# Mask

[Mask generators](https://docs.syntho.ai/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask) directly modify existing values to anonymize them, while preserving the original format. This makes masked data more suitable for scenarios where format realism is required.

#### When to use

* To anonymize both directly and indirectly identifiable information
* When data must remain valid in format (e.g. date, email, UUID)
* For PII in non-production or staging environments

#### When not to use

* When exact values or relationships must be preserved
* When synthetic data is required instead of transformed real data
* In production environments where full de-identification is needed

#### Available mask generators

Mask generators are categorized by data type:

* [Text](https://docs.syntho.ai/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask/text)
* Numeric ([integer](https://docs.syntho.ai/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask/numeric-integer) and [decimal](https://docs.syntho.ai/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask/numeric-decimal))
* [Datetime](https://docs.syntho.ai/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask/datetime)
* [UUID](https://docs.syntho.ai/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask/uuid)

#### Interactive guide: How to apply a mask generator

Follow the interactive guide below to apply a [mask generator](https://docs.syntho.ai/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask).

{% embed url="<https://www.guidejar.com/guides/ea6bafd8-da84-4bdb-83cf-23a123da9a86>" %}