TikTok has exploded in popularity in recent years, becoming one of the most widely used social media platforms globally. One of the app’s standout features is its array of filters and effects that allow users to edit and enhance their videos. TikTok offers filters that smooth skin, adjust colors, add sparkles and glimmers, manipulate facial features, and more. In 2021, TikTok had over 689 million monthly active users, indicating the vast reach of these filters and their potential impact on beauty standards and self-image (1).
While TikTok filters can be fun and creative, many have expressed concern about the promotion of unrealistic and edited appearances, especially among young users. According to a 2023 study, frequent filter use was associated with lower self-esteem and body satisfaction (2). However, users looking to post more authentic videos have options to remove or avoid filters. This guide will explore how to delete filters and post original content on TikTok.
Sources:
1. https://xperiencify.com/tiktok-statistics/
2. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=124871
Viewing Current Filters
To view the filters currently applied to a TikTok video, first open the TikTok app and tap on the camera icon to access the video editor. This will open up the camera viewfinder. In the bottom left corner of the screen, tap on the face icon to open the effects menu.
This will display all of the filters and effects that are currently enabled for the video you are recording or editing. The filters that are turned on will have a blue icon next to them. Tapping on each individual filter icon will show a preview of that effect on your face.
You can tap through all of the activated filters here to see exactly which ones are being applied to your video before posting it. This allows you to easily check which automatic beauty filters might be enabled by default and make any adjustments if desired.
Disabling Filters for a Single Video
If you only want to disable filters for one specific video that you are recording, there is a simple way to do this in the TikTok app:
Before you start recording your video, tap on the “No Effects” option at the bottom of the screen. This will disable all filters for that individual video recording. Once you start recording, no automatic beauty or other effects will be applied.
This is useful if you only want the original, unfiltered version for a particular video. Just remember to tap “No Effects” each time before recording if you want to disable filters.
As per FlexClip, tapping the “No Effects” option is the easiest way to remove the filter from a single TikTok video that you are recording in the app.
Turning Off Default Beauty Filter
One of the easiest ways to remove filters from your TikTok videos is to turn off the default beauty filter that is applied to all videos. Here are the steps to disable the beauty filter:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap on the profile icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Select “Settings” from the menu.
3. Tap on “Beauty” in the left sidebar.
4. Under “Enhancements,” toggle off all effects like “smooth,” “brighten,” and “reshape.” You may need to tap on “More” to see all available effects.
5. Return to the camera and you will see a message that says “Beauty Mode OFF,” indicating beautification effects have been disabled. The app will no longer apply a softening filter to faces in your videos.1
With the beauty filter turned off, your videos will now look more natural and unfiltered. Just be aware this setting only applies to newly captured videos, so you’ll need to use additional methods to remove filters from old videos.
Removing All Filters from Profile
The quickest way to delete all filters from your TikTok account is to clear them from the Effects page under your profile settings. Here’s how to remove all filters at once:
First, open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner. Then go to your profile and tap on the three dots in the top right corner to access Settings & Privacy.
Under Account, select “Effects” and you’ll be taken to the page that displays all your saved effects and filters. At the top right, tap “Clear all” which will delete every filter from your account.
This removes all filters globally so they won’t be applied to any new videos by default. Your existing videos will still have their filters, but starting a new recording will now have no effects applied (source).
Clearing all filters like this is the fastest way to reset your TikTok account if you’ve saved a lot of effects over time and want a fresh start. Just be aware it can’t be undone, so any filters you actually want to keep will need to be re-added later.
Deleting Specific Filters
If you only want to remove certain filters from your TikTok account, you can delete them one by one:
Go to your profile and tap the “Effects” icon. This will bring you to the Effects page where you can see all filters you’ve previously used.
Scroll through the filters, then swipe left on any filter you want to delete. A “Delete” option will appear.
Tap “Delete” to remove that filter from your account. You’ll have to repeat this process for each individual filter you want to get rid of.
Once a filter is deleted, it will no longer be available for you to use in new videos. This helps declutter your Effects page if there are filters you no longer want. [1]
Resetting to Default Settings
If you want to completely reset your TikTok camera and remove all filters, effects, and settings, you can reset to the default settings. Here’s how:
Go to your profile and tap the three-dot menu icon in the upper right. Select “Settings” then go to the “General” tab. Here you’ll see an option to “Reset”. Tap this and confirm that you want to reset your settings.
This will reset everything back to the original default settings. It will remove any beauty filters you had turned on, delete any customized filters you added, and reset the camera to its original form without any effects applied.
Resetting to defaults is the best way to completely eliminate any filters or effects you don’t want. It acts as a fresh start for the TikTok camera. Just be aware it will delete any customizations you want to keep as well.
You can always go back later and re-add certain filters and effects. But resetting the camera removes everything applied to the default settings. It’s the most thorough way to get rid of any unwanted filters on your TikTok videos.
Using Original Versions
One way to remove filters from your TikTok videos is to download the original versions without effects applied, and then re-upload them. Here’s how:
- Go to your TikTok profile and open the video you want to remove filters from.
- Tap the Share icon and choose “Save video.” This will download the original version of the video without any effects or filters.
- Open the downloaded video file on your phone. You may need to give TikTok access to your photo gallery to save videos.
- Trim the video if needed, then re-upload it to TikTok as a new post. The original version will now be posted without any filters or effects.
Uploading the originals is the only surefire way to completely remove all filters and start fresh. This takes a bit more work but ensures you have a clean, unedited version of your video on TikTok.
Avoiding Filters When Duetting
If you want to duet a video without having any filters applied, make sure to tap ‘Duet This’ instead of ‘Use This Effect’ when initiating the duet.
‘Duet This’ will open up the camera view with no filters, allowing you to record your side-by-side duet video clean. Tapping ‘Use This Effect’ applies the original video’s filters to your recording by default.
To recap the steps for an unfiltered duet:
- Find a video you want to duet.
- Tap the ‘Share’ icon on the video.
- Select ‘Duet’ from the menu.
- Tap ‘Duet This’ (not ‘Use This Effect’).
- Record your duet clip without any effects.
- Post the finished duet video.
Using ‘Duet This’ ensures you start with a clean slate when recording your side of the duet. This avoids accidentally inheriting any beauty filters, effects, or edits applied to the original video. If you do want to use the original filters, simply tap ‘Use This Effect’ instead.
Conclusion
In summary, there are several ways to remove TikTok filters and effects from your videos and profile. You can disable filters on individual videos, turn off the default beauty filter for your account, delete specific filters you’ve saved, or reset your TikTok to default settings to remove all customizations. When collaborating with others, using the original versions of duets can also help avoid unintended filters. Overall, understanding how to control filters gives you more creative freedom on TikTok and allows you to present a more authentic version of yourself.
