Meta is ending support for custom face filters in its apps

Meta is shutting down each third-party look filters and AR effects connected Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, on with the tools utilized to make them, connected January 14th, 2025. That includes immoderate created by brands and different 3rd parties, the institution wrote successful a blog post today. Meta’s ain AR effects volition proceed to operate, however.

The Meta Spark level is utilized to make face filters similar those you’d spot connected Snapchat oregon TikTok that marque you look aged oregon reimagine you arsenic a cartoon character, arsenic good arsenic AR games and ads. Any videos that person utilized Spark-based AR effects volition enactment up connected Facebook, Instagram, and successful messages sent implicit Messenger, the institution says successful its FAQ astir the change.

Meta introduced its AR tools successful 2017, giving it an reply to AR features Snapchat already had. It’s been a fashionable portion of the platform, and the alteration hasn’t gone unnoticed by the platform’s creators, arsenic TechCrunch notes, pointing to complaints connected Facebook’s Meta Spark Community.

Meta writes that it’s inactive committed to AR, done its “long-term investments successful caller computing platforms that volition bring america beyond today’s 2D experiences connected mobile.” Part of that involves “shifting resources” to different experiences, specified arsenic glasses. (It’s expected to demonstrate its Orion AR glasses prototype astatine Meta Connect.)

Anyone who wants to prevention AR effects they’ve made with Meta Spark tin bash truthful utilizing these instructions, copied from Meta’s FAQ:

To download an AR effect file:

To download a demo video: