TikTok has exploded in popularity in recent years, becoming one of the most used social media platforms worldwide. As of 2023, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users (Source). One of the app’s standout features is its array of augmented reality (AR) filters that users can apply to their videos. TikTok offers a wide selection of fun and creative filters to enhance videos.
Live filters take the TikTok filter experience one step further by applying effects and distortions that dynamically react and adjust in real-time based on a user’s facial expressions and movements. This interactivity makes live filters incredibly popular, allowing users to produce more engaging and visually appealing content. According to surveys, around 50% of TikTok users have made purchases after watching TikTok Lives featuring interactive filters (Source).
Accessing Live Filters
To access the live filters page in the TikTok app, tap on the camera icon to open the camera. At the bottom of the screen, tap on “Effects” which will bring you to the Effects gallery. At the top of the gallery, you will see tabs for “Trending,” “Filters,” and “AR Effects.” Tap on the “Filters” tab to browse all of the live filters.
TikTok provides a number of default live filters to choose from. Some of the most popular default filters include:
- Beauty – Smooths skin and adjusts facial features
- Sparkle – Adds glittery sparkle effects
- Neon – Gives a neon, glowing look
- B&W – Converts to black and white
- Euphoria – Warms and brightens colors
The default filters help give videos a polished, creative look with just a tap. Users can browse the entire library of default live filters by tapping through the filters page.
Using a Live Filter
One of the best features of live filters on TikTok is the ability to add them to your live videos in real time. Here are some tips on using filters during a live video:
To start a live video with a filter already applied, tap the filter icon on the bottom left corner of the camera screen before going live. This will open up the filter menu, where you can browse and select the filter you want to apply. Once you’ve chosen your filter, tap the “Go Live” button.
To switch filters mid-broadcast, just tap the filter icon while you are live. This will bring up the filter menu without interrupting your video. You can then select a new filter to change up the look and feel of your live video.
According to TikTok’s support site, you can switch between filters as many times as you want during a live video (Source: https://support.tiktok.com/en/using-tiktok/creating-videos/effects). So feel free to get creative and play around with different filters to keep your audience engaged!
Browse and Discover New Filters
TikTok makes it easy to browse and discover new filters to use in your live videos. Here are a couple ways to find new filters:
Browse Filter Categories: TikTok has curated filters into different categories that you can scroll through. Tap on the filter icon on the bottom of the live screen, then tap “Management” at the top. Here you will see categories like “Trending”, “Nature”, and “Food” to browse.
Search for Specific Filters: If you have something specific in mind, you can search for filters using keywords. Tap the filter icon, then tap the search bar at the top and type in what you’re looking for. For example, searching “space” brings up galaxy and sci-fi themed filters.
TikTok adds new filters all the time, so browsing these sections regularly can help you discover new options to try out in your live videos. You can also see filters that are trending in the “For You” tab.
Save Favorite Filters
To save a filter that you like and want to use again, tap on the filter icon while making a TikTok video. This will open the filter gallery. When you find a filter you want to save, tap and hold on the filter icon. A pop-up will appear giving you the option to “Save” the filter. This adds it to your “Favorites” list so you can quickly access it later.
To view your saved favorite filters, open the filter gallery again while making a TikTok video. At the top you will see tabs for “Trending”, “Following”, and “Favorites”. Tap on “Favorites” to see all the filters you have saved. You can scroll through this list and select any of your favorite filters to quickly add them to your next video.
Saving your favorite filters makes it easy to reuse effects and styles that you like. With just a tap, you can add a saved filter to any new video. This saves time and gives consistency to the look and feel of your content.
Create Custom Filters
One of the most exciting features of TikTok’s Effect House is the ability to create your own custom AR filters and effects. This powerful tool allows anyone to bring their creative visions to life through augmented reality. To get started making custom filters, simply open the Effect House app and tap “Create Filter.”
TikTok provides user-friendly tools to add visual effects, animations, and interactive elements. You can upload images or 3D objects, incorporate facial tracking for masks and accessories that move with you, add virtual environments, and more. The interface is intuitive with various options to customize colors, sizes, textures, and positions of elements.
According to a TikTok spokesperson interviewed in PC Magazine, Effect House empowers creators to make “filters that are quintessentially them.” When designing your own filters, think about your brand, interests, and audience. Add playful touches that match your personality or creative niche.
