Snapchat Filters and Lenses are still different things in 2026. Filters are overlays you add after taking a Snap; Lenses are AR effects you choose from the camera carousel before or while taking the Snap.
If you are looking for “hidden filters,” what you probably want is Lens Explorer, a Snapcode, a Lens link, or a Lens you saw in somebody else’s Snap.
How to use a Snapchat Filter
- Open Snapchat and take a photo or video Snap.
- Swipe left or right to see the available Filters.
- Choose the Filter you want.
- To stack compatible Filters, tap the layer icon and add another.
Snapchat says Filters can add colour effects, venue information, Bitmoji, activity information and other overlays. If you cannot find things such as time or temperature, check the sticker drawer instead.
Snapchat’s current Filter instructions.
How to use a Snapchat Lens
- Go to the Camera screen.
- Swipe through the Lens carousel.
- Tap a Lens.
- Tap the camera button for a photo, or hold it for video.
Face Lenses transform faces; World Lenses place AR objects and effects into the scene around you.
Snapchat’s current Lens instructions.
How to find more Snapchat Lenses
When the Lens carousel is active, tap the magnifying glass to open Lens Explorer.
Snapchat says Lens Explorer contains thousands of community-created Lenses. Tapping a Lens tile can add it to your carousel for 24 hours, while the heart icon saves a Lens to Favorites.
See Snapchat’s current Lens Explorer guide.
How to unlock a Lens with a Snapcode
A Snapcode can unlock Lenses and Filters as well as profiles, websites and other Snapchat experiences.
- Point the Snapchat camera at the Snapcode.
- Wait for the Scan banner to appear.
- Tap the banner to open or unlock the linked experience.
Snapcodes with a circle in the centre are commonly used for special Lenses.
How to use a Lens you saw in somebody else’s Snap
If the Snap supports it, swipe up to open the Context Card. Snapchat may let you try the Lens directly from there.
This is often the easiest way to find an effect when you do not know its exact name.
Why did an old Snapchat Lens disappear?
Lenses rotate constantly. Snapchat notes that Filters and Lenses can change day to day, and some special Lenses unlocked through Snapcodes are available only for a limited time.
If an old dog, flower-crown or celebrity Lens no longer appears in your carousel, search Lens Explorer for a current version rather than assuming a settings switch is missing.
Can you still create a custom Snapchat Filter?
Not in the old special-event sense. Snapchat says it is no longer possible to create a custom Filter for events such as weddings and birthdays.
Instead, Snapchat directs creators to make a Lens with Lens Studio. Lens Studio is free and is available through desktop and web tools, with mobile creation support depending on platform.
See the current Lens Studio guidance.
What happened to the old speed Filter?
The original version of this article treated the old speed overlay as a standard Snapchat Filter. That advice is obsolete and has been removed.
Do not use a phone to photograph or record speed while driving. If you want to show trip or activity information, use current Snapchat creative tools while stationary and safe.
Quick answer
Take a Snap and swipe left/right for Filters. For Lenses, choose an effect from the camera carousel before capturing. To find “hidden” effects, use Lens Explorer, scan a Snapcode, or open the Context Card on a Snap that contains the Lens.
