Recently I discovered a super fun AI photo tool called Filterly
To be honest, I'm usually a pretty lazy person. I'm really not good at taking photos or editing them. In the past, if I wanted to change my hairstyle or see what I'd look like when I'm old, I either had to go to the barber to see Tony or use those ridiculously complicated photo editing softwares. Then just a few days ago, I came across Filterly, gave it a try, and it totally blew my mind — it's way too convenient!
In simple terms, Filterly is an AI-powered photo filter application. All you need to do is upload a selfie, pick one of dozens of filters, click it, and immediately see effects like changing your hairstyle, altering your age, or even turning yourself into a cartoon character. The whole process is just three steps: upload a photo, choose a filter, wait a few seconds for the result. It's such a foolproof operation that even my mom could use it.
My favorite features
- New hairstyle: This one is absolutely amazing! I tried a mushroom head, long curly hair, and blue highlights — it felt like I had a different head. Hairstyles I'd never dare to try at the salon, now I can play with them freely.
- Age transformation: I turned myself into a 60-year-old grandma, complete with wrinkles and white hair — hilarious. Then I turned a friend into a baby face, super cute.
- Professional profile photo: This is super practical! The photos I used for job interviews before were all taken with my phone, with messy backgrounds. Using Filterly, I generated a decent-looking professional portrait with clean background and good lighting — instantly more professional.
- Cartoon filter: Turn yourself into a Disney-style character. After posting on social media, lots of people asked where I made it.
- Pet portrait: I took a picture of my cat, and the generated cat image was so exquisite it could be a wallpaper.
How does AI actually do it?
To be honest, I don't fully understand the principle. Basically, AI analyzes your facial features, then intelligently replaces hairstyles, adjusts skin tone, changes clothing, etc. It can even recommend the most suitable hairstyle based on your face shape — that's pretty impressive. The facial analysis feature can help you identify your facial strengths, like eye size or face shape, making it feel like you've hired a free facial consultant.
However, it's not 100% perfect. Once I tried the "New Outfit" feature, and it paired me with a fluorescent green hoodie that almost blinded me. But most of the time, the results are quite natural, especially the artistic style filters, which are really creative.
User experience: Seriously simple to the point of tears
The first time I used it, I was worried about registration or payment, but it directly allowed me to upload a photo. I selected a "Celebrity Style" filter, and the system automatically changed my hairstyle, added sunglasses and earrings — it actually looked a bit like a celebrity. The whole process took less than ten seconds, much better than spending half an hour struggling with photo editing software.
The only downside is: it's so addictive. In one hour, I switched through over twenty different styles, and my phone now has a bunch of weird selfies — hilarious.
Who is it suitable for?
- If you're a heavy selfie enthusiast, this tool is practically tailor-made for you. Dozens of AI filters will keep you entertained for a long time. Plus, each generation gives different results, providing lots of inspiration.
- If you need a formal photo (for job hunting, resume, social media profile), Filterly's professional portrait feature is much more cost-effective than going to a photo studio. The profile photo I made received praise from an HR: "Looks very energetic."
- If you want to create fun images for family or pets, the cartoon filter and pet portrait are really surprising. After seeing the cartoon image I made of my dog, my mom immediately asked me to make one for her too.
- If you're purely looking for some entertainment, no need to say more — changing hairstyles, aging, becoming younger, turning into a celebrity — all are great silly materials to share with friends.
How to use? Learn in three seconds
Open the Filterly website (it's just a webpage, no need to download software), click "Start Now." It will prompt you to authorize the camera or upload a photo. I recommend directly uploading a selfie from your album because photos with the best lighting give the best results. Then choose from categories like "New Hairstyle," "Age Transformation," "Professional Portrait," etc. The system generates the result in a few seconds. You can save it to your phone or share it directly on social media platforms.
Note: For best AI recognition, make sure the face in the uploaded photo is facing forward and well-lit. I tried a side-face photo once, and the hairstyle change came out a bit crooked.
How does it compare to similar tools?
There are quite a few similar AI photo tools on the market, like FaceApp, Zao, etc. But Filterly feels more lightweight and focused specifically on "transforming looks." FaceApp has many features, but some effects require payment. Filterly is currently free to use (though it's unclear if it will stay free in the future), and the operation flow is extremely simple — no extra features, just letting you choose filters, transform, and save in one go.
Another highlight is that it also includes fun things like "Pet Portrait" and "Cartoon Filter," which seem less common in other tools. If you like to post unique content on social media, this will definitely help you gain more likes.
A few complaints
As a regular user, I have to mention some drawbacks. First, some filters take a bit long to generate, especially for high-resolution images — about three to four seconds, but I think it's acceptable. Second, although the number of filters is large, some effects still have an "AI feel," like slightly blurry edges on hair. Third, it seems there is no batch processing feature; you can only process one photo at a time. If you want to apply the same filter to a set of photos, you have to do them one by one, which is a bit tedious.
But on the bright side, this is a free tool, so what more can you ask for?
Summary with my recommendation rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Four out of five stars; half a star is missing because loading speed still has room for improvement)
If you're someone who wants to quickly see how you look with a new hairstyle, aged, younger, or make some funny photos, go play with Filterly without hesitation — you won't regret it. I've been addicted for the past couple of days, and I even changed my avatar to the "Celebrity Style" version generated by AI. Friends say I look like a different person, haha.
Alright, I'm going to continue trying the "New Outfit" feature's "Retro Disco..."