How to Use PhotoEffects

Updated October 2026

1. Style a photo

1. Choose a photo. On the home screen tap Choose Photo. PhotoEffects lifts the subject (a person, pet or object) from the background automatically. If there's more than one subject, pick the one to keep.
2. Touch up the edges. Tap the eraser button on the photo and paint over leftovers to remove them; the slider sets the brush size. Switch to Move to pan and zoom for fine work. Undo, redo and Reset bring back anything you erased by mistake. Tap Apply when it looks clean.
3. Pick an effect. In the Effects tab tap any effect. Each one has its own sliders (echo count, spacing, brightness, colour shift…) and every change renders live. Tap Library to browse all packs, including seasonal ones.
4. Choose a size. In the Canvas tab pick Story (9:16), Square, Portrait (4:5), Wide (16:9), A4/A5 for print, or a custom size. Drag and pinch the subject to place it; Reset sticker position puts it back.
5. Save or share. Save writes the image to Photos. You can save the whole image, the background only, or the subject as a transparent PNG sticker.

Prefer to style the whole picture instead of the cutout? In Canvas switch from Sticker to Whole Photo.

2. Decor and backdrops

• Decor adds seasonal layers: falling leaves, rain, storms, fog rays, birds, snow and frames. Put them behind the subject, over it, or both, and shuffle the layout until it looks right.
• Backdrop sets what's behind the subject: a solid colour, one of your own photos, or an animated scene (ocean, synthwave, digital rain, city lights…).

3. Invent an effect with AI Pro

Tap Create with AI and describe a look in plain words, for example "holographic rainbow foil with sparkles". PhotoEffects writes a new live effect, complete with sliders, and saves it to My Shaders so you can use it again on photos and videos. Only your text description is sent; your photo stays on your iPhone. You can create up to 10 effects a day.

4. Videos

• Style a video: on the home screen tap Video, choose a clip, pick an effect and decor, then export. The original sound is kept, or change it with a voice effect.
• Photo to video: in the photo editor tap Video to turn your styled photo into a 1–60 second clip with a moving backdrop.

5. Live camera

• On the home screen tap the camera button. Effects and decor apply live while you shoot photos or record video (switch between Photo and Video under the shutter).
• Background FX (on by default) keeps you natural and restyles everything behind you. Turn it off to style the whole frame.
• Sound tab: React makes the effect pulse with your voice or music; voice effects (chipmunk, deep, robot, radio, echo…) change how you sound in recordings and streams. Clean reduces rumble and room noise.

6. Go Live Pro

1. Open the camera and tap Go Live.
2. Choose YouTube, Twitch, Facebook or Other (RTMP) for OBS, Restream or your own server.
3. Paste the stream key from that service and pick a quality.
4. Tap Go Live. Your effects, decor and voice effect stream too.

The stream goes straight from your iPhone to the service you chose. Change the saved destination any time in Settings → Live Streaming.

7. Settings worth knowing

• Notifications: optional news when new packs arrive, and a gentle reminder. Off unless you turn them on.
• Your Data: copy your anonymous Privacy ID, or delete everything our server holds for it.
• Replay Intro and How to Use are under About.