the tool list at the bottom, select the down-arrow icon beneath Ballpoint Pen (the first item). Select the pen size and the color you want to use to hide a part in your photo.

On the photo, select the area you want to hide and Snipping Tool will fill that area with the chosen color. This hides the information visible in that area.

To save the screenshot, click “Save As” (the floppy disk icon) at the top.

On the Save As window, choose the folder to save the photo in. Click the “File Name” field and type a name for the photo. Choose an image format from the “Save as Type” drop-down menu, and select “Save.”

Use Microsoft PowerPoint to Hide Information in Photos

If you use Microsoft PowerPoint, you can use this app to hide parts in your photos. To do that, launch PowerPoint, create a new presentation, and select Insert > Pictures > This Device.

Find and double-click the photo you want to edit to add it to PowerPoint. Then, choose the “Home” tab, click “Shapes,” and choose the shape you’d like to use to hide information in your photo. Draw that shape on the part of the photo you want to hide.

Right-click the shape and choose “Format Shape.” On the right pane, click “Fill” and select “Solid Fill.” Click the “Color” menu and choose the color you want to use. Make sure “Transparency” is set to “0%.” Then, click “Line” and choose “No Line” to ensure there’s no outline.

Click your photo to select it. Press and hold down the Ctrl key and select the shape you’ve added. Right-click the shape and choose Group > Group. This ensures both your photo and your shape are one object.

To now save the edited photo, right-click the photo and select “Save as Picture.” On the Save as Picture window, choose the folder to save the photo in. Click the “File Name” field and type a name for the file. Choose a photo format from the “Save as Type” drop-down menu. Then, choose “Save.”

And that’s how you share your photos while keeping certain parts hidden in them. There are also other online safety tips you should follow to remain protected online.