Advanced Watermark
MediaShield Pro proUpdated
Pro feature. Available in MediaShield Pro.
PRO - requires MediaShield Pro. Free already shows a watermark with the viewer's name and IP address. Pro lets you choose what it says.
The watermark is text drawn over the video while it plays. It moves around the screen. If someone records the screen and shares it, the text tells you whose account it came from. It is an overlay on the page, not burned into the video file, so anyone who holds the original file has a clean copy.
Why use it#
A leaked screen recording can be traced to the account it came from, because the overlay carries details you chose, such as the email, user ID or a custom line. Choose fields that identify the person to you but do not expose more than you want on screen. It deters casual sharing. It does not stop someone who holds the original file.
Before you start#
- Set the look of the watermark (opacity, colour, how often it moves) in Free under MediaShield > Settings > Watermark. See the free guide on watermarks.
- The video's protection level must be Standard or Strict. Basic and None show no watermark.
Choose what the watermark shows#
- Go to MediaShield > Settings.
- Scroll to the Pro Watermark card.
- Under Watermark Fields, tick the items to include. They are joined with a middle dot.
- If you ticked Custom Text, type the text in the box that appears.
- Choose a Font Size.
Changes save on their own ("Saved." appears).
| Field | What it prints | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Username | The viewer's display name, or "Guest" | On |
| The viewer's account email | Off | |
| IP Address | The viewer's IP address | On |
| User ID | The viewer's ID with a hash, for example #42 |
Off |
| Timestamp | The site time (hours and minutes) when the player loaded | Off |
| Site Name | Your site name | Off |
| Custom Text | The text you type | Off |
Empty items are skipped.
What viewers see#
The viewer sees the moving text over the video with the fields you chose. It sits on top of the picture and changes position as the video plays.
Settings reference#
| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Watermark Fields | Username, IP Address | Which items are printed |
| Custom Text | empty | Printed when Custom Text is ticked. Plain text only |
| Font Size | Medium | Small, Medium or Large |
| Show MediaShield Badge | On | The "Protected by MediaShield" badge. This is a Free setting under Settings > Watermark. Pro does not add its own switch for it |
What to know#
- Timestamp is a snapshot. It shows the time the player was set up, not a running clock.
- Email is personal data. Printing a viewer's email on their own screen is usually fine, but a recording that leaks will carry it. Decide whether your privacy policy covers that.
- Phones. The text is the same on small screens. Keep it short: a long line of fields may not fit.
- Guests. When login is not required, a guest sees "Guest" in place of a name.
- Opacity and colour come from the free Watermark card, not from Pro.
Next steps#
- Read Suspicious Activity flags so you know when to look at a recording.
- Protect videos in a course.
If the watermark does not appear, see Troubleshooting.