---
title: "Spot Blur"
url: "https://help.maxon.net/rg/en-us/Content/html/spot-blur.html"
description: "Blurs the area of the frame inside or outside a rectangle or ellipse."
---

# Spot Blur

Universe

## SPOT BLUR

![Universe Spot Blur Plugin](https://help.maxon.net/rg/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/U_Spot_Blur_universe.jpg)

Blurs the area of the frame inside or outside a rectangle or ellipse.

---

### Presets

Spot Blur provides eight presets via the blue **Open Dashboard...** button or the **Choose a Preset...** button below it.

![Image: Uni_Blur_SpotBlur_presets.png](https://help.maxon.net/rg/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Uni_Blur_SpotBlur_presets.png)

As with all other Universe tools, you can modify or create a Spot Blur look and then save it under its own name by pressing the **Save Preset...** button.

---

### Modify the Effect

Note: Depending on your underlying image, it can be difficult at first to see your spot blur's dimensions and orientation (see left image below based on all Spot Blur default values). If you encounter this, we recommend turning Feather Size down to 0 (right image). Often, this will make your blur's edges obvious so you can more easily manipulate the effect before implementing the desired feathering spread.\
![Image: Uni_Blur_SpotBlur_Feather.png](https://help.maxon.net/rg/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Uni_Blur_SpotBlur_Feather.png)

- Adjust the **Blur Size** control to increase the blur's intensity and influence. In the below comparison, we show values of 25 (left) and 250 (right).\
  ![Image: Uni_Blur_SpotBlur_BlurSize.png](https://help.maxon.net/rg/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Uni_Blur_SpotBlur_BlurSize.png)
- **Shape** lets you pick an **Ellipse** or **Rectangle** for the mask shape, as shown in the two image sets above.
- **Feather Size** increases softness in the mask's edges. At high values, the blur can spread so much that it obscures the effect's shape, size, or position — which may be exactly what you want.
- **Position** moves the mask along the x and y axes by using the cross-hair or numerical controls.
- **Width** controls the mask's width.
- **Height** controls the mask's height.
- **Angle** controls the mask's rotation from its center point, like so:\
  ![Image: Uni_Blur_SpotBlur_Angle.png](https://help.maxon.net/rg/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Uni_Blur_SpotBlur_Angle.png)
- When **Invert** is checked, the blur occurs outside the selected mask shape rather than inside. By default, this control is off.
- Check **Show Mask** to see the area affected by the blur highlighted in red.\
  ![Image: Uni_Blur_SpotBlur_InvertMask.png](https://help.maxon.net/rg/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Uni_Blur_SpotBlur_InvertMask.png)