The problem with blurring recordings after the fact
Standard workflows for blurring screen recordings involve opening the exported video in an editor, adding a blur or mosaic effect to a region, and then re-exporting. This takes time, requires video editing knowledge, and risks introducing compression artefacts. If you need to blur a dynamic area — like a browser address bar that scrolls — tracking it frame by frame becomes a significant effort.
How live blur works in Pointframe
When you select the Blur tool during a recording session, you drag a rectangle over the content you want to hide. Pointframe applies a Gaussian blur that samples directly from the live capture region. The blurred content appears blurred in the final exported MP4 from the moment you placed the annotation — no editor, no tracking, no re-export.
Step-by-step: blurring during a screen recording
- Press your capture hotkey (default: Print Screen) and draw a selection around the area you want to record.
- Click the Record button in the overlay toolbar to start recording.
- When you need to hide sensitive content, select the Blur tool from the recording HUD.
- Drag a blur rectangle over the content — a password field, an email address, an API key, or any private data.
- Stop the recording from the HUD when you are done.
- The exported MP4 has the blur baked in. No video editor required.
Common use cases
- Recording a product demo that shows authenticated screens
- Making a support video that involves your email or account details
- Sharing a development walkthrough that includes API keys or tokens in an IDE
- Recording a tutorial on a shared machine with personal notifications visible
Blur also works on screenshots
The same blur tool is available in the screenshot annotation overlay. Select a region, annotate with blur, copy or save — the exported image has the blur baked in from the start.
Blur sensitive content without a video editor
Pointframe is free, open-source, and ships as a signed Windows installer. No account or subscription required.