To maximize engagement, focus on promoting interactivity. Let users control elements or trigger animations by tapping the screen or moving their face. Fun reactions to users’ input captivate viewers. Also consider trending audios and themes people want to see in filters right now. Stay on top of what’s hot in pop culture and social media.
With Effect House’s user-friendly tools and boundless creative possibilities, anyone can make custom filters that wow the TikTok community.
Interactive Filters
TikTok offers a variety of interactive filters that utilize facial recognition technology to overlay effects and graphics that react in real-time to a user’s facial expressions and movements. According to TikTok’s list of trending interactive filters, some of the most popular interactive filters include:
- Cat face filter – Adds cat ears, nose, and whiskers that move when you move your face
- Disco eyes filter – Makes your eyes sparkle and change colors in time with music
- Alien filter – Transforms your face into an animated alien reacting to your expressions
- Rain filter – Makes it look like rain is falling on your face and reacts when you open your mouth
- Animoji filters – Turns your face into a 3D animated animal like a panda, dog, rabbit etc.
To use an interactive filter, simply select one from the Effects tray in the TikTok camera. Position your face in view of the camera and the filter will overlay the graphics and effects in real-time as you move and make facial expressions. The facial tracking capabilities allow the filters to animate along with you seamlessly. Interactive filters provide an easy way to make fun, eye-catching videos using the naturally entertaining reactions and movements of your own face.
Duet Filters
One fun way to use filters on TikTok is during duets. To use a filter while dueting another video, simply select the filter you want before recording your side-by-side reaction. Some popular options include the beauty, fashion, or animal filters to transform your look while reacting.
When choosing a filter for your duet, pick one that complements the original video without being too distracting. The focus should remain on your reaction and commentary. Animated filters like the cat or rabbit ears work well to add a playful element without overwhelming the duet. Avoid filters with loud sound effects or flashy graphics that could detract from your content.
According to Know Your Meme, the Duet feature allows users to create split-screen reactions to existing TikTok videos, similar to the old “Duet” on Musical.ly (https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/sites/tiktok-duets). Duets remain one of the most engaging ways to put your own spin on viral videos.
When planning a duet, browse filters that will elevate or enhance your reaction video without being distracting. Simple beauty filters or minor visual effects allow you to focus more on providing entertaining commentary or a heartfelt response.
Effects and Music
One of the most popular uses of live filters on TikTok is to add fun effects and music to your videos. The filters allow you to easily layer visual effects, animations, and sounds on top of your existing video content. Some of the most common effects include:
- Face filters like bunny ears, glasses, and freckles
- Background filters like confetti, sparkles, and rainbows
- Distortion effects like stretching, mirroring, and pixelation
- Color filters to make your video black & white, sepia, or saturated
In addition to visual effects, many filters also include trending music or sounds that you can add to your video. TikTok curates popular sounds on a daily basis based on current viral memes and challenges. Some of the most used sounds include hits like “Say So” by Doja Cat and “Savage” by Megan Thee Stallion as well as viral sounds like “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” and “Tubarão Te Amo.” You can browse TikTok’s trending sounds page to find the latest viral audio clips.
The music and effects options allow you to easily enhance your videos and participate in popular TikTok trends. Applying the right filter can take your content to the next level and help it reach a wider audience. Just make sure to choose effects and sounds that complement your video concept rather than overpowering your original content.
Tips and Tricks
When using live filters on TikTok, keep these best practices in mind for creating engaging videos:
- Use gestures and facial expressions to interact with the filters for entertaining effects.
- Film in a well-lit area and hold the camera steadily for best filter tracking.
- Switch between different angles during recording to showcase the full effect.
- Try out filters before recording to preview how they will look.
- Cycle through variations of the same filter for fresh takes.
Some creative video ideas to inspire your next TikTok with filters:
- Do an outfit or makeup reveal by transitioning from bare face to full glam.
- Lip sync to a popular song and interact with lyrics flying across the screen.
- React to funny meme animations or augmented reality effects.
- Showcase beauty products by testing virtual makeup looks.
- Transform into different characters or costumes.
If you experience issues with filters tracking properly or loading, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Ensure you have the latest version of the TikTok app.
- Check your internet connection and restart the TikTok app.
- Change lighting conditions or move to a brighter area.
- Hold your camera closer to your face initially for better tracking.
- Clean your camera lens which could impact filter performance.
