How to Use TikTok Filters and Effects (2022 Guide)

Introduction

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Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard of TikTok. Fast becoming one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, the app has over 3 billion downloads and 1 billion users globally. It also has the highest social media engagement rate per post—which is great news for marketers and content creators alike. People have found the app’s algorithm particularly addicting, with the average user spending 858 minutes (around 14 hours) per month on the platform. 

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Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, or content creator, you don’t want to miss out on this unparalleled opportunity for reach and engagement. There are countless benefits and possibilities to explore on TikTok, but here are just a few things the platform can help you accomplish: 

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• Build brand awareness
• Cultivate a loyal following
• Increase exposure for your brand/product/service
• Create ads
• Educate users on your industry, company, product, or passion
• Produce how-to demonstrations for your service/product
• Answer customer questions
• Publish customer testimonials/reviews
• Introduce yourself (and your brand) to a broader audience
• Showcase your talent (music, art, comedy—whatever you’re good at!)
• Find and cultivate a community of like-minded people
• Become an affiliate partner to support brands you love (and earn money in the process!)
• Establish yourself as an influencer or thought leader

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Note: If you’re looking for an overall guide to TikTok creation, check out our post How To Make a TikTok: All You Need to Know. 

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In this post, we’ll hone in on TikTok filters specifically to help you make the most out of this creative platform. 

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What are TikTok filters and effects?

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If you’ve used TikTok before, you may have noticed the platform offers a dazzling array of creative visual (and audio) effects, from traditional filters (think Instagram and VSCO) to VR surroundings, distortions, stickers, gifs, and more. With so many options available, it can be hard to tell which is which. Below, we’ll cover some of the differences between TikTok filters and effects.

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Filter presets

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Remember Instagram’s early days, when users layered filter after filter onto their pictures? We’ve come a long way since then, but the same essential concept more or less applies. Sometimes your content just needs a little something extra to make it pop or to achieve a certain aesthetic. With TikTok filters, you can do just that. 

TikTok categorizes its filters into a few sections: portrait, landscape, food, and vibes. You can peruse the available options and choose the one you like best for your video. 

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Interactive effects

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When you think of effects on TikTok, picture something more along the lines of special effects. Some effects on TikTok are similar to filters in that all they do is slightly adjust the appearance of your video. Other effects, however, go way beyond the simplicity of filters. 

Some options allow you to create a VR setting for your video, clone yourself, add makeup or other appearance changes, and more. The possibilities are nearly endless, so you can have fun exploring all the creative choices. 

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How do I use TikTok filters?

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TikTok filters are super easy to find and use! Just follow the steps below to pave your way to TikTok success. 

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A step-by-step guide to adding TikTok filters

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1. From the recording screen, find the menu on the right side and hit the Filters button.

2. Choose the perfect filter for your content from a range of presets. You can adjust the strength of the filter by adjusting the slider. 

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3. That’s it! Once you’ve chosen your filter, simply tap the screen and either continue adding things to your video or move on to posting.

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How do I use TikTok effects?

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TikTok also makes it easy to find and apply effects from their collection. Just follow the steps below to make the most of TikTok effects in your content.

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A step-by-step guide to adding TikTok effects

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1. Start by navigating to the recording screen, then tap the Effects button on the left side.

2. This will bring up TikTok’s entire library of available effects. If you don’t already have a specific effect in mind, play around with the options and have fun! You might be surprised at your own creativity.

3. Once you’ve chosen and applied your ideal effect, simply record and post your TikTok as usual. 

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How do I find filters and effects on TikTok?

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Sometimes you might want to use a specific filter or effect without wasting time scrolling through the entire library. Or maybe you want to try out an effect or filter from other popular creators. In either case, you can follow these steps to boost your own TikTok creativity.

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1. From the home page, tap the search button in the top right corner (the one that looks like a magnifying glass).

2. Use the search bar to search for filters. If you know the filter or effect name you’re looking for, you can search for that directly. Alternatively, try searching for categories or trends like “funny,” “cute,” “trending,” etc. 

3. While viewing a TikTok (from your search or otherwise), you can tap on the effect/filter button to see any filters and effects used in the video—from there, you can save them or even apply them to a TikTok yourself. 

