Instagram is considered one of the best social media apps for sharing videos and photos as it allows users to showcase their creativity in the form of visual stories. One of its standout features is the ability to apply filters and effects to images and videos.
If you’re looking to take a lively Instagram picture, or dreamy post, or simply want your whole profile to have the same aesthetic, Instagram filters will help you do so. These filters provide myriad options to jazz up your content – from the ever-popular Clarendon to those trendy nature filters.
This tutorial will guide you through the details of applying popular filters, how to get certain filters to get the effects you want, and even using some third-party apps to browse more effects to truly enhance the appeal of your photos and stories.
What Are Instagram Filters?
Instagram filters are graphical pre-designed overlays and adjustments that can be applied to photos and videos that enhance their appearance. They can modify colors, add effects, or completely change the tone of the picture. These can range from the dark filters that are used for Instagram stories to the boho filters which are more on the bubbly side.
Instagram offers its users many features. These include the original filters like Valencia and Clarendon, alongside newer ones released periodically. Some of the examples include Tropical, Nashville, and Amaro. These come in handy to add creativity to the content that Insta users put out, using face filters for selfies, nature filters for outdoor pictures, and different effects for Instagram stories and reels.
The use of Instagram filters has been scientifically proven to influence user engagement. A study by researchers from Yahoo Labs and Georgia Tech found that filtered photos are 21% more likely to be viewed and 45% more likely to be commented on compared to unfiltered ones. Filters that increase warmth, exposure, or contrast tend to perform even better!
How Do You Use Instagram Filters?
Using filters on Instagram is incredibly simple, making them accessible even to beginners. Here’s how to use Instagram filters in a step-by-step guide:
Instagram Filters for Photos and Videos:
- Open Instagram and tap the “+” icon to create a new post.
- Select a photo or video you want to upload from your gallery.
- Tap “Next” and tap on the filter icon to access the search filter options menu.
- Scroll through all filters listed below your photo or video. Try pre-set popular filter options like the Clarendon for vibrant colors or other filters such as the Valencia for a warm, vintage feel.
- Use the slider to alter the intensity of the filter set. Afterward, tap the filter you’ve selected to alter the length.
Instagram Filters for Stories:
- Swipe right on the home screen to open the Instagram app stories camera.
- Instagram Swipe through the available filters at the bottom of the screen. Try the dark filter for Instagram stories for a moody vibe or the dog filter on Instagram for a fun, playful touch. You can also add Augmented reality effects to your story by taping on special effects.
- Capture your photo or video and add text, stickers, or effects for Instagram to complete your story.
Instagram Filters for Reels:
- Open the Reels camera and record your video.
- To search appropriate filters for your clip all you need to do is press the effects icon and voila. Add some special effects to enhance your reel.
- Include music, text, or any other extras to enhance the quality of your reel.
How to Find Filters on Instagram
Instagram offers a vast library of filters, many of which can be accessed beyond the default options menu. Here’s how you can see certain filters and search them:
Browse the Effects Gallery:
- Open the Instagram App camera for Stories or Reels.
- Next, swipe to the end of the filter carousel, select “Browse Effects” and tap the magnifying glass icon.
- Type in the search bar in case you want to filter yourself such as boho filters or nature filters.
Discover Filters Through Creators:
Many creators design and share their filters. Whenever you like some filter applied to someone’s story, tap on the filter name at the top of the screen to save it and upload it to your library.
Explore New Filters on Instagram:
Instagram frequently updates its library with fresh effects. To keep up with Insta’s new releases, frequently check out the “Trending” section of the Effects Gallery.
Best Filters for Instagram in 2025 to Enhance Your Content
Instagram has a bunch of filters and effects that can really bring your posts and stories to life, turning them into something visually amazing.
Best Instagram Filters for Selfies
Selfies look best when they appear natural yet polished. Filters that enhance skin tones and brighten features are ideal.
- Clarendon: Enhances brightness and highlights, giving your selfies a sharp and vibrant look.
