TUTORIAL ARTICLEBeginner3 min

Tip: Add eye-catching creative effects in Photoshop mobile

Transform your images with filter effects and create custom results with layers, selections, and layer masks.

Note: Stock assets provided are for practice purposes only.See terms .

What you’ll learn

Browse & apply filter effects

Open a photo and choose Effects to explore the thumbnails for the different effects. Tap an effect to apply it and then use the available settings to fine-tune the look of an effect.

Duplicate the layer before applying effects

To apply filter effects so that your original image is not altered, tap the layer thumbnail and choose Duplicate layer. Now you can apply a filter effect to the copy layer and preserve the original image.

Use selections to apply effects to specific areas

To apply an effect to a specific part of a photo, you can use the Select area tools to quickly select different subject elements or the background area. Then choose an effect and use the settings to change how the effect transforms the image.

Fine-tune the effect with a layer mask and a blend mode

Applying an effect to a copy layer provides the ability to use additional features such as layer masks and layer blending modes to modify the result, allowing you to combine an effect with the original image to create your own customized result.


Instruction by

Lisa Carney

Adobe Stock Contributors

Dirima

S. Fanti/Peopleimages.com

January 28, 2026

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