diff --git a/app/controllers/settings/preferences_controller.rb b/app/controllers/settings/preferences_controller.rb
index 110debd6e5..0a5c14cca7 100644
--- a/app/controllers/settings/preferences_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/settings/preferences_controller.rb
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class Settings::PreferencesController < Settings::BaseController
       :setting_aggregate_reblogs,
       :setting_show_application,
       :setting_advanced_layout,
+      :setting_use_blurhash,
       notification_emails: %i(follow follow_request reblog favourite mention digest report pending_account),
       interactions: %i(must_be_follower must_be_following must_be_following_dm)
     )
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/components/media_gallery.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/components/media_gallery.js
index 77bac61eec..9cd71b7c99 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/components/media_gallery.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/components/media_gallery.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import IconButton from './icon_button';
 import { defineMessages, injectIntl, FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl';
 import { isIOS } from '../is_mobile';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
-import { autoPlayGif, displayMedia } from '../initial_state';
+import { autoPlayGif, displayMedia, useBlurhash } from '../initial_state';
 import { decode } from 'blurhash';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ class Item extends React.PureComponent {
   }
 
   _decode () {
+    if (!useBlurhash) return;
+
     const hash   = this.props.attachment.get('blurhash');
     const pixels = decode(hash, 32, 32);
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/video/index.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/video/index.js
index b0c4085277..0acdd198d5 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/video/index.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/video/index.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { fromJS, is } from 'immutable';
 import { throttle } from 'lodash';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
 import { isFullscreen, requestFullscreen, exitFullscreen } from '../ui/util/fullscreen';
-import { displayMedia } from '../../initial_state';
+import { displayMedia, useBlurhash } from '../../initial_state';
 import Icon from 'mastodon/components/icon';
 import { decode } from 'blurhash';
 
@@ -298,6 +298,8 @@ class Video extends React.PureComponent {
   }
 
   _decode () {
+    if (!useBlurhash) return;
+
     const hash   = this.props.blurhash;
     const pixels = decode(hash, 32, 32);
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/initial_state.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/initial_state.js
index 125508c234..f0f131ff58 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/initial_state.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/initial_state.js
@@ -20,5 +20,6 @@ export const mascot = getMeta('mascot');
 export const profile_directory = getMeta('profile_directory');
 export const isStaff = getMeta('is_staff');
 export const forceSingleColumn = !getMeta('advanced_layout');
+export const useBlurhash = getMeta('use_blurhash');
 
 export default initialState;
diff --git a/app/lib/user_settings_decorator.rb b/app/lib/user_settings_decorator.rb
index bf2e5a962f..aaf95cc198 100644
--- a/app/lib/user_settings_decorator.rb
+++ b/app/lib/user_settings_decorator.rb
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class UserSettingsDecorator
     user.settings['aggregate_reblogs']   = aggregate_reblogs_preference if change?('setting_aggregate_reblogs')
     user.settings['show_application']    = show_application_preference if change?('setting_show_application')
     user.settings['advanced_layout']     = advanced_layout_preference if change?('setting_advanced_layout')
+    user.settings['use_blurhash']        = use_blurhash_preference if change?('setting_use_blurhash')
   end
 
   def merged_notification_emails
@@ -112,6 +113,10 @@ class UserSettingsDecorator
     boolean_cast_setting 'setting_advanced_layout'
   end
 
+  def use_blurhash_preference
+    boolean_cast_setting 'setting_use_blurhash'
+  end
+
   def boolean_cast_setting(key)
     ActiveModel::Type::Boolean.new.cast(settings[key])
   end
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 50873dd013..3a4b415dd6 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
   delegate :auto_play_gif, :default_sensitive, :unfollow_modal, :boost_modal, :delete_modal,
            :reduce_motion, :system_font_ui, :noindex, :theme, :display_media, :hide_network,
            :expand_spoilers, :default_language, :aggregate_reblogs, :show_application,
-           :advanced_layout, to: :settings, prefix: :setting, allow_nil: false
+           :advanced_layout, :use_blurhash, to: :settings, prefix: :setting, allow_nil: false
 
   attr_reader :invite_code
   attr_writer :external
diff --git a/app/serializers/initial_state_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/initial_state_serializer.rb
index 8daf36e0a5..54f99d570e 100644
--- a/app/serializers/initial_state_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/initial_state_serializer.rb
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class InitialStateSerializer < ActiveModel::Serializer
       store[:expand_spoilers] = object.current_account.user.setting_expand_spoilers
       store[:reduce_motion]   = object.current_account.user.setting_reduce_motion
       store[:advanced_layout] = object.current_account.user.setting_advanced_layout
+      store[:use_blurhash]    = object.current_account.user.setting_use_blurhash
       store[:is_staff]        = object.current_account.user.staff?
     end
 
diff --git a/app/views/settings/preferences/appearance/show.html.haml b/app/views/settings/preferences/appearance/show.html.haml
index 10f0092647..c138828017 100644
--- a/app/views/settings/preferences/appearance/show.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/settings/preferences/appearance/show.html.haml
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@
   .fields-group
     = f.input :setting_display_media, collection: ['default', 'show_all', 'hide_all'],label_method: lambda { |item| t("simple_form.hints.defaults.setting_display_media_#{item}") }, hint: false, as: :radio_buttons, collection_wrapper_tag: 'ul', item_wrapper_tag: 'li', wrapper: :with_floating_label
 
+  .fields-group
+    = f.input :setting_use_blurhash, as: :boolean, wrapper: :with_label
+
   .fields-group
     = f.input :setting_expand_spoilers, as: :boolean, wrapper: :with_label
 
diff --git a/config/locales/simple_form.en.yml b/config/locales/simple_form.en.yml
index 4602f9cd9d..75cbec9de5 100644
--- a/config/locales/simple_form.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/simple_form.en.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ en:
         setting_hide_network: Who you follow and who follows you will not be shown on your profile
         setting_noindex: Affects your public profile and status pages
         setting_show_application: The application you use to toot will be displayed in the detailed view of your toots
+        setting_use_blurhash: Gradients are based on the colors of the hidden visuals but obfuscate any details
         username: Your username will be unique on %{domain}
         whole_word: When the keyword or phrase is alphanumeric only, it will only be applied if it matches the whole word
       featured_tag:
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ en:
         setting_system_font_ui: Use system's default font
         setting_theme: Site theme
         setting_unfollow_modal: Show confirmation dialog before unfollowing someone
+        setting_use_blurhash: Show colorful gradients for hidden media
         severity: Severity
         type: Import type
         username: Username
diff --git a/config/settings.yml b/config/settings.yml
index 805624d3e1..ad71b6008f 100644
--- a/config/settings.yml
+++ b/config/settings.yml
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ defaults: &defaults
   theme: 'default'
   aggregate_reblogs: true
   advanced_layout: false
+  use_blurhash: true
   notification_emails:
     follow: false
     reblog: false