TikTok is a popular short-form video social networking platform that has seen tremendous growth in recent years. As of 2023, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide (Webpromo, n.d.). It is especially popular among younger audiences, with 66% of TikTok’s global audience between the ages of 10 and 29 (Enterprise Apps Today, n.d.). TikTok allows users to create and share 15 to 60 second videos on any topic, often set to music. It also provides a host of video editing tools and effects that users can utilize in their videos.
TikTok’s popularity has skyrocketed due to its addictive short video format, powerful recommendation algorithm, and diverse creative community. The app has become a platform to discover trends, talents, or connect with different cultures worldwide. Given TikTok’s huge user base and popularity, there is much one can do creatively using its features.
Accessing Effects Menu
The effects menu on TikTok can be accessed by swiping right from the main camera screen (TikTok, n.d.). This will open the effects panel which contains different categories of effects that you can scroll through and preview.
To view the effects menu:
- Open the TikTok app and tap on the plus (+) icon to access the camera.
- From the main camera screen, swipe your finger right to open the effects panel.
- You will now see different rows of effect categories like “Trending”, “Beauty”, etc. that you can scroll through.
Tapping on any effect thumbnail will preview that effect on your camera view. You can swipe left and right to preview different effects within each category.
This makes it easy to access and browse all available effects on TikTok before recording your video (Effect House, n.d.).
Browsing Default Effects
TikTok comes pre-loaded with a variety of fun and creative effects that you can easily browse and try out. To access the default effects, tap on the Effects icon on the bottom menu bar in the app. This will bring up the Effects menu.
The default effects are organized into different categories that you can scroll through horizontally across the top of the screen. Tap on a category like “Trending” or “Funny” to browse effects related to that theme. Swipe vertically to scroll through all the effects available in that category.
Tapping on any effect thumbnail will preview that effect on your camera screen so you can see how it looks before recording a video with it. Feel free to scroll through the wide variety of default effects to find ones that appeal to your style.
Some examples of the popular default effects include the rainbow vomiting effect, anime eyes, and puppy or kitten faces that you can overlay on yourself.
Searching for Specific Effects
The TikTok app makes it easy to search for specific visual effects you want to use in your videos. Here are some tips for searching for effects on TikTok:
Tap on the effects (magic wand) icon at the bottom of the capture screen to open the effects menu. At the top of the menu, you’ll see a search bar where you can enter keywords to look for effects.
Try entering relevant keywords like “space”, “underwater”, “1970s”, etc to find effects that match that theme or style. You can also search for generic terms like “animals”, “food”, “holiday” to find a variety of effects.
As you type in the search bar, you’ll see a dropdown menu showing suggested effects based on your search term. Tap on any of the suggestions to preview or select that effect.
The search feature makes it easy to quickly find a specific visual effect you want amongst the thousands available in the app. Take advantage of it when you have a particular style or theme in mind for your TikTok videos.
Saving Favorite Effects
To save effects that you like and want to use again in the future, you can add them to your Favorites by tapping the heart icon. This is located in the bottom right corner when previewing or using an effect. According to TikTok’s support article, selecting the heart icon will favorite the effect so it shows up under the Favorites tab for quick access later (source).
Favoriting effects can make it much easier to find and apply your most used effects when creating new videos. You don’t have to constantly search and browse for them each time. The heart icon is the key to building your own customized library of favorite effects.
Purchasing Effects
TikTok offers premium effects that can be purchased using in-app virtual coins. Coins allow you to unlock exclusive effects beyond the default options. You can buy coins directly through the TikTok app by tapping on your profile picture and selecting “Buy Coins” https://www.tiktok.com/coin. The pricing starts at $0.99 for 100 coins. The more coins you buy at once, the bigger discount you get per coin. Once you have coins in your account, you can use them to unlock premium effects in the effects menu. This gives you access to a wider range of high-quality effects to use in your videos.
Filters Menu
TikTok offers a variety of filters that can be applied to videos to add different visual effects. To access the filters menu:
- Tap the ‘+’ icon to open the camera.
- Before recording a video, tap ‘Effects’ at the bottom.
- This will open the ‘Effects’ menu where you can switch to the ‘Filters’ tab.
The Filters menu displays a scrollable list of different filter options to choose from. Tapping on a filter preview will apply that filter to the camera viewfinder so you can see it in action. Swiping left and right allows you to browse the different filters available.
Some popular filters include:
- Black & White – Desaturates the colors to create a black and white effect.
- Vibrant – Boosts color intensity for a vivid, saturated look.
- Tokyo – Applies a cool, blue/pink fading gradient.
TikTok is continually adding new filters options, so be sure to explore to find new visual styles. The selected filter will be applied to the video when captured.
Browsing Filters
The variety of filters on TikTok allows users to easily change up the look and feel of their videos. To browse the available filters, tap the “Filters” icon on the bottom left of the capture screen before recording a video. This will open up the filters menu.
You can scroll vertically through the different filter options. The default filters are presented first, with colorful options like “Glitzy” and “Fairytale” that add a vibrant, saturated look. As you scroll down, you’ll find more subtle filters like “Vintage” and “Sweetie” that create softer, faded tones.
TikTok is continually adding new filters, so checking the options regularly can reveal fresh looks. Occasionally there are also limited time filters tied to holidays or events. Tapping on a filter preview shows the name and a sample video with that filter applied.
Scrolling through the different filter choices allows you to get a sense of the various aesthetics and preview how each one impacts the look of a video. This makes it easy to find options that suit the desired tone or style.
Saving Favorite Filters
TikTok makes it easy to save your favorite filters so you can quickly access them again later. Simply tap the heart icon next to any filter to add it to your favorites list. When you’ve found a filter you love, make sure to favorite it so you don’t lose it in the vast sea of options.
To view your favorite filters, tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner, then tap “Favorite filters” on the menu that appears. This will display all the filters you’ve previously favorited. You can tap on any filter in this list to immediately apply it to your video.
Favoriting filters is a great way to build up a go-to list of your preferred effects over time. Whenever you come across a fun new filter, take a moment to favorite it so you can continue using it to spice up your content. Your list of favorites will grow as you discover new filters you love!
Summary & Final Tips
In summary, TikTok offers a wide variety of filters and effects that you can use to enhance your videos. The effects menu allows you to browse default effects or search for specific ones using keywords. You can save your favorite effects for quick access later. The filters menu provides options to add color changes, beauty effects, or other enhancements to your videos.
When searching for filters and effects, try different keyword combinations to find new options to try. Effects and filters can help make your videos stand out, so take time exploring all the possibilities. Save any you like to your favorites so you can easily find them again. With so many filters and effects available, you’re bound to find some that fit your style and creative vision.
