This Hair Dye IG Filter Is So Realistic That You Might Actually Fool Your Followers

If you've been bummed you missed out on the dye-your-hair portion of quarantine, you'll be glad to know there's a major resurgence of the trend — and it's so easy. In fact, you don't have to dye your hair at all, because this new IG filter does all the work for you. As 2020 came to a close, a certain hair color filter started popping up all over Instagram Stories, and it has everyone trying out new hues with just a tap on the phone. If you'd like to brighten up the new year with some colorful locks, here's how to get Instagram's changing hair color filter.

If you've been hooked on interactive Story features since the Disney AR filter went viral at the beginning of 2020, you know they're an easy way to spice up your usual Story with a cool effect. The popular changing hair color filter by Instagram user @nessa_iwata is no different, whether you're looking to surprise your followers with a new look for 2021, or just test out a hair color you've been thinking about trying. It appears @nessa_iwata launched the AR filter in early October 2020, and it's been making the rounds on IG ever since. TBH, this filter might be the easiest way to change your ~lewk~ without heading to the salon and potentially ruining your 'do.

Getting the filter only requires a few simple steps. First, you'll need to open up the IG app go to your Story Camera. Then, scroll to the end of all the filters by swiping left on the screen until you see "Browse Effects." Tap on the Browse Effects button, which will open the Effects Gallery.

Tap on the magnifying glass in the upper right-hand corner of the Effects Gallery to get to the search bar. You'll want to search the filter creator's IG username, @nessa_iwata and select the "colored hair" filter, or search "colored hair," and it should be the first option that shows up.

Tap "Try It" on the bottom to give the filter a shot and see your hair magically change colors. To use the filter, press and hold down the record button in the Instagram Camera to either take a picture or video, which you can then save and send to all your friends. If you like the filter, you can save the filter to use at a later time by tapping the download icon on the bottom right corner.

When you use the filter, you can tap the screen to change colors and you can choose to add AR makeup or not. There are plenty of colors to choose from, including: purple, blue, red, green, and silver.

Once you get the hang of this hair color filter, you can search for more AR filters in the Instagram Explore page and discover all the virtual hues your locks can handle.