Blur & privacy

Blur sensitive information in a screen recording: draw a box over it, or let ScreenCameo find emails, keys and card numbers for you.

Blur sensitive information in a screen recording #

To blur sensitive information in a screen recording, add a blur over it. A blur hides part of the screen for as long as its block lasts on the Blur lane. Draw one yourself, or let ScreenCameo scan the video and find secrets for you.

Everything lives in the Privacy tab. Press Esc so nothing is selected, then click Privacy in the toolbar, or press Cmd+7.

Blur something yourself #

1. Move the playhead to where the thing first appears.
2. Click Blur area in the timeline’s tool row, press Shift+Cmd+B, or click Blur an area in the Privacy tab. The preview pauses on the whole frame with a blur box on it, and a pink block appears on the Blur lane.
3. Drag the box over what you want to hide. Drag any of its 8 handles to resize it, and hold Shift to keep its shape.
4. Click the box and use the arrow keys to nudge it. Hold Shift to move it further.
5. On the Blur lane, drag the block’s edges so it covers the whole time the thing is visible.

Choose how it’s hidden #

Select a blur to change its look in the inspector. Each blur has its own look.

1. Under Shape & edges, pick Box or Oval. Give a box Rounded corners, or add a Soft edge up to 40 pt.
2. Under Timing, set Fade in and Fade out, up to 1 s each. Fades happen just outside the block, so the area is fully hidden for the whole block.
3. To give every blur the same look, select one and click Apply this look to all blurs.

Find secrets automatically #

Auto-redact reads the text on screen and blurs what looks private. It checks your recording and any clips you added, and follows each item as you scroll.

1. Open the Privacy tab (Cmd+7).
2. Turn on Faces (people on screen) if you also want faces blurred, such as people in a video call.
3. Click Scan for sensitive info. Click Stop if you need to end it early.
4. Everything it found is listed with its time. Use the switch to keep or skip an item, and click it to jump there and edit its box.
5. To add your own words, like a customer name, open Always hide these words, type the word and click Add. The list is used for every recording.

A key you type is hidden from its first characters. Blurs that follow scrolling content are marked Tracked. Move or resize a tracked box and its whole track moves with it.

Blur everything except your spotlights #

A spotlight keeps one area bright and dims the rest. In the Privacy tab, raise Outside blur to blur everything outside every spotlight too, so only the spotlit part can be read.

Blur the background or what’s behind you #

Two more blurs aren’t about secrets, but they help a video look clean. Background blur, in the Style tab, softens a wallpaper or image behind your recording. See Looks & backgrounds.

In the Camera tab, under Behind you, choose Blur and set Background blur strength. Only what’s behind you is blurred, and you stay sharp. See Camera & layouts.

Everything stays on your Mac #

The scan, face finding and every blur run on your Mac. Nothing is uploaded, and your original recording isn’t changed. Blurs are added when you export.

Shortcuts on this page#

See every shortcut

If something’s off#

The scan missed something

Add a blur yourself with Shift+Cmd+B. For a name or word that comes up often, add it to Always hide these words and scan again.

A blur hides the wrong spot later in the video

The text probably moved. Select the blur, move the playhead to that moment and drag the box back. Or click Stop following under Timing to keep it in one place.

I can still read the text through the blur

Raise Strength, or switch the look to Solid. Nothing shows through a solid box.