Snapchat is known as one of the most popular, if not the best, social media app of our time. Both kids and adults alike, this social media mogul is being utilized to the fullest with its filters being the top attraction. In this post, we are going to teach you how to use Snapchat filters effectively.

Before the fascinating innovations introduced by social media, most of us thought of filters as something used in Microsoft Excel or in making coffee. Now, when you hear someone say they are using a filter on their photo, you suddenly realize it is something else, having a different meaning altogether.

What are Snapchat Filters?

Filters are a layer for our snaps on Snapchat and our Instagram posts and stories that help in beautifying and glorifying the content. In fact, filters have become a significant aspect of our social media as the majority of the user-base makes use of them on the content they share on the platform.

As soon as you look at someone’s snap on Snapchat and see some change in their photo, you instantly realize they have put a filter on their snap. As far as Snapchat is concerned, the change is so evident that you almost know a filter has been set on the picture.

Snapchat was the first of a kind social media app to introduce the filters back in 2015. After Snapchat, soon Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook (all of the social media apps wholly owned by Facebook) followed suit and introduced their own stories feature. Still, until this point, no social media app has been able to beat the amazing Snapchat filters.

In the beginning, Snapchat referred to the filters as ‘Snapchat lenses.’ However, now the company refers to them as Snapchat filters. It is noteworthy that filters and lenses slightly vary from each other. As per Snapchat, lenses are anything that is set in motion – something that moves.

On the other hand, filters are known as the location-based geotags. However, the majority of people refer to a Snapchat filter as anything that moves over your photo or changes its overall appearance.

There is a vast variety when it comes to Snapchat filters. However, two of them are most popular – facial filters and geolocation filters. Facial filters are basically a form of virtual reality where facial recognition technology comes into the play. As soon as the camera detects the face, digital animation is created, altering the user’s reality on the screen.

On the other hand, geolocation filters identify the user’s location and then on the basis of their location, offer corresponding animations.

In simpler words, a facial filter changes the appearance or voice of the user in a photo or video shared on Snapchat whereas a geo-location filter adds text and images to the photo or video, communicating the location of the user to their followers.

How to Use Snapchat Filters

Since Snapchat has been in the market for quite some time, it would be fair to assume you already know how to use the app. Now it’s time for you to go further into the app and try using its filters. Facial filters and geolocation filters are used in different ways. In this guide, we are going to teach you how to use Snapchat filters including Snapchat face filters and Snapchat geo-filters.

How to Use Snapchat Facial Filters

Let’s get started with understanding how to use Snapchat facial filters. Facial filters can be accessed the camera, either front or back, assuming there is a face before the camera that needs to be recognized.

As soon as you open the Snapchat app, the back-facing camera will be opened as a result of the default setting. If you want to take a selfie, you need to switch to the front camera by either double tapping the screen or tapping on the camera icon on the top right of the screen. Two arrows are formed around the edges of the camera icon, indicating that the button can switch the screen around.

Once you have learned how to use both sides of the camera on the app, you can set the camera in the direction of your choice. For the facial filters options to appear on the camera, you are required to set the camera onto your or someone else’s face.

Once the position on the face is set, press and hold the screen or simply tap the smiley face icon on the right of the round circle on the screen. On doing this, a set of Snapchat facial filters will appear in the form of a horizontal menu at the bottom of the screen.

Most of the facial filters are interactive, meaning the images move as you move, change your voice as you speak, or even make noise, for which you will be required to record a video on the app rather than taking just a snap.

Filters range from opening your mouth to sticking your tongue out to raising your eyebrows to swapping your face with your friend. Some filters are static which refers to anything that can be taken at face value. Static filters include animal ear filters or filters putting a beard on your face.

Facial filters are ever-changing, which means new facial filters are timely added into the Snapchat app to keep users’ interest alive without making them feel bored from the older ones.

How to Use Snapchat Geo-Location Filters

Let’s move on to the geo-location filters. Both facial filters and geofilters can be used simultaneously. As we mentioned previously, facial filters change the appearance of the user, geofilters refer to the graphic add-ons that depends on the user’s location. These filters are unique and they change according to the geographical location of the user.

In order to use the geofilters, the user has to take a snap or video on Snapchat. Once a snap or video is taken, geofilters can be included in it. These filters can be added into a snap or video in a number of ways. One way is to capture an image or record a video and swipe the screen to the right or left.

Just like facial filters, geofilters are also ever-changing as they keep on getting updated timely. This social media app takes pride by calling itself a source of news, adding the geofilters according to the latest news and happenings.

Geofilters does not always refer to your current geographical location. Some geofilters also come in the form of stickers such as temperature, time, or altitude and they are based off of your current location.

To use these stickers, you need to first take a snap or video and see a menu of icons appearing on the right side of the screen. The third icon that appears like the page of a book is turned is the one you will choose. Tap this icon and see a list of geofilter stickers appearing on the screen. These stickers can be set on any part of the screen just like the emojis or text.

The best part is, there are so many Snapchat filters, both facial and geo-based stickers, to choose from. You can set the filter depending on your mood and upload the snap/video on your Snapchat for your friends and followers to view.

There are several Snapchat hidden filters that you’d want to check out. All you need to do is spend some time on Snapchat and explore all the incredulous filters it offers.