How to use TikTok's viral Blue and Red filter

March 2023 · 3 minute read

One of TikTok’s biggest emerging trends revolves around the blue and red filter that gives people a creative way of acting out a two-person scene.

The biggest use of the filter has been based on the hit Broadway-musical-turned-movie, In The Heights. The filter gives people the chance to swap between a blue light that gives people facial fuzz, and a red one with feminine features with just a blink of the eye.

This way, any creator can use it to make a one-person show with plenty of users taking the formula and running with it for unique scenes.

Here’s everything you need to start tinkering with the blue and red TikTok filter, and some examples of how to put it to use.

TikTok blue and red filter

Accessing the filter is routine to most others. Simply open up the TikTok app and hit ‘+ create’ to make your own clip. Then head to the filters on the left and scroll through what’s trending till you find the blue and red filter.

Once you start creating, be aware that you change the filter with a blink of your eyes, so you’re gonna have to work on your coordination to get the most out of it.

@cole_abbieIt’s harder than it looks 😂 ##theheightschallenge♬ BLACKOUT. Thekatiebradshaw – KATIE ♡︎ @chantegeyserThis is after 22 attempts 😂😂 ##theheightschallenge ##chantegeyser ##foryou ##viral♬ BLACKOUT. Thekatiebradshaw – KATIE ♡︎ @joonieet00n😂😂😂 it’s hard to do ##theheightschallenge♬ BLACKOUT. Thekatiebradshaw – KATIE ♡︎

As soon as you start to get the feel for it though, you can start to see why more people have been trying their hand at the #TheHeightsChallenge.

More uses for TikTok blue and red filter

While most clips show people reenacting a scene from In The Heights, there’s plenty you can do with the same filter.

TikTok is for getting creative, and there’s plenty of users who are making their own stories with the magic that the red/blue filter provides.

@ovieees😂 it was hard holding the blinks ##fyp ##doncheto ##transformation ##pati ##blueredfilter♬ Estoy Enamorada (feat. Yolanda Pérez) – Don Cheto @nathan_adrianI kinda proud of this ##FerragamoLetsDance ##fypシ ##beetlejuice ##blueredfilter♬ Say My Name – Alex Brightman & Sophia Anne Caruso & Kerry Butler & Rob McClure @ashlelnokI mean tbh, I don’t hate the blue filter. IC: @christines_snaps ##fergiechallenge ##blueredfilter ##ohsnap ##fergie♬ original sound – Amanda Lynn Adams✨

This is one of the more challenging TikTok filters to get right with how you’re supposed to change scenes, but once you get the hang of it, you can start making incredibly fun clips for your profile.

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