How to Censor a Video: Black Out Text, Screens and Names (Free)

Censor a video in your browser with pixelate.video: box each private detail, choose Black box, time each box to when it appears, keep it on target as the camera moves, then export. Free, no upload, no watermark.

Free tool and guide Censor video online Black out faces, screens, text and more. Open the tool →

Key moments

1. 1 Introduction , starts at 0:00
2. 2 Open the video , starts at 0:13
3. 3 Box each private detail , starts at 0:21
4. 4 Choose Black box , starts at 0:33
5. 5 Time each box , starts at 0:58
6. 6 Keep boxes on target , starts at 1:10
7. 7 Check and export , starts at 1:37
8. 8 Recap , starts at 2:08

Transcript

Introduction 0:00

1. 0:00 Here's how to censor a video online, free, without uploading it anywhere.
2. 0:05 This clip shows a web address with account numbers, a task header, a person's name, and a sticky note.
3. 0:11 Let's hide all four.

Open the video 0:13

1. 0:14 Open pixelate.video and click Select video.
2. 0:17 The file opens in your browser and is never uploaded.

Box each private detail 0:21

1. 0:21 Click Chosen areas, then delete the starter box.
2. 0:25 Now drag a box over the address bar.
3. 0:28 Add one over the task header.
4. 0:30 One over the name.
5. 0:31 And one over the sticky note.

Choose Black box 0:33

1. 0:34 The boxes start out pixelated. Under Effect, click Black box.
2. 0:38 Solid black leaves nothing of the original behind.
3. 0:42 Pixelate and Blur work too, but only when they are strong.
4. 0:45 One effect applies to every box, so pick the one that suits the most sensitive detail.
5. 0:51 If you pixelate, the tool warns you below 12 pixels.
6. 0:55 Small blocks can leave faces and text readable.

Time each box 0:58

1. 0:59 The name only appears after a few seconds, so select Area 3.
2. 1:04 Drag the playhead to the moment it appears.
3. 1:06 Then click Starts here, or press the left bracket key.

Keep boxes on target 1:10

1. 1:10 The camera is handheld, so later in the clip the screen drifts out from under the boxes.
2. 1:16 Select the box, turn on Follow movement, and drag it back into place.
3. 1:21 It glides between the positions you set, so repeat this at a few more moments.
4. 1:26 Track movement automatically can do this for you on clear, high-contrast things like plates and logos.
5. 1:32 On a blurry screen like this one, placing it by hand is more reliable.

Check and export 1:37

1. 1:37 Play it back from the start.
2. 1:39 Every detail stays covered as the camera moves.
3. 1:47 Click Export video.
4. 1:49 The censored copy is rendered in your browser.
5. 1:53 Then click Download video.
6. 1:54 The uncensored original never leaves your device.
7. 1:59 One last check.
8. 2:00 Only faces can be found automatically.
9. 2:02 Text, screens and plates are boxed by you, so always scrub through before you share.

Recap 2:08

1. 2:08 Here's the recap.
2. 2:09 Box each private detail with Chosen areas.
3. 2:12 Choose Black box.
4. 2:14 Time and position each box, then export.
5. 2:17 Censor your next video free at pixelate.video.