How-to3 min readUpdated

How Photoshop filter plugins work.

What a filter plugin is, the two kinds Photoshop runs, how to install each, and how to keep your original safe while you experiment.

Ink drawing effect on a portrait of a person with goggles looking up, made with the Edge Ink filter in Filter Archive (Blueprint preset)Ink Drawing EffectVHS effect on a portrait of a woman with red hair in a studded beanie, made with the VHS Tape filter in Filter Archive (Tracking Lost preset)VHS EffectEmboss effect on a portrait of a man with spiky red hair on a blue background, made with the Emboss filter in Filter Archive (Clean Relief preset)Emboss Effect

What a filter plugin is

A filter plugin adds effects to Photoshop that it doesn't have on its own. Photoshop runs two kinds, and they install and appear in different places:

Panel pluginsClassic filter plug-ins
File.ccx.8bf
Installed byDouble-clicking the file; Creative Cloud installs itCopying the file into Photoshop's Plug-ins folder
Where it appearsThe Plugins menuThe Filter menu
How it looksA panel next to your documentA dialog or a one-shot filter

Filter Archive for Photoshop is a panel plugin. Its Affinity version is a classic Photoshop-format filter plug-in, because that's the kind Affinity can load.

Install a .ccx plugin

  1. Download the .ccx file.
  2. Double-click it. The Creative Cloud app opens and installs the plugin.
  3. Open Photoshop and look in the Plugins menu.

Install a classic .8bf plug-in

  1. Quit Photoshop.
  2. Copy the .8bf file into the Plug-ins folder inside your Photoshop application folder.
  3. Start Photoshop. The filter appears in the Filter menu.

Only install plugins from developers you trust. A filter plug-in runs inside Photoshop with the same access to your files.

Keep your original safe

Filters change pixels, so work on a copy. For Filter menu filters, convert the layer to a Smart Object first and they apply as editable Smart Filters (Adobe: Smart Filters). Panel plugins handle this their own way: Filter Archive puts every result on a new layer above your original.

Emboss effect on a portrait of a woman in headphones holding a CD, made with the Emboss filter in Filter Archive (Rubbing preset)
Emboss, Rubbing preset, applied as a new layer. See emboss effect examples

If a plugin doesn't show up

  1. Check the version it needs. Filter Archive needs Photoshop 2024 or newer.
  2. Make sure Creative Cloud finished the install, then restart Photoshop.
  3. For a classic plug-in, check it's in the Plug-ins folder of the Photoshop version you're actually running.
  4. If a Filter menu item is greyed out, the document may be in a bit depth or colour mode that filter doesn't support. Adobe lists which filters work on 16-bit files in its filter effects reference.

Getting started with Filter Archive

After you buy, an email arrives with a download button for Photoshop and one for Affinity. Double-click the Photoshop file, open Plugins > Filter Archive, and sign in with your email and the 6-digit code we send. The Figma version installs from the Figma Community. Then pick any of the 35 effects.

Halftone effect on a portrait of a woman in white sunglasses with a lollipop, made with the Dual Halftone filter in Filter Archive (Newsprint preset)
Halftone EffectDual Halftone · Photo filter
CRT effect on a portrait of a man with spiky red hair on a blue background, made with the CRT filter in Filter Archive (Blown Phosphor preset)
CRT EffectCRT · Photo filter
Thermal camera effect on a portrait of a woman with copper red hair, made with the Thermal filter in Filter Archive (True Heatmap preset)
Thermal Camera EffectThermal · Photo filter
Dither effect on a portrait of a woman with black hair, hands on her head, made with the Bitmap filter in Filter Archive (Tritone preset)
Dither EffectBitmap · Photo filter

Questions, answered.

Where do Photoshop plugins go?

Panel plugins (.ccx) are installed by Creative Cloud and appear in the Plugins menu. Classic filter plug-ins (.8bf) go in the Plug-ins folder inside the Photoshop application folder and appear in the Filter menu.

Can I use Photoshop plugins in Affinity?

Affinity can load many classic Photoshop-format filter plug-ins, but not Photoshop panel plugins. Filter Archive has its own Affinity version, included in the same licence.

Do filter plugins work offline?

It depends on the plugin. Filter Archive renders on your own computer and only needs to check in online once every 7 days.

How many computers can I install Filter Archive on?

A licence covers three computers for Photoshop and Affinity, and another three for Figma.

Keep reading.

All 35 effects
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Filter Archive

35 filters, one plugin.

Halftone, dither, CRT, VHS, thermal, ASCII and 29 more, with a live preview and 166 presets. Photoshop 2024 or newer on Mac and Windows, plus Affinity and Figma on the same licence.

Get Filter Archive Browse all 35 effects The best Photoshop filters