Every car dealership is familiar with the process: photographing new inventory. But then there’s the prickly issue of the license plate. One can’t just leave it exposed for privacy and security purposes, and are required to do something about it. Until recently, it was simply a license plate blur Of course, a license plate blur meets the need to hide sensitive information; however, unless you are very nimble with your editing, it may end up making an otherwise professional photo appear as if it were done quickly on a phone.
In an increasingly competitive online space, especially where your competitor’s photo may be one pixel away from yours, it may be appropriate to change your ways of thinking. There is a reason that so many dealerships are beginning to clean the license plates on their car listings. Small things such as a visible registration number or a plate that just did not match—can be off-putting in an otherwise well-presented listing. In an online-first market, every visual touchpoint matters.
One might have five vehicles, or maybe five hundred. Chances are you have Googled how to blur a license plate at least one time, if not more, or perhaps you have manually tried it out, using a cumbersome editing tool. If this sounds like you, we get it. But there is a better, cleaner, and better-consistent way to process license plates- and it does not involve opening Photoshop, and you certainly will not be wasting time on the editing.
For further insights, get a deeper dive into AI Car Photo Editing by Autobg: Clean Visuals, Real Results .
In this blog, we’ll walk you through how smart dealerships are handling license plate blur, and why many are now switching to something even sharper: the license plate inlay . All while keeping car image editing as smooth and automated as possible.
Why Blur or Inlay License Plates at All?
Before we get into the “how,” let’s talk about the “why.”
When potential buyers scroll through vehicle listings, their eyes scan for clarity. Distracting license plates whether they reveal personal info or just don’t fit the vibe can pull focus away from the car itself. A blurred plate helps maintain privacy, especially when reposting trade-ins or customer photos. But a branded license plate inlay? That adds a layer of polish, makes your dealership name visible, and keeps every listing on-brand.
It’s not just aesthetics, either. Some platforms recommend or even require blurring identifiable elements. This small step in car image editing can actually boost your credibility and keep your listings compliant.
Step-by-Step: Blurring a License Plate (The Smart Way)
If you’re still doing this manually, stop. There are tools like AutoBg.ai that make this process literally one-click. But if you’re curious about how the workflow looks, here’s how most AI-powered platforms handle license plate blur:
- Upload Your Image – Pick your car photo with a visible plate.
- Auto Detection – The tool spots the license plate instantly.
- Choose Blur Style – Soft blur? Pixelation? Black bar? You choose.
- Click to Apply – The AI blurs only the plate area, keeping the rest crisp.
- Download – That’s it. Clean and ready to go.
No cropping. No lasso tools. No weird smudges. Just fast, clean car image editing built for real dealer timelines.
Or Better Yet: Try a License Plate Inlay
Blurring is great. But in 2025, branding is better. With AI tools, you can now inlay a branded license plate directly onto the car image automatically. Imagine replacing a messy old number plate with your dealership name, website, or even a logo. It’s subtle, but it makes your listings feel put-together and trustworthy.
The process is similar:
- Upload your image
- Select inlay style (choose from pre-set templates or upload your own)
- Auto-fit applies the branded plate perfectly to the car
- Export with consistent sizing and alignment
No need to resize or realign across batches. The system does the heavy lifting, and your car image editing workflow stays seamless.
Why Dealerships Are Switching to AI Tools Like AutoBg
Let’s be honest: your team’s time is better spent selling cars, not scrubbing license plates one by one. AI-powered tools save hours per week, especially if you’re processing large inventories.
With AutoBg’s license plate blur and license plate inlay features built directly into the car image editing pipeline, everything feels like clockwork. You don’t need a designer or a separate photo team to make your images look professional. Just smart automation, clean visuals, and branded consistency across every listing.
Conclusion:
In the end, while a license plate blur might get the job done, a strategic license plate inlay transforms a privacy measure into a branding advantage. It’s a simple step in your car image editing workflow that can have a profound impact on how your dealership is perceived and how quickly your vehicles sell.