Edit the Cursor with Effects

Learn how to add cursor effects to enhance the cursor in your recording or hide it from view.

Camtasia product icon

In this tutorial:

Note: It is only possible to edit cursor properties, add effects, and hide the cursor for screen recordings captured with Camtasia, also known as TREC files. The exception is the Cursor Path Creator effect, which cannot be applied to TREC files.

Edit Cursor Properties

Adjust the size and opacity of the cursor.

  1. Drag a Camtasia screen recording onto the timeline.
  2. Click the Properties button to view the properties panel.
    Properties button
  3. Select the Cursor tab.
    Cursor properties tab
  4. Customize the cursor settings:
    • Scale: Drag the slider or enter a percentage value to enlarge or reduce the cursor size. The default is 225%.
    • Opacity: Drag the slider or enter a percentage value to increase or reduce the cursor transparency.

Add and Edit Cursor Effects

Add a cursor effect to improve visibility and focus for all or part of a screen recording.

  1. Drag a Camtasia screen recording onto the timeline.
  2. Click the Cursor Effects tab.
    Cursor Effects tab
  3. Drag an effect onto media on the timeline.
  4. Edit the applied effect as desired:
    • Adjust the duration to enhance the cursor for only a portion of the clip:
      1. Click the arrow on the bottom of the clip to open the Effects tray.
        Open Effects tray
      2. Drag the effect handles to adjust when the effect starts and ends during the clip.
        Drag cursor effect handles
    • Edit the cursor effect properties:
      1. Click the Properties button to view the properties panel.
      2. Select the Cursor tab.
        Cursor properties tab
      3. Customize the settings.

Note: To remove a cursor effect, open the Effects tray on the media on the timeline, click to select the effect, and press the Delete key.

EffectDescription and Properties
Cursor Color
Cursor color effect
Edit the cursor fill and outline to match your brand or to stand out from screen content.
Cursor Path Creator
Cursor path effect
Add a cursor and animate it to travel anywhere on the screen. See Customize Your Cursor and Path.
Cursor Shadow
Cursor shadow effect
Add a visual effect that makes your cursor appear to float above the screen. Adjust the angle, offset (distance from the cursor), opacity, and blur of the shadow.
Cursor Smoothing
Cursor smoothing effect
Transforms distracting cursor movements into smooth lines. See Quickly Smooth Cursor Movements.
Cursor Spotlight
Cursor spotlight effect
Draws attention to the cursor by dimming and blurring the rest of the screen area. Adjust these properties to customize the effect:
  • Color: Color applied to dim the screen outside of the spotlight area.
  • Size: Size of the spotlight area.
  • Softness: Blur around the edge of the the spotlight area.
  • Saturation: Color intensity of the screen recording outside of the spotlight area.
  • Opacity: Transparency of the dimming color outside of the spotlight area.
  • Blur: Clarity of the screen recording outside of the spotlight area.
  • Ease In: Animates the start of the effect as a smooth transition.
  • Ease Out: Animates the end of the effect as a smooth transition.
Highlight
Cursor highlight effect
Adds a circle of color to help the viewer identify and follow the cursor. Adjust these properties to customize the effect:
  • Color: Color of the highlight around the cursor.
  • Opacity: Transparency of the highlight color.
  • Size: Size of the highlight area.
  • Softness: Blur around the edge of the highlight area.
  • Ease In: Animates the start of the effect as a smooth transition.
  • Ease Out: Animates the end of the effect as a smooth transition.
Magnify
Cursor magnify effect
Enlarges the cursor area to show detail. Adjust these properties to customize the effect:
  • Size: Size of the magnified area around the cursor.
  • Zoom: Level of magnification.
  • Shadow: Width and blurring of the magnification border.
  • Softness: Blurring of the screen recording at the edge of the magnified area.
  • Ease In: Animates the start of the effect as a smooth transition.
  • Ease Out: Animates the end of the effect as a smooth transition.

Hide the Cursor

You can hide the cursor on any Camtasia screen recording (TREC file) added to the timeline.

To hide the cursor for an entire clip:

  1. Click to select a TREC recording on the timeline.
  2. Click the Properties button.
  3. Click the Cursor tab and set the Opacity to 0%.

To hide the cursor for a duration of a clip:

  1. Select Animations tab > Animations subtab.
    Animations tab
  2. Drag the Custom animation onto the TREC on the timeline.
  3. Drag the animation arrow to the location to start hiding the cursor.
    Custom animation arrow
  4. In the properties, click the Cursor tab and set the Opacity to 0%.
    0% opacity
  5. To show the cursor again in the video, drag another Custom animation onto the TREC on the timeline.
  6. Drag the end of the animation arrow to the location for the cursor to appear.
    Custom animation arrow
  7. In the properties, click the Cursor tab and set the Opacity to 100%.
    100% opacity