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To use a filter in GIMP, select the layer (and, if needed, a region), open Filters, choose a filter, adjust its controls while checking the canvas preview, then click OK. In GIMP 3, most commonly used filters remain editable as layer effects unless you choose Merge Filter.
Choose the layer and area the filter should affect
- Open your image and select the layer you want to change.
- To limit the effect to part of that layer, make a selection before choosing the filter. When a selection is active, the filter dialog may let you choose whether the selection itself is the filter input or whether the whole layer is the input while the output is limited to the selected area. Which choices appear depends on the filter and layer conditions. GIMP 3.2 manual: Common Features
Find and apply a filter
- Open Filters in the menu bar.
- Browse a category and select a filter. GIMP’s manual lists categories including Blur, Enhance, Distort, Light and Shadow, Noise, Edge-Detect, Artistic, Decor, Map, Rendering, Web, and Animation. GIMP 3.2 manual: Filters
- Change the available settings and inspect the canvas preview. Preview is enabled by default for the common GEGL filter dialog, so you can see changes before accepting them.
- Click OK to accept the effect.
Pick a category based on the result you want
- For a softening effect, start with a blur filter such as Gaussian Blur in Blur.
- For image correction, explore Enhance.
- For stylized transformations, explore Artistic or Distort.
These are starting points based on GIMP’s category names; the best filter and settings depend on the image and the result you want.
Keep the filter editable or merge it into the layer
In GIMP 3, most commonly used GEGL filters are applied non-destructively as layer effects by default. This lets you revisit their settings later instead of immediately baking the result into the layer. The GIMP Team introduced this workflow in GIMP 3.0, announced March 16, 2025, alongside real-time on-canvas preview. GIMP 3.0 release announcement
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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →In the filter dialog, enable Merge Filter when you want the effect applied directly to the layer rather than retained as an editable effect. Choose based on whether you expect to revise the filter later.
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Check bounds and other dialog options
Some filters can make the result larger than the original layer. When the clipping control is available, Adjust resizes the layer as needed and is the default; Clip keeps the result within the layer boundary. Depending on the filter, the dialog may also offer blend mode, opacity, presets, or split-view comparison. These controls are not present in every filter dialog. GIMP 3.2 manual: Common Features
Why the Filters menu may look different
GIMP defines a filter as a plug-in that modifies an image, usually the active layer. The Filters menu can also contain plug-in entries that do not themselves modify images, and third-party plug-ins can add entries or place them elsewhere. Menu contents therefore vary by installation; consult the documentation for a plug-in’s own controls when its dialog differs from the common GEGL workflow. GIMP 3.2 manual: Filters
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Get help for the filter you are using
GIMP’s manual is available online and in the application. Press F1 for context-sensitive help; depending on how GIMP was packaged, the help pages may need to be installed separately. GIMP documentation
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