effectcraft/docs/user/guides/add-an-effect.md

---
title: Add an effect
description: Apply an effect such as Gaussian Blur to a layer and change its settings in Effect Controls.
order: 30
verified: 0.8.0
---

Select a layer, then choose the effect from the **Effect** menu, or double-click it in the **Effects & Presets** panel. Change its settings in **Effect Controls** (F3).

Shortcuts on this page use Ctrl. On macOS, use Cmd instead of Ctrl.

## Steps

1. Select a layer in the Timeline.
2. Apply an effect in one of two ways:
   - Choose it from the **Effect** menu. Effects are grouped by category, for example **Effect ▸ Blur & Sharpen ▸ Gaussian Blur**.
   - Open **Window ▸ Effects & Presets** (Ctrl+5). Type in the search field, then double-click the effect. Dragging it onto a layer works too.
3. Open **Window ▸ Effect Controls** (F3), or choose **Effect ▸ Effect Controls**. The effect's settings are listed there. **Gaussian Blur** has **Blurriness**, **Blur Dimensions** and **Repeat Edge Pixels**.
4. Change a value. Click the stopwatch beside it to animate it, as in [Animate with keyframes](animate-with-keyframes.md).

If no layer is selected when you double-click an effect, EffectCraft shows **Select a layer to apply to**. Select a layer and try again.

## Remove or reuse effects

- **Effect ▸ Last Effect** applies the effect you used last.
- **Effect ▸ Remove All** takes every effect off the selected layers.
- In **Effects & Presets**, click the star on an effect to add it to Favorites. Recently used effects are listed too.

## Layer styles

For drop shadows, glows and bevels, use **Layer ▸ Layer Styles**. It lists **Drop Shadow**, **Inner Shadow**, **Outer Glow**, **Inner Glow**, **Bevel and Emboss** and **Satin**, among others.

## Next

[Render a video](render-a-video.md).