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Retro photo effect and vintage photo filter by decade
No theme, just time: nine decade looks from 1900 to 2100, with a handful of frames. Slide to any year and see what a photo might have looked like.
Showing a sample photo.
Your photo
Your photo is processed on this device and is never uploaded.
Ready-made looks
Pick a theme, then a look. Every frame from every theme is also in the Frame list above, grouped by theme.
Decade looks that work anywhere
This page keeps things simple: slide along the film strip, pick a frame if you want one, and download. Photography changed in similar ways across much of the world, so the looks here are built from the cameras and film of each decade, not from a theme or a place.
If you were born in a certain year, type it under Year you were born and the strip jumps to the look people of that time would have seen in their own family albums.
Themes and places we would like to add
Family functions and sports days are on the list for themes. Japan, Brazil, the Middle East and Africa are on the list for places. Each deserves its own research rather than a one-size-fits-all look, which is why they are not here yet. Use the form below to tell us what you would like first, and what you remember.
Tips for this theme
- Start with the stripTap a frame on the film strip to jump to that decade, or drag the slider for in-between blends.
- Born in a certain year?Type it under Year you were born and see how a snapshot from that year might have looked.
- Compare quicklyUse the arrow keys on the slider to step one year at a time and compare neighbours.
- Pick a frameTry the filmstrip frame for a contact-sheet feel, or the slide mount for a projector look.
How to make a photo look retro by decade
Add a photo, then slide to a year. Between 1900 and 1925 you get silver and black-and-white looks, 1950 to 1975 gives warm colour slides and faded prints, 1985 to 2004 gives VHS, flash and early digital, and 2012 gives a filter-app look.
Tell us which theme or place comes next
Questions
How do I apply a retro filter to a photo online?
Add a photo and slide the time line to a decade. Each position blends two eras, so you can fine-tune the retro photo effect. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
How do I change a photo into a retro style?
Pick an era such as 1955 for a warm slide look or 1985 for a VHS feel, add a frame if you like and download the result.
How do I make a photo look vintage on my iPhone?
Open this page in your phone's browser, add a photo from your library, choose a vintage photo effect and save the JPG or share it from the page.
How to edit a photo to look vintage or make a photo vintage?
Add the photo, slide to an older year and download the result. Between 1900 and 1925 you get silver and black-and-white looks, which is the quickest way to make a photo vintage.
How to make photo look retro on a phone?
Open this page in your phone's browser, choose a photo and tap an era. Make a retro photo in a few seconds, then save the JPG or share it.
What is the difference between this page and the themed pages?
The themed pages offer ready-made looks with their own frames, such as a newspaper or a cassette. This page is the open workshop: any decade, a neutral set of frames.
Which themes or places are coming next?
Family functions and sports days for themes, and Japan, Brazil, the Middle East and Africa for places. Tell us which you would like first with the form below.
How do I send a suggestion?
Choose one in the form below or type your own. It opens an email to us with your suggestion.
Is the 2100 look a prediction?
No, it is just for fun: a hologram-style scan with a grid and glitch effect.
Does the look change between years?
Yes. The slider blends the two nearest eras, so 1947 and 1950 give different results.
Can I use this for my own country's nostalgia?
You can use the decade looks, which are based on cameras and film used in many countries. A dedicated look would add frames that suit one place or occasion.
Does my photo leave my device?
No. Everything on this page runs in your browser, and your photo is never uploaded.
Can I change the year printed on the frame?
Yes. Use the Year you were born box, or drag the slider. Dates and captions follow the year you choose, unless you have typed your own text.
Which file formats can I use?
JPG, PNG and WebP work everywhere. HEIC opens in browsers that support it, such as Safari.
More themes: Portraits School Days Weddings and Celebrations Festival Cards TV and Home Video Music and Magazines Cinema and Posters Film and Darkroom Travel and Paper Parties and Snapshots Y2K and Digicam Games and Collectibles