iOS 12 Comic Book and Watercolor Camera Filters

Apple introduced stylized artistic filters, including Comic Book and Watercolor, with the release of iOS 12. However, these effects are not located inside the default Camera app; instead, they are built exclusively into the camera tools within the Messages and FaceTime apps. This guide explains how to access, apply, and save photos using these hidden artistic filters on an iPhone or iPad running iOS 12.

How to Apply Comic Book and Watercolor Filters

To use these filters on a new photo, you must launch the camera interface through the Messages app:

  1. Open Messages: Launch the Messages app and tap on an existing conversation or start a new draft.
  2. Launch the Camera: Tap the gray camera icon located to the left of the text entry field.
  3. Access Effects: Tap the star-shaped Effects icon located in the bottom-left corner of the camera viewfinder.
  4. Select Filters: Tap the Filters button, represented by three overlapping circles (Venn diagram icon).
  5. Choose an Effect: Swipe horizontally through the available options to locate Comic Book, Comic Mono (black and white comic), Watercolor, or Ink.
  6. Capture the Photo: Tap the close ("X") button above the filters drawer to return to the full viewfinder, then tap the shutter button to take the photo.
  7. Save or Send: Tap the blue arrow to send the photo in the chat, or tap Done to preview it. Once sent or placed into the message bubble, you can tap and hold the image to select Save to store it directly in your Photos library.

Limitations and Device Requirements

  • Native Camera App Exclusion: The default iOS 12 Camera app only includes standard color grading filters (such as Vivid, Dramatic, and Silvertone). The artistic Comic Book and Watercolor effects cannot be accessed directly from the standard Camera app or applied retroactively in the default Photos editing suite.
  • Hardware Support: These real-time camera effects require an iPhone or iPad powered by an Apple A9 processor or later (iPhone 6s and newer, iPad 5th generation and newer, or iPad Pro models). Older devices updated to iOS 12 do not support the real-time Effects engine.