How to Use Effects on Instagram

Using an Instagram effect can completely transform a basic video into something eye-catching, funny, or beautiful. These augmented reality filters are a core part of creating native-feeling content for Reels and Stories, and understanding how to find, save, and use them effectively is an essential skill for any creator or brand. This article is your complete guide to mastering Instagram effects, from finding hidden gems in the Effect Gallery to using them strategically in your content.

What Are Instagram Effects (and Why Should You Bother)?

Instagram Effects, often called filters or AR filters, are computer-generated layers that add graphics, animations, or enhancements to your photos and videos in real-time. They can do anything from changing your eye color and adding virtual makeup to creating interactive games or placing 3D objects in your environment. These aren't just your standard "Nashville" or "Clarendon" color filters, they're dynamic tools built by Instagram and an entire community of independent AR creators.

But why do they matter for your social strategy? It comes down to a few key benefits:

• Boost Engagement: Interactive effects like quizzes, games, or “this or that” challenges can stop scrollers in their tracks and encourage them to tap, interact, and even share your content to their own Stories.
• Increase Discoverability: When someone uses an effect, the creator's username is displayed on the top of the Reel or Story. If you create a branded effect, every person who uses it essentially becomes a brand ambassador, showing your account handle to all their followers.
• Strengthen Your Brand Aesthetic: You can save effects that fit your visual identity. Whether it's a subtle grain filter, a specific color grade, or a vintage camera look, using consistent effects helps build a cohesive and recognizable style for your content.
• Showcase Fun and Personality: Not everything needs to be perfectly polished. Using humorous, trending, or relatable effects shows the human side of your brand, making you more approachable and building a stronger connection with your audience.

How to Find and Save Instagram Effects

Your library of awesome effects won't build itself. Finding great ones is a skill, and there are three primary ways to do it. Master all three, and you'll never run out of creative options.

Method 1: The Effects Gallery

The Effects Gallery is Instagram’s official library, where you can browse through thousands of filters sorted by category. It’s the best place to start if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

1. Open Instagram and swipe right from your feed to open the Story camera.
2. You'll see a carousel of effect icons at the bottom of the screen. Swipe all the way to the right, past all your currently saved effects.
3. Tap the search icon labeled "Browse Effects." This will open the Effect Gallery.
4. Inside the gallery, you can explore various tabs like "Trending," "Appearance," "Games," and "Reels." You can also use the search bar at the top right to look for specific keywords like "vintage," "glow," "80s," or "green screen."
5. Tap on any effect to preview it. If you like it, tap the bookmark icon (next to the effect's name) to save it to your camera’s effect tray for future use. You can also tap "Try It" to immediately open it in your camera.

This is your go-to method for broad discovery. Spend some time browsing different categories to stock up on a versatile set of effects you can use later.

Method 2: From Other Peoples' Stories and Reels

This is probably the most common way to find cool, popular effects. You see a Reel or Story with a filter you love and want to use it yourself. It’s incredibly easy.

1. When watching content, look at the top left of the screen, right under the person's username. If they used an effect, its name will be displayed there with a small sparkle icon.
2. Tap on the effect name.
3. A menu will appear at the bottom with several options. You can "Try It" instantly, "Save Effect" to add it to your library, or tap "Send to..." to share it with a friend.

This is the fastest way to hop on a trending effect. If you see a particular filter popping up all over your feed, you can grab and use it in seconds.

Method 3: From a Creator's Profile

Many digital artists and AR creators build followings specifically by designing unique Instagram effects. If you find a creator you like, you can see all of their creations in one place.

1. Go to the creator's Instagram profile page.
2. Look at the row of tabs above their photo grid (the one with the grid icon, Reels icon, and tagged photos icon).
3. If the creator has made any effects, you'll see a sparkle icon (✨). Tap it.
4. This opens their personal effect gallery. You can scroll through all the effects they've published, try them out, and save any you like, just like you would in the main Effect Gallery.