- Valencia: Adds warmth and softens colors for a subtle, sunlit glow.
- Paris: Smooths out imperfections and adds a dreamy touch.
- Oslo: A soft, warm filter that enhances skin tones for a radiant and natural appearance.
Instagram Filters for Food Pics
Make your food photography mouthwatering with filters that enhance colors and textures, making dishes appear vibrant and appetizing.
- Hyper: Brightens whites and emphasizes warm colors like reds and yellows.
- Clarendon: Makes food look vivid by boosting saturation and contrast.
- F5 (VSCO): Adds a rustic and natural tone to food shots.
- Boho Filters: Perfect for creating a cozy and earthy vibe in your food photography.
Cool Effects for IG Stories
Interactive effects and dynamic filters can elevate your Instagram Stories, making them more engaging and memorable.
- It’s Snow: Adds subtle snow to create a dreamy vibe.
- Kaleidoscope by @clarendon: Produces mesmerizing mirrored visuals.
- Dust + Grain by @helloemilie: Adds a warm, film-like texture for cozy aesthetics.
- Boho Vibes: A subtle, desaturated effect that adds a touch of rustic charm to your stories.
Instagram Effects to Highlight Your Subject
To make your subject stand out, opt for filters that amplify contrast, vibrancy, and focus.
- Lo-Fi: Boosts shadows and saturation, making subjects pop against any background.
- Oslo: Warms tones and softens edges, ideal for portraits.
- Tokyo: A black-and-white filter that adds dramatic contrast.
- Valencia: Highlights your subject by adding a soft, golden glow.
Instagram Filters for Stunning Landscapes
Capture the beauty of landscapes with filters that enhance natural colors and textures.
- Lark: Brightens colors and adds vibrancy, making it perfect for outdoor scenes.
- Hefe: Deepens shadows and sharpens details for striking landscapes.
- Nature Filters: Specially designed to bring out the greens and blues in your photos.
- Aden: Softens tones to give landscapes a pastel, dreamy feel.
Best Instagram Effects for OOTD Posts
Outfit-of-the-day posts shine with filters that emphasize textures, fabrics, and colors.
- KiraKira: Adds sparkle to accessories and fabrics, perfect for glam shots.
- Retro Bloom by @dreamer: Offers a vintage aesthetic with a stylish twist.
- Grainy Film by @sophiaby: Provides a chic editorial look with a touch of grain.
- Valencia: Softens the overall look while adding a warm glow to your outfit.
Retro Instagram Effects for a Vintage Look
Retro filters and effects evoke nostalgia and give photos a timeless, vintage charm.
- X-Pro II: Adds grain, muted tones, and a retro color palette.
- Sepia: Introduces a warm, brown tint for a classic old-school vibe.
- VHS Glitch by @glitcheffect: Creates a distorted, vintage VHS tape look.
- Boho Vintage: A filter with desaturated tones and soft textures, ideal for retro vibes.
Instagram’s “Clarendon” filter is the most popular worldwide, even though it wasn’t part of the original filter set. Surprisingly, filters can also affect mood perception—photos with warm tones are seen as happier, while cooler filters evoke calmness or melancholy.
How to Add Effects on Instagram App
If you’re looking to apply filters to spice up your Instagram posts, Stories, or Reels then adding an effect would be a great idea as it would transform your content allowing it to be more interesting, creative, and visually appealing. The following steps will let you find filters and add effects easily and without any hassle:
- Launch the camera in the Instagram app, swipe right on the home page, or tap on the “+” icon to add a post, Story, or Reel.
- Instagram allows users to create content by using filters and effects that instantly change the mood or the overall tone of the material. Swipe through the available options until you search for one that suits your aesthetic or theme.
- Tap the Effects icon (a smiley face with sparkles) to access the Effects Library. Use effects you have previously bookmarked and elements from other users by selecting the trending most available effects.
