> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.syntho.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.syntho.ai/overview/get-started/syntho-bootcamp/5.-generators/mask.md).

# Mask

[Mask generators](/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask.md) 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](/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask/text.md)
* Numeric ([integer](/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask/numeric-integer.md) and [decimal](/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask/numeric-decimal.md))
* [Datetime](/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask/datetime.md)
* [UUID](/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask/uuid.md)

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

Follow the interactive guide below to apply a [mask generator](/configure-a-data-generation-job/configure-column-settings/mask.md).

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


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