Snapchat's new sky-changing filters make even boring snaps look cool

Snapchat's just added a new tool that will help even the most boring snaps look a lot cooler.

The app introduced a new set of "sky filters," which let you add different effects, like rainbows and sunsets, to photos with skies in them.

Just like Snapchat's other filters, sky filters, which are rolling out to the app now, will change regularly. Once live, you can experiment with the filters by swiping across a photo just as you'd add any other filter.

The sky-changing effects will appear automatically when the app detects a sky in the photo. Here's what they look like in action.

Via Giphy

The sky filters look a bit more realistic than the cartoon-like World Lenses, which add animated overlays onto your snaps. They're also distinct from Snapchat's lenses in that they don't appear in real time.

Instead, the new filters change the look of the sky so a clear sky can be filled with storm clouds or a sunny sky can be filled with stars after you've already taken a photo. For Snapchat, it's a neat trick that shows off its image recognition tech as much as its desire to be seen as a "creative" company.

The filters also have the added benefit of being yet another way to spice up otherwise boring photos with cool effects. The update comes on the heels of Snapchat's new 3D Bitmoji lenses, which put users' animated Bitmojis front and center in the app.