How to Remove Text/Watermarks from Video

Removing text overlays and watermarks from your own videos can help repurpose footage and improve presentation quality. This tutorial outlines ethical considerations, quick alternatives, and professional removal workflows—ranging from blur/crop to advanced inpainting and AI tools.

Only remove watermarks or text from content you own or have rights to edit. Avoid removing ownership marks from third-party content.

• Re-export without the watermark if you still have the project/source.
• Replace with a branded lower-third where the original text sits.
• Crop the edge if the text is near the border.

1. Mask + Blur/Pixelate (fast and safe)

• Create a mask over the text area and apply blur/pixelate.
• Track the mask if the camera or text moves.

1. Content-Aware / Inpainting (clean results)

• Precisely mask the text.
• Use Content-Aware Fill (AE), Object Removal (Resolve Studio), or inpainting nodes (Fusion/Nuke).
• Inspect edges for haloing; feather masks slightly.

1. Patch/Clone Compositing

• Duplicate a clean area of the background and place it over the text.
• Track and animate the patch; feather edges for seamless blending.

1. AI-Assisted Editors

• Tools like Runway, CapCut, and desktop AI plugins can auto-detect text regions.
• Review results for temporal consistency; fix frames that flicker.

• Stabilize, remove, then restabilize to minimize drift.
• Add a touch of noise or grain to unify fills.
• Use motion blur matching when the camera pans.
• Export at high bitrate; avoid multiple re-encodes.

• Back to the pillar: complete video object removal guide
• Related topic: how to remove timestamps from video
• Tools: timestamp remover tools and workflows

• Can watermarks always be removed cleanly?
  • Not always. High-contrast text over detailed backgrounds is hardest—try patches or accept a tasteful blur.
• Is it legal to remove a stock footage watermark?
  • Generally no, unless licensed. Always check your usage rights.