What does ‘Rio de Janeiro’ mean on TikTok?

Kawter Abed
Phone with TikTok logo in front of clouds

While scrolling through your For You Page on TikTok, you may have come across the phrase ‘Rio De Janeiro’ – but what exactly does it mean?

TikTok is still one of the most popular social media platforms out there, as millions of users flock to the app every day to share their own videos and interact with the content on their For You Page.

Like every other social media app, TikTok is home to a host of different trends, slang terms, inside jokes, and more. However, if you’re out of the loop, some of these can be confusing.

If you’ve scrolled through your For You Page recently, you might have encountered photo carousels either with the phrase ‘Rio de Janeiro’ or tagged with the city in Brazil. But what does it mean?

Rio de Janeiro meaning on TikTok

On TikTok, Rio de Janeiro refers to a popular Instagram filter that’s named after the vibrant Brazilian city. It’s part of the platform’s collection of preset effects that enhance photos with distinctive visual styles.

The Rio de Janeiro filter stands out for its striking pink and orange ombre effect, which adds a layer of warmth and vivacity to the content it is applied to.

Some TikTokers apply the effect to their videos before uploading, while others have praised it as one of the best available on the app. It has also evolved into a trend where users apply it multiple times to a photo slideshow to symbolize that “it’ll always be the same.”

How to get the Rio de Janeiro filter

If you want to use the Rio de Janeiro filter, just follow these steps:

  1. Open Instagram.
  2. Post a photo to your Instagram Story.
  3. Swipe left on the screen to browse through the filters.
  4. Continue scrolling until you find ‘Rio De Janeiro.’

Many Instagram ‘city’ filters have gained popularity on TikTok over the years, including Melbourne, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, New York, and more.

About The Author

Kawter Abed is a London-based Entertainment Writer at Dexerto. She covers celebrity and reality TV news, and the latest viral TikTok trends. Kawter has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Media, and a Master’s in International Journalism. When she's not covering celebrities and TikTok stories, she enjoys reading, binging shows on Netflix, and playing nostalgic Nintendo games. You can contact her at kawter.abed@dexerto.com