Following a few dedicated AR artists is a great way to stay ahead of the curve and discover unique filters that not everyone is using yet.

Putting Effects to Work in Your Instagram Stories

Once you've built up your library, using effects in Stories is simple and seamless. Effects are best applied before you record.

1. Swipe right from your feed to open the Story camera.
2. Your saved effects will be in a carousel along the bottom of the screen. Swipe left or right to find the one you want. The name of the selected filter will appear in the center.
3. With the effect active, you can take a photo by tapping the shutter button or record a video by pressing and holding it.
4. Some effects are interactive. They might react when you tap the screen, open your mouth, or blink. Experiment with them before you record to see how they work.

Pro Tip: While most AR effects need to be applied to a live recording, you can apply some simpler effects (like color grading or cosmetic filters) to photos or videos already in your camera roll. To do this, swipe up in the Story camera to select your media, then tap the sparkle icon at the top of the screen to browse and apply your saved effects.

Using Effects To Elevate Your Instagram Reels

Reels are all about grabbing attention quickly, and effects are one of the best ways to do that. The workflow for Reels is slightly different and offers more flexibility than Stories.

Option 1: Record With an Effect

This method is similar to creating a Story. You apply the filter first and then film your content.

1. Open the Reels camera.
2. On the left-hand toolbar, tap the "Effects" icon (the three sparkles).
3. This will open a familiar tray at the bottom where you can select from your Saved effects, as well as what's Trending or has been popular in Reels.
4. Choose your effect and then record your Reel clips as normal. You can even use different effects for different clips within the same Reel for dynamic transitions or a sketch-like format.

Option 2: Add an Effect After Recording

This powerful feature is perfect for adding general visual flair like sparkles, dust, or vintage film looks after the fact. It's also how you use the popular Green Screen filter with media from your camera roll.

1. Record all your clips directly in Reels or upload videos from your phone.
2. Once you have your video sequence, tap "Next" to go to the post-production editing screen (the one where you can add text, soundbites, and voiceovers).
3. At the top of the screen, tap "Effects" (the same three-sparkle icon).
4. Now you can browse and apply an effect over your entire finished video. This is where vintage grain, glow, and corrective filters really shine.
5. Select the effect and adjust its amount by tapping the icon again, then tap "Done."

Beyond Using: Create Your Own Branded Instagram Effect

For brands and creators looking for next-level discoverability and engagement, creating your own AR filter is the ultimate move. It sounds daunting, but it's more accessible than you might think.

The main tool is Meta Spark Studio, a desktop app for Mac and Windows where you build the effect. There’s something for everyone, from simple template-based effects that take minutes to make, to complex, fully interactive 3D models.

The basic process looks like this:

• The Ideation: Brainstorm a fun concept that aligns with your brand. Think quizzes ("What X are you?"), tests trying on products, or a beautiful color grading filter that matches your brand aesthetic.
• The Build: Download Meta Spark Studio and explore the templates. You can import your own assets, like logos or design elements, to create simple effects like face masks or subtle text.
• The Submission and Testing: Once you have a basic version, you can test it directly on Instagram through Spark Studio. After that, you submit it to be reviewed. Approval can take a few days or a few weeks, so be sure to read their policies carefully.

Having a branded effect powers user-generated content (UGC), increases your reach, and establishes you as a thought leader in your community.

Final Thoughts

Instagram effects are far more than just silly filters - they're powerful tools for creating highly engaging content, showcasing your brand's personality, and driving organic reach through your own community. Whether you're finding the latest trending effects, saving a collection of aesthetic filters, or even building your own, integrating these effects into your Story and Reel workflow will help your content feel more native and connected to the platform.

Mastering Instagram effects is a great start, but creating and scheduling all that content can become overwhelming. That's why we created a visual calendar to help you plan, schedule, and publish all your posts - including Reels and Stories - across all your platforms. With Postbase, you can focus less on logistics and more on the creative strategy, like designing a branded effect that helps you stand out.