To start, you need to have a screenshot that has text you want to blur out. The same can be said for YouTube videos, but adding blur to videos requires an entirely different program. Since we’re probably not running an intelligence agency, blacking out sections of a screenshot with a big black box doesn’t look attractive. We redacted the text to mask sensitive data on the right, I used a blur filter. Blur also doesn’t draw attention away from the important part of a screenshot. Put simply, blurring out text is better than the alternative – redaction. Preview fits a lot of great simple annotations, I was surprised it didn't have this built in.Note: This article was written using an older version of SnagIt Editor, but the software still has the Blur function. In my case, I downloaded it and used it for blurring of text since I know I'll be using it for other capabilities in the future. Select the area you want to blur first and then use the appropriate blur filter.Īgain, I know it's not as simple and direct as some of the other tools, but GIMP just offers a lot of other features built pretty well. If you want to be cleaner, you can use the rectangle selection tool first and then use blur so you get sharper edges.Ģ) There is also an option in the toolbar to blur selection as well (so it's more evenly blurred) - I would recommend a high (15x15) gaussian blur ( Filters -> Blur -> Gaussian Blur. I ended up just downloading and using GIMP because of it's flexibility as a tool.ġ) Simply use the blur tool and drag over the text. I was looking for a quick solution using the preview tool as well and blocking out or cutting text won't work (since I need to give the notion that text goes there).

Snagit editor grayed out