- When you find an effect you love, tap the Save icon to easily access it later. The vast number of effects available allow modifications such as intensity alteration, interactive addition, or layering them with other tools for a unique touch.
Combine Effects with Other Creative Features
Take your content to the next level by pairing effects with Instagram’s other creative tools:
- Text: Add captions, quotes, or labels in various fonts and colors to complement your visuals.
- Stickers: Incorporate GIFs, polls, location tags, or trending stickers to make your content interactive and fun.
- Animations: Use animated transitions or elements to add movement and energy, making your posts or Stories even more dynamic.
Creating a Consistent Aesthetic
Having a cohesive style will help enhance the appearance and memory of your Instagram account. In the first place, opt for a few filters that link to the theme you want to meet. Think about the emotions that the images will elicit. Sometimes you share content that has great outdoors, so you might like to choose nature filters that will exaggerate green and other aspects of the landscape. On the other hand, if you enjoy dark vibes, a set of dark filters for your Instagram stories or posts will work wonderfully.
Consider posting Instagram filters or using photo editing applications before putting your Aesthetic to the test. Using an Instagram scheduler can also ensure that your posts are published consistently, maintaining your aesthetic and engaging your audience effectively. If your fan base focused not only on your makeup movement but also had a cohesive personal style concerning the color palette, you would certainly have your profile remembered.
Exploring Third-Party Apps and Enhancing Instagram Filters
While Instagram provides a decent number of filters on the app, the use of external applications can improve your edits significantly. Modifying tools such as VSCO, Snapseed, and Lightroom offer more features that can be helpful to fine-tweak changes as well as provide different filters for photos. These applications are useful for people who seek to have more control over their edits or require a specific style not available in Instagram’s library.
If we were to take an example, VSCO has a wide range of artistic filters available, one for example includes a boho filter which is nice for a more subtle and vintage look. In addition to this, Lightroom also allows you to adjust the brightness, the contrast, or even the colors in great detail, allowing the pictures to have a more professional feel to them.
Once you have edited the picture with the help of external applications, you can also improve the content more by placing some of Instagram’s other filters all over it. This way, you can mix and match different styles together. For instance, you can use the boho filter from a third-party app and combine it with Instagram effects, which allows for a more custom aesthetic. With these tools, you can achieve interesting and appealing outcomes for the profile.
Start Creating Today!
Instagram filters are not just a means to spend some time adjusting your pictures, but rather a form of showcasing your artistic side to the people you are aiming to reach out to. Whether it’s the more traditional Valencia filters or new ones that are somewhat trending, there’s a lot that one can do. Using the built-in filters, effects, and some third-party apps, anyone can turn simple pictures into pieces of art.
Filters are not for decoration alone, they serve an important purpose, which is to narrate your aspirations and intent, to devise an experience that is hard to forget, and to cultivate an involved and bonded audience. It may be an attempt to construct a polished feed, optimize special events, or simply attempt something new in your Stories, filters can form an important part of your strategy in succeeding in Social Media.
So, enjoy yourself and let your creativity thrive, and more importantly, keep track of and save your results. Unleash your creative spirit and see your growth on Instagram transcend all limits!
Frequently Asked Questions
Clarendon, Valencia, Paris, and Oslo are some filters that stood out since they helped improve skin color, brought out features, and gave a polished and natural look to selfies taken.
If you want to achieve a retro warm look, together with Boho filters for rougher looks, Valencia will do just that. Other great filters to consider are Lark for outdoor places and Clarendon for pure color.
Instagram every now and then makes adjustments or completely removes some filters, however, all the well-established and valued filters are still on together with a continually increasing Effects Gallery.
You use tools like Meta Spark Studio to build your own Instagram filters, which enables you to create and publish custom Augmented Reality effects on Instagram.
Shalini Nagar is an experienced content writer with a proven track record of creating diverse and engaging content across various formats. With years of expertise in crafting blogs, articles, she excels at delivering compelling narratives tailored to different audiences.