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TikTok wouldn't be Short film ArchivesTikTok without its iconic green screen effect.

The feature, which allows users to record themselves superimposed over an image of their choosing, is ripe for dance trends, citing sources, and even tricking parents. Users don't even need an actual green screen to use it, which certainly makes things easier.

TikTok has so many green screen effect options, the green screen gets its own section in its editing suite.

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Here's how to use them.

Access the basic green screen effect menu

To post any TikTok video, tap the + symbol at the bottom of your screen.

The green screen feature is popular on TikTok. Credit: screenshot / tiktok

That brings you to TikTok's extensive recording and editing suite, where you can either record videos in-app or upload your own. To access the green screen feature, tap the square labeled "Effects" in the lower left hand corner.

You'll find available effects, including the green screen effects, by tapping the icon on the lower left. Credit: screenshot / tiktok

Pick an effect

There, you can scroll through TikTok's countless video effects. Scroll to the right, where you'll see a tab labeled Green Screen. Once that tab is open you can choose one of TikTok's green screen effects.

The effects menu offers extensive options. Credit: screenshot / tiktok

To use the most basic effect, tap the first icon on the upper left side of the menu. The app will prompt you to choose an image from your phone's photo library.

Scroll to the right to find all of the TikTok's green screen effects in one section. Credit: screenshot / tiktok

Choose an image from your library

TikTok will automatically superimpose you onto the image you choose. While the app is good at identifying users within an image, the green screen effect does work better when the user is recording against a solid-colored background.

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Users can also resize themselves and place themselves anywhere on the green screen background — such as in the office, instead of the bed you may or may not have been working out of for the past year and a half.

You can use any image from your library for a TikTok green screen. Credit: screenshot / tiktok You can also resize and reposition yourself on the image you chose. Credit: screenshot / tiktok

Personalize videos with other green screen effects

TikTok's other green screen features follow the same basic steps: tap the icon you want, choose the image you're using for a green screen, and then adjust your size and placement. For the green screen video function, for example, follow the same steps and choose a video from your library to record over. To use the green screen sticker function, select an image from your library and place it where you want, and then record your video as usual.

Making use of some green screen features requires a little more user input, like TikTok's green screen eyes and mouth feature for instance. This mildly terrifying feature allows the user to edit their own eyes, nose, and mouth over static images. People use it to animate objects, give their pets some personality, or even impersonate other people.

To use this feature, select the image you want to use for your green screen. TikTok will identify your eyes, nose, and mouth, which you can resize and place over the image as you want. Here's a delightfully nightmarish example using my cat.

This popular, but nightmarish, green screen filter allows users to animate any image. Credit: screenshot / tiktok This is terrifying. Credit: screenshot / tiktok

Duet other creators with the green screen effect

Earlier this year, TikTok released another feature combining two of its most popular video effects: green screen and duets. TikTok users can collaborate with other creators by recording themselves superimposed on another user's video. Like TikTok's other duet and stitch functions, this allows creators to react to one another, add on to videos, and immerse themselves in TikTok trends.

To use this function, tap the arrow icon at the bottom left corner the screen on the video you want to duet. Then, tap the "Duet" icon, which appears to the left of the one labeled "Stitch." Note that not every creator allows duets on their videos, though, which is why the "Duet" and "Stitch" icons may be grayed out.

When you first start the duet, it'll default to the standard side-by-side duet function. Tap "Layouts" on the right side of your screen, where you can select the kind of duet you want to use.

The new green screen duet feature is great for criticism and collaboration. Credit: screenshot / tiktok

When you tap "Green Screen," you can begin recording over the video you want to duet. Like the other green screen functions, you can resize the image of yourself and move it around. Resizing is especially helpful to avoid blocking the original video's focus, like in this example of TikTok creator hannah.plants showing off her monstera's roots.

Green screen duets are helpful for collaborating with other TikTok creators. Credit: screenshot / tiktok

When you're done recording, tap the checkmark, which will bring you to TikTok's editing suite. You can record a voice over, control the volume of your video and the original video, and add filters, stickers, and text.

Once you finish editing your video, tap "Next" in the lower right corner of your screen. Add your caption, select your cover frame, and control privacy settings.

Hit "Post" when you're done! That's all it takes to make a green screen video on TikTok.