The 10 best Tik Tok filters and effects

Life is best unfiltered. Social media, on the other hand, is a different story.

TikTok provides creators with a variety of tools to make professional-looking content. Filters and special effects are some of the best (and most fun) of these built-in features.

Filters are video overlays that change the colors in a recorded clip, making a colorful scene black and white or a dull video vibrant. Effects have even more range: you can use them to change your hair color, add a mask to your face and even swap out your background, transporting yourself from the living room to a sun-drenched beach or the Alps.

TikTokers are maestros of effects, using these tools to construct funnier and more polished content. There’s a filter or effect to transform any video – you just need to find the right one. Check out 10 of the best TikTok filters and effects and learn how to use them.

How to use filters on TikTok

TikTok filters apply to entire videos, changing their overall appearance. Often, they create a shift in hues, making a clip look sunnier, dreamier or more vivid.

Here’s how to find filters on TikTok and add them before filming a video:

1. Open the TikTok app on your mobile phone.
2. To create a new video, tap the white plus (+) button at the bottom center of the screen.
3. Tap the “Filters” icon (three overlapping circles) on the right side of the screen.
4. Browse the categories of filters and select the one you’d like to apply to the video.
5. Adjust the filter’s intensity using the slider at the bottom of the screen.
6. Record your video with the filter.

How to use TikTok effects

You can apply TikTok effects before or after filming a video. Face- and background-altering effects must be applied before hitting record, while fun text and stickers can be added afterward. Here’s how:

Adding an effect before recording

1. Open the TikTok app on your mobile phone.
2. To create a new video, tap the white plus (+) button at the bottom center of the screen.
3. Tap the “Effects” icon at the bottom left of the screen.
4. Browse the wide selection and preview different effects.
5. Select the effect you wish to apply to the video.
6. Record your video with the effect.

Adding an effect after recording

Text:

1. Open the TikTok app on your mobile phone.
2. To create a new video, tap the white plus (+) button at the bottom center of the screen.
3. Record your clip and click the pink checkmark at the bottom right of the screen.
4. From the menu on the right-hand side of the screen, choose the “Text” icon (Aa).
5. Select a font, style, and color.
6. Add text to the clip, then select “Done” in the upper right corner.
7. Drag the text anywhere you’d like on the video.

Stickers and emojis:

1. Open the TikTok app on your mobile phone.
2. To create a new video, tap the white plus (+) button at the bottom center of the screen.
3. Record your clip and click the pink checkmark at the bottom right of the screen.
4. From the menu on the right-hand side of the screen, choose the “Stickers” icon (a peeling sticker).
5. Browse the “Stickers” and “Emoji” tabs.
6. Select the sticker or emoji you’d like to add.
7. Drag and drop the sticker or emoji on the video.

The 5 best Tiktok filters

The right filter can give your videos studio-quality coloring, brighten up a dark space or smooth out a scene. Here are five popular filters to try on your next TikTok:

1. California. This filter amps up the white balance of images, making everything look just a tad bit brighter – kind of like California’s weather.
2. Warmth. “Warmth” is a portrait filter, making it an excellent option for selfies. As the name implies, it gives your front camera video a sunnier look.
3. Dream. Enhance your photo with an otherworldly glow using the “Dream” filter, which smooths out edges and adds subtle contrast.
4. G5. This food filter is perfect for brunch videos. Washed-out clips of your eats don’t look as appetizing, so deepen contrasts and saturate colors for bites that look as good as they taste.
5. V4. This vibey filter mutes colors ever so slightly, overlaying your clips with a cooler palette while shining a little extra light on bright spots.

The 5 best TikTok effects

The sky’s the limit when it comes to adding effects to your videos. Simple effects can add punch to a couch monologue, while more complex ones can transport TikTokers to fantastical places. Here are five amazing effects you should give a whirl:

1. Green screen. The green screen effect allows content creators to swap out their backgrounds for photos, transforming the setting of a TikTok. You could be reviewing red carpet looks, performing a sketch from the beach, or floating through space – even if you’re filming from bed.
2. “Which are you?” effects. Ever wondered which Avenger you are or what Harry Potter house you belong to? These TikTok effects place a ticker over the user’s head that runs randomized answers to a “which X are you?” question. “Which are you?” videos make for hilarious content, allowing you to react in real-time to your results.
3. Slow zoom. The effect does exactly what its name implies: zooms in slowly to your face, no matter how far away you are from the camera. The result is a close-up resembling a tense shot in a soap opera, making this high-drama filter perfect for satirical or dramatic videos.
4. Transition effects. Well-timed transitions make TikToks look like they belong on the big screen. The app offers eight built-in transition effects: Turn on the TV, Turn off TV, Slip, Scroll, Horizon, Vertical, Rotate, and Circle.
5. Bling effect. Make your video shine – literally – by giving it a flashy diamond finish. Who said filming in your sweats couldn’t look luxurious?

How to make TikTok filters

If you can’t find the right effect for your video, you can create one of your own.

Use TikTok’s Effect House tool, available for Mac and Windows, to whip up a feature worthy of your content. The tool equips users with guides, tutorials and templates so even beginners can generate augmented reality (AR) effects. Once you create a new effect, you can share it on the app and track its performance with analytics.

Add more TikTok tools to your belt

Once you’ve mastered filters, Linktree can help you continue to up your social media game. Read through our blog to learn TikTok basics like how to go live on TikTok, remove a filter, and post at the right time.

Plus, drive traffic to the rest of your digital presence by adding a Linktree to your TikTok profile. With this simple change to your bio, you can connect to other platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and a personal website, all in one place.