Add privacy masks to recordings during export

When you export video, you can add privacy masks to cover selected areas. When someone watches the exported video, the areas with privacy masks appear as solid blocks.

The privacy masks you add here apply to all the video sequences in the current export from the camera you selected in the Export list. If you remove a privacy mask from one video sequence, it is also automatically removed from all other video sequences for that camera. The export may already include privacy masks which your system administrator has already defined for certain cameras. See also Privacy masking.

1. On the Exports tab > Export list, select the camera you want to add a privacy mask to.
2. For each area you want to add a privacy mask to, click the button, and drag the pointer over the area.

3. To remove a part of a privacy mask, click the button, and drag the pointer over the area you want to remove a privacy mask from. Repeat this step for each part you want to remove.

   To temporarily hide privacy masks, click and hold the Hide privacy mask button.

4. Click OK to return to the Exports tab.

The preview image contains an invisible grid with cells. If the area you select includes any portion of a cell, the system adds a privacy mask to the entire cell. The result can be that the system adds a privacy masks to slightly more of the image than you intended.

If you export video that contains privacy masks, the export process may take significantly longer and the export file size may be larger than usual, particularly if you export in the XProtect format.