Alexis Kestler
Hey there! Have you ever used a fun Snapchat filter only to realize later you can‘t find it again? With hundreds of lenses and filters to choose from, it‘s easy to lose track of where they went.
Not to worry – saving Snapchat filters is totally doable with just a few taps!
In this guide, I‘ll walk you through two simple methods to save Snapchat lenses and filters so you can easily find and reuse them anytime. I‘ll also provide some pro tips and tricks I‘ve learned for organizing and managing your faves.
By the end, you‘ll be a Snapchat filter pro ready to take your snaps to the next level!
Why Save Snapchat Filters in the First Place?
Before we dive in, let‘s quickly chat about why saving Snapchat filters can be handy:
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They make your snaps more fun and engaging! Filters transform your appearance and liven up everyday photos. Having a stash of go-to favorites can take your snaps up a notch.
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FOMO for limited edition filters. Snapchat releases filters for holidays, events, and seasons. Saving these time-specific ones lets you hold onto the festive feels.
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Some are AR masterpieces. Snapchat artists are creating incredibly immersive AR filters. Being able to replay the experience is awesome.
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You forget where you saw that hilarious dog tongue lens. Saving it for later is the only way to find it again in Snapchat‘s haystack of options.
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Customizing your snap style. Curating a set of your signature filters helps define your Snapchat brand.
Now that you‘re pumped up to start saving, let‘s get down to the details!
Method #1: Taking and Saving a Photo
The quickest way to save a filter on Snapchat is by taking a photo or video while using it. Saving that snap to your camera roll then adds the filter to your list.
Here‘s how it works:
Step 1: Find and select the filter you want to save
Open the Snapchat camera and tap the face icon in the top right to bring up filter and lens options.
Browse the default filters, or tap “Explore” at the bottom to search community filters.
When you find one you like, tap to select and preview it. For this example, I‘ll choose the “Disco” filter under the Party tab.
Selecting the Disco filter from the Party tab
Step 2: Take a photo or video with the filter activated
With the filter enabled on the camera, take a picture of yourself or anything around you. Make sure to actually snap the photo or record a video with the filter on.
This records the filter being applied and is key for saving it. You can delete the snap afterward – you just need to capture it!
I took a quick selfie video using my chosen Disco filter:
Taking a video with the Disco filter
Step 3: Save the photo/video to your camera roll
After snapping your photo/video, tap the downward arrow icon in the bottom left to save it to your camera roll.
This downloads a copy of the snap with the filter applied so it can be added to your list.
Tap the arrow to save your snap
Once saved, you should see the snap appear in your camera roll or memories on Snapchat.
Step 4: The filter will now be available in your list
Head back to the Snapchat camera and tap the face icon to return to your filters.
You should now see the filter you just saved in your list, ready to use again!
For me, the Disco filter appeared among my usual filter options:
Disco filter added to my saved list
And that‘s all it takes to save a filter for ongoing use! Now let‘s talk about managing your saved collection.
Organizing Your Saved Snapchat Filters
Once you start saving Snapchat filters, you‘ll quickly amass an extensive collection of options. Here are my top tips for keeping them organized:
Remove filters you don‘t use anymore
Press and hold on any filter icon, then tap “Remove Lens” to delete it from your list. This keeps things decluttered.
Use favorites for your go-to filters
We‘ll cover favoriting shortly, but it‘s ideal for tagging filters you use often. They‘ll be grouped separately from one-off saves.
Screenshot your collection for reference
Take a screenshot of your full filters list once it‘s curated so you remember what‘s available. Easy access if you need to re-save any.
Save variances of the same filter
Snapchat sometimes releases updated versions of popular lenses. Save each one for a range of styles.
Save any limited edition filters ASAP
Time-specific or exclusive filters may disappear after an event or holiday ends, so don‘t delay saving those!
