The simplest guide (ever!) on how to add filters to your video

Caitland is a content strategist at Vimeo. She's passionate about writing, helping small businesses grow their marketing, very foamy cappuccinos, and her elaborate WFH skincare routine.
Caitland Conley
Add a filter to your video in 5 steps or less, whether you're adding a filter on an iPhone, Android, or video editing app. Easy!

Filters serve a valuable purpose for almost every creator out there, whether you’ve been snapping shots since Instagram’s “Valencia” filter days, or you’re new to the video editing game. Video filters can create visual consistency, heighten the natural setting, or instantly set a mood for your footage.

How to add filters on your iPhone or Android

Figuring out how to add filters to videos you have on apps like Photos on iPhone or Camera on Android is simple.

  1. Just film your vid on your phone, then pop into your photo app. Click "Edit."
  2. Adjust brightness, contrast, or try one of your phone's existing filters, whether that's in the Photos App or Google Photos.
  3. Toggle the dial on the screen to up or diminish the filter's strength. Or, if you're not feeling the filter you choose, select "None" on Google Photos or "Original" on iPhone Photos to undo.
  4. Click "Done" to save your new filter!

How to add filters to your video in Vimeo Create

Step 1: Head to Vimeo Create and click “Create a video” to get started.

Step 2: Choose from a myriad of templates in Vimeo’s template library, or click “Start from scratch” to make a creation that’s entirely your own. Upon selecting a template, click “Customize” to enter the video editor. 

Step 3: Navigate to the “Styles” menu in the top left hand corner of the editor. Then, you’ll see a menu of filters — everything from minimalist to playful pops of color — to choose from. Once you’ve chosen a filter, click “Done.” 

Step 4: Save and preview your video to see your chosen filter in action! Click “Edit” on the lower right hand side of the screen to go back into the editor and add other finishing touches to your video, like adding stickers, creating new scenes, or changing the background music.

Step 5: If you’re done, click “Save and Share” and voila — your video is ready for prime time!

Wrapping up

Adding filters to videos is easy as pie. Most filtering apps are straightforward and intuitive because adding filters to videos or photos is so ubiquitous these days.

Vimeo Create launches fun, new filters on the reg to keep things interesting. Pop on filters like classic Black and White, Retro, Rustic, Desktop, or VHS for decades-ago vibes. Feeling something more futuristic? Try out the minimalistic Luxe, funky Glitch filter, or elemental Blocks.

Of course, you might want to evoke a specific mood or feeling with your video. Try Horror to give your project a spooky hue. Going for nostalgic, sun-filled days? Slap on the Summer or Super 8 filters.

Whatever you’re going for, Vimeo Create filters will automatically adapt to the color palette of your video (or you can customize based on your preferences).

Explore Vimeo's library of video filters

In addition to video filters, a Vimeo account also offers a whole suite of tools including the Vimeo player and Vimeo’s video editor which helps you perform tasks like trimming clips, merging files, compressing videos, cropping, or even creating GIFs.

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