Bricks, Masonry, Asphalt and Concrete - Removing Paint from Brick Exterior

The exterior brick on my home was painted before I moved in. Is there some way I can take it back to it's natural state? There's no telling how many coats of paint are on it.
Thanks for your help.

There is no effective way to remove paint from brick such that it will be restored to an unpainted state.

You can remove most of it, but any process that removes all of it will also ruin the brick.

The paint can be sandblasted off - what shape the brick will be in afterward can vary greatly.

Sandblasting is not recommended for soft brick from which many older structures were constructed. Many older paints contained lead. Sanding is not recommended due to lead dust.

There are paint strippers for masonry. The process of stripping is very time consuming. Brick and mortar are porous and it will be impossible to remove paint from pores.

Some historic homes were painted to hide alterations such as closed in window or door openings, discoloration from air pollution, or to disguise poor quality brick. Brick was often painted to seal and protect old, deteriorating bricks. And, sometimes brick was painted as a design feature.

I once saw a house that had paint sandblasted. They left just enough to give the bricks a paint-washed effect that made the older home's bricks look 'antique.' It completely changed the personality of the old home, making a dramatic statement. The red bricks showing through the white paint contrasted beautifully with the stark white trim.

Looks like I'll be trying to figure out what color to paint it. Why do people do this to their houses?
Thanks for your input.

If you sand blast brick, you ruin it. The vitrification process (in older brick especially) is literally skin deep.