Ok, let‘s move onto method #2 for saving filters…
Method #2: Favoriting Lenses
In addition to saving lenses by taking photos, you can also favorite them right from the Explore page. Here‘s how it works:
Step 1: Browse filters on the Explore page
Tap the face icon on the camera, then select “Explore” at the bottom to browse community filters.
Finding filters on the Explore page
Step 2: Press and hold on a filter to pull up options
When you find a filter you want to save for later, press and hold your finger down on the filter icon. This will open a pop-up menu.
Step 3: Tap the star icon to favorite it
In the pop-up, tap the yellow star icon to favorite the filter. This adds it to your Favorites collection.
Favoriting a filter from the pop-up menu
Step 4: View your favorites in one place
Now when you go to the Explore page, your favorites will be grouped together at the top.
The Favorites tab collects all your favorites
Favoriting is an awesome way to create a go-to filter list separate from your overall collection. You can also unfavorite lenses the same way when you‘re ready to remove them.
Where to Find Your Saved Snapchat Lenses
Wondering where to access your saved Snapchat filters? Here‘s a quick breakdown:
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Filters saved by taking a photo will be mixed in with your standard options when you tap the face icon on the camera.
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Favorited filters will live under the Favorites tab on the Explore page.
So check both spots if you can‘t locate a certain saved filter! Tapping around will help jog your memory.
Pro Tips for Saving Lenses Like a Snapchat Expert
Throughout my adventures in saving Snapchat lenses, I’ve picked up a few pro tips worth sharing:
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Taking & saving a photo is the only way to add community filters to your main list. Favoriting them just bookmarks to Explore.
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If a saved filter disappears, make sure it wasn’t accidentally removed. Also confirm the snap you took is still saved in your camera roll.
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Press and hold on any filter to unsave or unfavorite it. This removes it from the app if you get sick of a lens.
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Favoriting also works for lenses you access via snapcodes and unlocking. It saves any special lenses in one place.
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If a favorite on Explore loses its yellow star, it means the lens expired or is unavailable. You unfortunately can’t save limited time lenses forever!
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Removing favorites from Explore will also remove them from the Favorites tab. So unfavorite with caution.
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You can only save filters available on a given day. If you want one from the past, try requesting it on Snapchat support.
And that covers all my best tips and strategies for saving filters like a pro!
Snapchat Filter Statistics and Data
Now that we’ve gone over how to save filters manually, let’s geek out about usage data for Snapchat’s huge library of AR effects.
Here are some of the most interesting statistics I’ve come across:
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Over 400 million Snapchatters engage with AR on the app daily, on average.
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Augmented reality contributions from Snapchat’s community of creators have grown over 35% year-over-year.
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The total time spent playing with lenses on Snapchat grew over 40% in 2022 compared 2021.
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During the pandemic, time spent on Snapchat AR increased over 60% as it provided fun experiences from home.
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The average Snapchatter spends over 3 minutes playing with lenses per day.
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Snapchat now houses over 30,000 lenses accessible globally on the app.
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Top categories include 3D body tracking, facelifts, glasses, hats, pop culture, and branded lenses for events or products.
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Average daily spends on lenses is now over 3.5 million minutes!
As you can see, lenses and filters are a massive part of the Snapchat experience. Saving your favorites helps ensure you don‘t miss out on the fun!
Closing Thoughts
And there you have it – everything you need to know to start saving and organizing Snapchat filters like a pro!
Key takeaways:
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Save filters to your list by taking and downloading a snap with the lens applied.
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Favorite filters by pressing and holding then tapping the star icon on the Explore page.
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Check your main filter list and Favorites tab to access saved lenses.
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Remove filters anytime by pressing and holding and tapping “Remove Lens.”
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Have fun curating your collection of go-to Snapchat lenses!
Now get out there, explore the many wacky and wonderful AR filters, and save the ones that speak to you. Just don’t get so distracted snapping selfies that you forget to save them!
Happy Snapping!
