Messing around in Snapchat is a common occurrence in many people's day-to-day lives. Whether you're adding silly photos and videos to your Story or playing with your favorite Snapchat Lenses (hello, flower crown), there is always something to do when you tap into the app. Sometimes, though, you might find yourself looking for a way to make your Snaps a little more tailored to your own life. Well, now you can make your Snapchat experience so much more personal once you learn how to create your own Snapchat Lens.
Snapchat announced their latest update on Thursday, Feb. 8, and it gives you so much more creative control. According to Snapchat, the company is introducing the ability to create customizable selfie Snapchat Lenses, and the best part (beyond the killer Lenses you're bound to create) is that it is so simple to use. There are two ways you can roll out your Lens creations to all your besties (in the app or on your desktop), and either method will give you the unique results you're looking for.
One way to work on your Lens masterpiece is right there in the Snapchat app on your phone. To get started, simply go to Settings and then select Filters and Lenses. Depending on how much time you have (the whole process should only take about five minutes), you can choose from Snapchat's pre-made face Lens templates and really make it your own with a heartfelt (or hilarious) message, or you can keep it simple with a custom Filter image — either one is sure to impress your crew.
Once you've perfected your Lens rivaling the likes of the adorable Snapchat Puppy, you'll enter the time and location for when and where you want your Lens available (say, your upcoming Galentine's Day bash). The customizable Lens is perfect for any size gathering because you can cover anywhere from 20,000 to 5 million square feet, which means you're covered from small events all the way to big bashes up to the size of a few city blocks.
One of the most important things to keep in mind is that you need to create your Lens at least three hours before your event to ensure it will be available when you need it. The last step to snapping all the fire selfies with your new customized Lens is purchasing your creation. Yes, the new feature does cost money, and the price varies depending on your location size, duration of your Lens, and other dynamic factors. All customizable Lenses start at $9.99.
If the price tag is making you think twice about trying it, you shouldn't give up on this update just yet. You can totally split the cost of a Lens amongst your pals, and the memories you create with your one-of-a-kind Lens are priceless, right? OK, cheesy lines aside, the simplicity of this feature can not be overstated. If your phone is on the fritz or your battery is running low when you need get your design in three hours before your event, you can always design your custom Snapchat Lens on your desktop. You'll follow the same steps as you would in the app when it comes to creating your Lens.
With so many possibilities, the new customizable Lenses are bound to become your new favorite Snapchat feature. In fact, they likely already are one of your go-to Snapchat features. According to data from Snap, Inc., nearly 70 million people a day use Lenses, so think about how much more exciting it will be to scroll over and use your very own personally-created Lens. The Create Your Own Lens feature rolls out Thursday, Feb. 8 on the web and to iOS users in the U.S. (with global and Android availability coming soon).
If basically turning you into a Snapchat Lens designer wasn't enough, Snapchat is also introducing new caption styles to give your Snaps that added "wow" factor. So, once you've been bitten by the creative bug by creating your own Lenses, you can continue upping your Snapchat game with the likes of Glow, Gradient, and Rainbow fonts. There are many more fonts to choose from, but you're sure to try them all because you'll probably be on Snapchat quite a bit as you test out all the fun new updates.
One of the best parts about creating your own Snapchat Lens is that you'll definitely leave your next bash with all the photos and videos you could ever want, so get down to some Lens-creating business and and enjoy having the best (and most unique) Snapchat Stories yet.
Check out the entire Gen Why series and other videos on Facebook and the Bustle app across Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.
