Facebook Now Lets Anyone Create 3D Instagram Effects Using Its Spark AR Platform

At its F8 developers' conference in April this year, Facebook announced its Spark AR augmented reality platform. The platform was initially open to a select group of creators. The world's largest social network has now announced that its Spark AR platform is now available to all creators. The platform allows creators to build their own AR-based filters for Instagram. Facebook had also launched a new version of the platform during F8, with support for Windows and Mac.

In a blog post, product managed Matt Roberts, announced that Facebook's Spark AR platform is now moving out of its Instagram publishing closed beta. This will enable anyone to create and publish their own AR-based effects on Instagram.

Facebook's Spark AR platform was initially titled Camera Effects Platform during the company's F8 conference back in 2017. Last year, Facebook rebranded it to Spark AR while announcing a closed beta for Instagram and the launch of Spark AR Studio software for macOS.

While Instagram added support for AR filters back in 2018, people only started using them as creators started building more filters. These filters offer effects that users can add to their photos using the Instagram camera. To use these filters, users need to first follow a creator and then open the Instagram camera.

Instagram is now adding a Browse Effects option at the end of the effects tray that appears in the camera section of the app. Users will be able to try new AR effects from right there. Facebook says over 1 billion people have used AR effects built by creators using its Spark AR platform. These were used on Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and Portal.

Facebook has added an Effect Gallery to its Spark AR platform. These will showcase the various AR effects created by artists, making it easier for everyone to discover new AR effects. These effects will be similar to the ones offered via the Browse Effects option within Instagram.

To create your own AR effects on Instagram right now, you can download the Spark AR Studio software on your Windows or macOS machine. Facebook's Spark AR community is filled with tutorials and sample effects for inspiration. You'll need to switch to a Creator Account first though, and you can see how to do so here.