YouTube has introduced a Custom Blurring tool for users looking to hide sensitive information in their videos. The new feature could come as a boon to people who’ve been forced to delete and re-upload a video because it reveals data like a phone or license plate number.
This isn’t the first time YouTube has launched a blurring tool. It had previously debuted a function to smudge faces from view all the way back in 2012. The brand new Custom Blurring effect takes this to the next level by allowing anything in a video to be shielded. It can be found under the Enhancements feature on the desktop version of the site.
To begin the process, a user has to choose the video they want to edit and select Custom Blurring within the Blurring Effects tab. They then have to draw a box around the visual they want to conceal. The tool won’t block it completely, giving a frosted glass look to the thing being hidden.
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Interestingly, YouTube says the tool automatically keeps track of the object being blurred and moves along with it throughout the video. It’s introduced a new technology which analyzes motion constantly to make this possible. Motion tracking can be a notoriously labor-intensive process for videos. If it works as the company says it will, the feature could save a lot of time for uploaders.
YouTube members can shift the blurred area, decide where it starts and stops, and resize it while using Custom Blurring. There’s also a Lock option if the object being obscured stays in the same position. Once they’re done making changes, they can either save it within the existing video or save it as a new one.