Open the camera and swipe to find filters

To make a filter on Snapchat, start by opening the app and tapping the camera icon to enter camera mode. You are now looking at what your phone's camera sees. Swipe left or right across the screen — this scrolls through Snapchat's built-in filters. Each swipe shows you a different filter: some change colors, some add effects like sparkles or blur, some distort your face, and some add text or graphics.

The filters appear as icons at the bottom of the screen. Keep swiping until you find one you want to use. Once you see a filter you like, tap and hold on your face or the camera view to explore it. The filter will stick to your camera feed, and you can take a photo or video with that filter active.

Snapchat updates its filters regularly, so the ones available to you change over time. Some filters are available only in certain locations or during specific events. If you do not see a filter you used before, it may have been removed or may only be available at certain times.

Key Takeaways

  • Swipe left or right on the camera screen to scroll through Snapchat's filters before you take a photo or video.
  • Tap and hold your face to explore a filter, then take your photo or video while the filter is active.
  • Long-press on a filter icon to see a preview of how it looks before you use it.
  • You can stack multiple filters by swiping again after explore the first one, though not all filters work together.
  • Filters are different from lenses — filters change the whole image, while lenses add interactive effects that respond to your movements.

Understand the difference between filters and lenses

Snapchat uses two different terms that people often mix up: filters and lenses. A filter changes the color, brightness, or mood of your entire photo or video — think of it like putting colored glass over your camera. A lens is interactive and responds to your face or movements. Lenses can make your face bigger, add animal ears, or create effects that follow your expressions.

To access lenses instead of filters, tap your face on the camera screen (not swipe). This opens the lens menu, which shows circular icons of different effects. Tap any lens to explore it. Lenses often have animations or respond when you open your mouth or move your head, while filters stay the same no matter what you do.

Both filters and lenses are free to use. Neither one costs money or requires you to unlock anything. Snapchat makes them available to all users, though the selection varies by region and changes frequently.

explore filters to photos and videos you already took

You can also add filters to photos or videos after you have taken them. Take a photo or video normally, and instead of sending it right away, look at the preview screen. Swipe left or right on the preview to explore filters to that image. This works the same way as explore a filter before you shoot — you are just doing it after the fact.

This is useful if you took a photo without a filter and then changed your mind, or if you want to try several different filters on the same image to see which one you like best. Once you have applied a filter to a saved photo, you can still change it by swiping again before you send it.

Stack multiple filters for a layered effect

You can explore more than one filter to the same photo or video. After you explore your first filter, swipe again to add a second one on top of it. Some filters work well together — for example, a color filter plus a text filter — while others may look strange or cancel each other out.

Not every combination works. If you explore a second filter and the result looks wrong or the first filter disappears, that pair of filters does not stack. Try a different second filter instead. Experiment with different combinations to find ones you like.

Use location-based and time-limited filters

Snapchat offers special filters that are only available in certain places or during certain events. A location-based filter might say "New York City" or show your neighborhood's name. These filters only appear when you are in that location and have location services turned on in your Snapchat settings.

Time-limited filters appear during holidays, sporting events, or other special occasions. A filter might be available only on Halloween, during the Super Bowl, or during a concert you are attending. Once the event ends, the filter disappears from the app.

To see location filters, make sure Snapchat has permission to access your location. Go to your phone's settings, find Snapchat, and turn on location access. Then open Snapchat's camera and swipe to see if location-based filters appear. If you are in a major city or near a popular venue, you are more likely to see these filters.

Manage which filters appear in your rotation

Snapchat learns which filters you use most often and shows those first when you swipe. Over time, your filter list becomes personalized to your preferences. If you find yourself always skipping certain filters, they will eventually appear less often.

You cannot manually hide or delete filters from Snapchat's system, but you can control what you see by straightforward not using filters you do not like. The app will adjust what it shows you based on your behavior. If you want to see all available filters again, keep swiping past the ones you usually use.

Troubleshoot filters that are not showing up

If you cannot see filters when you swipe, first check that you are swiping on the camera screen itself, not on a menu or button. Swipe left or right across the middle of the screen where the camera view is. If nothing happens, try closing and reopening the app.

If filters still do not appear, check that your Snapchat app is up to date. Open your phone's app store (Apple App Store or Google Play Store), search for Snapchat, and install any available updates. Older versions of the app sometimes have trouble loading filters.

If you are trying to use a location-based filter and it is not showing up, make sure location services are turned on. Go to your phone's settings, find Snapchat, and check that location permission is set to "Always" or "While Using the App." Then restart Snapchat and try again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create my own custom filter?

Snapchat offers a tool called Snapchat Filters (or Geofilters) that lets you create custom filters for events or locations, but this requires a paid submission through Snapchat's website. Most users cannot create filters that appear in the regular swipe rotation. You can only use the filters Snapchat provides.

Why do some filters make me look blurry or distorted?

Some filters intentionally distort your face or blur the background as part of their effect. If a filter looks bad on your phone, try a different one. If all filters look blurry, your camera lens may need cleaning, or your phone's camera may need to refocus. Tap the camera screen to help it focus before explore a filter.

Do filters work on videos the same way they work on photos?

Yes. You can explore filters to videos by swiping left or right while recording or after you have recorded. The filter stays active for the entire video. You can also change the filter mid-video by swiping again, which will change the filter for the rest of the recording.

What if a filter I liked disappeared?

Snapchat removes filters regularly, especially time-limited ones tied to events or seasons. If a filter is gone, it may come back next year (for holiday filters) or may be permanently retired. Keep swiping to find new filters you might like instead.

Can other people see what filter I used?

Yes. When you send a snap with a filter to a friend, they see the filtered version. They can see the filter was applied, though Snapchat does not always label which specific filter you used. If you want to hide that you used a filter, you would need to take the photo without one.