Create a blocked clip

This page last updated: Thursday June 11, 2026.

You can control access to live or recorded video of sensitive incidents by creating blocked clips. You can restrict access based on the user, role, device, or site. You can schedule a time when access is blocked or block it immediately.

Blocked clips only restrict camera video. Data may still be transmitted from other sensors linked to the camera.

Before you start

  • To access the blocked clips tool, you must have a user role with Device permissions to use the Clips tool and System permissions to View blocked clips list.

  • To create and manage blocked clips, you must have a role with System permissions to Add/Edit blocked clips and Delete blocked clips.

  • For more information, see Create and edit Roles.

Create a blocked clip from the Clips tool

  1. From the toolbar, open new tool button > clips tool button Clips.
  2. Hover over clips tool buttonClips and select Blocked.
  3. Click open blocked clips dialog button to open the Block clips dialog.
  4. In Information, enter a name and optional description.
    1. Each blocked clip can contain video from multiple cameras with different or overlapping timelines.
  5. Click Next.
  6. In Where, select the required cameras.
    1. Select at site, group, or individual camera level.
    2. Use the thumbnails preview to confirm the selected cameras.
  7. Click Next.
  8. In When, drag or use the handles to adjust the clip timeframe.
    1. Click add blocked-clip timeframe button Add to add additional timeframes (maximum 10).
    2. If Sync timeframes is selected, the timeframes are applied to each camera.
    3. Deselect Sync timeframes to create different timeframes for different cameras.
  9. Click Next.
    1. Overlapping timeframes are merged together for cameras with synchronized timeframes.
  10. In Blocked, select the restrictions applied to the video and how long the recordings are stored.
    1. Blocking Live video automatically blocks all features. Blocking PTZ control also blocks PTZ tour management.
    2. If required, configure open blocked clips dialog button Advanced blocked features. By default, Block external Alta Video RTSP streams access is enabled.
    3. If required, add Exempt users and groups that can still access blocked features.
    4. By default, Retain clips is enabled and the blocked video recordings persist on device storage for the selected period. For more information, see Retention of blocked-clip video.
  11. Click Done.

Create a blocked clip from a Video view pane

You can create a blocked clip directly from the Video view tool.

  1. In the Video view tool, open the required camera in a view pane.
  2. Right-click the camera pane and select Block clip.
  3. In Information, review or edit the blocked clip name and optionally enter a description.
  4. Configure the blocked clip. For more information, see Create a blocked clip from the Clips tool:
    1. In Where, add extra cameras if required.
    2. In When, adjust the timeframe if required.
    3. In Blocked, select the restrictions applied to the video and how long the blocked video is stored.
  5. Click Done.

Schedule a blocked clip

If you want to limit camera access to coincide with a known event, you can schedule blocked clips in the future.

  1. Open the blocked clips list and click open blocked clips dialog button to open the Block clips dialog.
  2. In Information, enter a name and optional description.
  3. In Where, select the required cameras.
  4. In When, use the date and time picker to set the required timeframe.

Upcoming blocked events are shown in the Scheduled list in the Blocked clips tool. If a blocked clip contains multiple blocks, it remains in the Scheduled or Ongoing list until all its blocked timeframes have passed.