4. This will bring up related videos that also use that specific filter/effect. If you want to try it out yourself, hit the Use this effect button at the bottom of the screen. You can also tap Add to favorites to quickly access it later.

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How do I use TikTok filters without posting?

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Maybe you like the look of a certain filter or effect but you don’t actually want to record and post a TikTok to your page. You’re in luck! TikTok offers a private mode that lets you save your favorite filters and effects to your phone without making them visible to any of your followers or TikTok users. From there, you can even screenshot and save your filtered picture.

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Follow these steps to save your filtered TikTok video without posting it.

1. Choose a filter and/or effect for your video using the earlier steps.
2. Locate the Privacy settings button on the right-side menu and tap it.

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3. Select Only me from the available options.

4. Tap either Drafts or Post. Since you’ve set the video to private, the only difference is that the Drafts option will save the video to your drafts folder instead of to your profile. Either way, no one but you will be able to see it until you make it public. 

5. View your video. From there, find and tap the . . . This will open a selection of options for your video, and you can choose to save the video to your phone. 

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What are the best TikTok filters and effects for selfies?

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Just for fun, here are some popular TikTok filters and effects for you to try out. From aesthetic filters to guessing games, there’s a little bit of everything to get your creativity flowing. Try out these presets below to take your selfie game to the next level. 

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Brew filter

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This one's a classic TikTok filter that reminds me of the old Insta days. 

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Bling filter

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Try this filter out to add some extra sparkle to your content.

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Green screen effect

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Transport yourself to a new setting—using any photo from your camera roll! In my case, I traveled back to a woodland forest.

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Fantasy filter effect

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Cast yourself in the warm glow of a fantasy realm with this filter effect.

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Inverted effect

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Switch things up—literally—with the inverted effect!

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Color customizer filter effect

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Have full control over the hue and saturation of your TikTok using these handy sliders. 

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Time warp scan effect

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This is a fun one—make yourself look like you’ve gone through a time warp!

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Guess that phrase

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TikTok is a great platform to post interactive content like guessing games. What does this one mean? (Hint: We always need more…)

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Question mark effect

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Sometimes excessive punctuation says it all…

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“Never Have I Ever” game effect

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Play a game of “Never Have I Ever” with your followers!

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Gesture effect

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Experience the fun of a photo booth with this fun effect.

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Drawing game effect

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Who doesn’t love a quick drawing game? Put your artistic abilities to the test with this effect. 

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FAQs

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How do I get multiple filters on TikTok?

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You can easily layer filters and effects by adding on to your TikTok recording.

1. From your recording, add a filter using the steps we outlined above. 
2. Stop your recording by hitting the red Record/Stop button. 
3. Choose another filter from the Filter menu. 
4. Repeat this process to layer on as many filters as your heart desires!

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How do I get voice filters on TikTok?

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1. As always, start from the recording screen.
2. When you’re done recording your video, tap the red checkmark.

3. Expand the menu on the right side of the screen, then tap Voice effects.

4. This will show you the list of choices for available voice effects. Select the one you want to use for your video.

5. You can tap on different ones to hear what they sound like with your voice/recording. When you’ve found the perfect one, simply tap anywhere on your video to apply it and exit the effects screen.

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Can I use TikTok filters for pictures?

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The short answer is yes, but you’ll have to use a simple workaround to do so. If you want to save your TikTok’s filters and effects as a photo, you’ll have to screenshot the recording screen. That’s what I did while making the example filter section of this guide! So while it’s not ideal for pictures, the screenshot method still gives you a simple way to save your filtered TikTok as a picture if you so desire. 

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Conclusion

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There you have it! Everything you need to know about how to find and apply TikTok filters and effects. Let your creativity flow as you experiment with all the unique and interesting filter and effect options TikTok has to offer. Simply follow the steps we’ve outlined above, and you’ll be well on your way to TikTok success! 

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If you’re running into trouble coming up with content ideas, text, descriptions, captions, or anything text-related for your TikTok content, check out Copy.ai’s free generator! This useful technology even offers TikTok-specific tools to help you make the most of your account, so give it a shot and see how it can help you level up your TikTok game. 

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