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Pixelate

Use the pixelate transformation to create a blocky, reduced-detail delivered image variant.

Overview​

Pixelation is useful for stylized effects, low-detail placeholders, and previews where the exact image content should be obscured while still preserving the broad composition.

Syntax​

FieldValue
Canonical parameterpixelate
Aliaspix
Accepted valuesInteger 2 through 256

Example​

https://cdn.imgwire.dev/{organization_id}/{environment_id}/{image_id}?pixelate=24
image.url({
  pixelate: 24,
  format: 'auto',
  quality: 'auto',
});
imgwire images url img_123 --pixelate 24 --format auto --quality auto

Before and after​

Demo image with pixelation applied
Original transformation demo image

Best practices​

  • Use pixelate for intentional previews or visual style, not as a security boundary.
  • Keep dimensions small for placeholder variants.
  • Test the pixel size against the final rendered display size.

Common mistakes​

  • Treating pixelation as private authorization for sensitive images.
  • Using a pixel value that is too subtle to communicate the intended effect.
  • Combining pixelation with aggressive compression that makes previews harder to read.

Last updated at: May 9, 2026