How to Use Filters on Snapchat

This wikiHow teaches you how to enable and apply visual filters to your photo and video messages in Snapchat.

EditSteps

EditEnabling Snapchat Filters

Open the Snapchat app. Its icon resembles a white ghost on a yellow background.
- If you aren't already logged into Snapchat, tap Log In and enter your username (or email address) and password.
Swipe down on the camera screen. Doing so will open your profile.
Tap . It's in the top right corner of the screen.
Scroll down and tap . You'll find this in the "Additional Services" section.
Slide the switch right. It will turn green. Now you'll be able to use filters in your Snaps!
- If the switch is green, filters are already enabled.

EditUsing Filters for Photo Snaps

Return to the camera page. To do so, tap the back buttons in the top left corner of your screen to return to the profile page, then swipe up on the screen.
Tap and hold your screen. After a brief moment, you should see icons pop up to the right of the camera button.
- To apply filters to your face or a friend's, center the face on your screen and tap it.
- Tap the camera icon in the top right corner of your screen to change the direction the camera faces.
Swipe right to scroll through the available effects. Some common ones include a dog's face, a deer's face, and a face swap option.
- Most effects will change in appearance if you open your mouth or raise your eyebrows (for example, the dog face effect sticks out its tongue if you open your mouth).
Tap the circular button at the bottom of your screen. This will take a picture with your selected filter applied to whatever your camera is facing.
Swipe right or left over your snap. Doing so will drag filters over your snap. Some common filters include the following:
- The time
- Your altitude
- The current outside temperature
- Location-specific filters (e.g., the city you're in)
- Snapchat may ask you for permission to access your location if this is your first time applying location-specific filters. If so, tap Allow.
Tap filters to see if they have extra options. For example, applying the temperature filter and then tapping it will display different temperature formats (e.g., Fahrenheit versus Celsius).
Combine two or more filters. To do this, apply a filter you like, then hold your finger down on the screen to anchor that filter while swiping left or right with another finger.
- For example, you can swipe to the temperature filter, then hold it down and swipe a city's filter onto your snap as well.
- Some filters don't go together (e.g., time and altitude).
Send your snap when you're finished. You can send your snap to another Snapchat user by tapping the white arrow in the bottom right corner of the screen and then selecting a friend, or post the snap as a Story for all of your friends to see by tapping the square with a plus icon next to it on the bottom of the screen. Now that you know how to apply filters to photo snaps, it's time to try video snap filters.

EditUsing Filters for Video Snaps

Tap and hold your screen. After a brief moment, you should see icons pop up to the right of the camera button.
- To apply filters to your face or a friend's, center the face on your screen and tap it.
- Tap the camera icon in the top right corner of your screen to change the direction the camera faces.
Swipe right to scroll through the available effects. Some common ones include a dog's face, a deer's face, and a face swap option.
- Some effects will change your voice if you speak with them enabled. These effects will briefly display "Voice Changer" on the screen when selected.
Tap and hold the circular button on the camera screen. Doing this will record a video. You can record up to 10 seconds of video with Snapchat.
Swipe right or left over your video. Doing this will apply filters to your snap. A few common video filters include the following:
- Rewind - The <<< icon will play your snap in reverse.
- Speed Up - The rabbit icons speed up your snap. One rabbit (the one with lines coming off of it) speeds up your snap immensely while the other only moderately increases your snap's playback speed.
- Slow Down - The snail icon slows your snap down to half-speed. This will increase your video's maximum playback time to 20 seconds (for a 10 second video).
- Temperature
- Time
- Snapchat may ask you for permission to access your location if this is your first time applying filters. If so, tap Allow.
Tap filters to see if they have extra options. For example, applying the temperature filter and then tapping it will display different temperature formats (e.g., Fahrenheit versus Celsius).
Combine two or more filters. To do this, apply a filter you like, then hold your finger down on the screen to anchor that filter while swiping left or right with another finger.
- For example, you can swipe to the black and white filter, then hold it down and swipe the Slow Down filter onto your snap.
- Some filters don't go together (like the Slow Down and Speed Up filters).
Send your finished snap. Send your snap to another Snapchat user by tapping the white arrow in the bottom right corner of the screen and then selecting a friend, or post the snap as a Story for all of your friends to see by tapping the square with a plus icon next to it on the bottom of the screen.