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How to blur video in After Effects

Want to soften footage or backgrounds? Blur video for depth of field, transitions, or hiding unwanted details.

Steps to blur video

Select your clip and apply Effect → Blur & Sharpen → Gaussian Blur.

Applying Gaussian Blur effect from Effect Blur and Sharpen menu in After Effects

Increase Blurriness and check Repeat Edge Pixels to avoid dark edges around the frame.

Checking Repeat Edge Pixels to remove dark edges after blurring video in After Effects

Animate blurriness for smooth transitions in and out of the effect.

Animating Gaussian Blur property in After Effects for smooth transition between sharp and blurred video

One more thing

Use Camera Lens Blur for more realistic background defocus if you’re going for a cinematic depth-of-field look.

Related how-tos

How to add drop shadow in After Effects
How to sharpen video in After Effects
How to add noise and grain in After Effects

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