Blur or Mask a Video
Learn how to add blur or shape annotations to hide portions of the video containing confidential or distracting content.
In this tutorial:
Blur an Area
Add blur to cover sensitive information in a video such as names or emails.
Note: Viewers can decode some blurred numbers and text. We recommend using other annotations, such as callouts or shapes, to cover confidential information. See Mask an Area.
- Click the Annotations > Blur & Highlight tab.
- Drag a blur annotation onto the canvas or timeline:
- Blur: Applies a standard blur effect.
- Pixelate: Applies a square or pixel blur.
- Spotlight: Dims the video outside the selected area.
- Blur: Applies a standard blur effect.
- Click and drag the blur annotation on the canvas over the object to hide.
- To move the blur, drag the center of the annotation to the desired location.
- To resize the blur, drag the handles in any direction.
- To move the blur, drag the center of the annotation to the desired location.
- To change the duration, drag an end of the blur annotation on the timeline in either direction.
- Click Properties and drag the Intensity slider to adjust the amount to blur.
Mask an Area
Add a shape annotation to cover up a pop-up, simplify a video, or hide confidential content.
- Click the Annotations > Shapes subtab.
- Drag a shape annotation onto the canvas or timeline.
- Click and drag the shape annotation on the canvas over the object to hide.
- Position the shape annotation on the canvas.
- To move the shape, drag the center of the annotation to the desired location.
- To resize the shape, drag the handles in any direction.
- To move the shape, drag the center of the annotation to the desired location.
- To change the duration, drag the end of the shape annotation on the timeline in either direction.
- Click Properties to customize the shape annotation. See Discover the Properties Panel.
Blur or Mask a Moving Object
Add an animation to cover up or blur a moving object in your video.
- Add a blur or shape annotation onto the canvas or timeline and align with the object to hide.
- Select Animations > Animations subtab (Windows) or click Animations tab (Mac).
- Drag the Custom animation onto the shape or blur annotation on the timeline.
- Drag the arrow tail on the timeline to where the motion begins.
- Drag the arrow head on the timeline to where the motion ends.
- Drag the playhead to the right of the animation arrow until the red dot appears.
- Click and drag the shape or blur on the canvas to the new location of the object to hide.
Note: For more detailed information about animations, see Animations In-Depth.
The blur or shape annotation moves with and covers the object in the video.
