My favorite app
Great app, easy to use. Helps our small business save time and money to create different marketing materials professionally. Thank you.
AI CRT Screen Overlay Generator
How to Add a CRT Effect to Your Photo
- 1
Upload your image
Start by uploading the photo you want to transform. Choose any image from your device to begin.
- 2
Describe the CRT effect
In the prompt box, describe the retro look you want. For example, 'add a 90s TV screen effect with scanlines and a slight flicker'.
- 3
Generate your overlay
Click the generate button and our AI will apply a unique CRT screen effect based on your description in just a few moments.
- 4
Download your photo
Your retro-style photo is ready. Download the high-resolution PNG image, completely watermark-free.
Instantly Create a Retro Vibe
Transform any modern photo into a nostalgic masterpiece with our AI-powered CRT screen overlay. Forget complex editing software; just upload your image to get started. Our tool simulates the classic characteristics of old television screens, including authentic scanlines, a subtle phosphor glow, and gentle screen curvature. Whether you're aiming for an 80s arcade feel or a 90s home video aesthetic, you can achieve the perfect retro look in just a few seconds, giving your images a unique and memorable style that stands out.
Instantly Create a Retro Vibe
Customize Your Nostalgic Look
Go beyond basic filters by telling our AI exactly what you want. You have the creative freedom to guide the CRT effect with simple text prompts. Ask for more pronounced scanlines, a stronger screen glow, or specific color distortions like chromatic aberration to mimic a classic analog signal. This level of control allows you to fine-tune the retro effect to match your artistic vision. Create everything from a crisp, clean monitor display to a heavily distorted glitch art piece, all by describing it.
Customize Your Nostalgic Look
High-Resolution Retro Aesthetics
Even though the CRT effect is all about a vintage, low-fidelity look, your final image is anything but low quality. Download your edited photos in high resolution, ensuring they look sharp and clear on any device or in print. Every detail, from the faint hum of the scanlines to the soft bleed of colors, is rendered with precision. Your downloaded images are always watermark-free and ready for use in social media posts, artistic projects, digital portfolios, or even printed materials without losing any quality.
High-Resolution Retro Aesthetics
Why use Pixelcut's AI CRT Screen Overlay?
It’s Fast: Apply a detailed CRT effect to any image in seconds.
It’s Easy to Use: Simply upload your photo, describe the retro effect you want, and let the AI do the work.
It's Customizable: Use text prompts to adjust scanlines, glow, distortion, and color for a truly unique look.
AI-Powered: Our AI understands your descriptions to generate authentic retro effects that go beyond simple filters.
High-Quality Output: Download your nostalgic creations as high-resolution, watermark-free PNG files ready for any use.
Why use Pixelcut's AI CRT Screen Overlay?
CRT Screen Overlay Use Cases
Social Media Content: Give your Instagram or TikTok posts a trendy, retro aesthetic that grabs attention.
Album and Playlist Covers: Design unique cover art with a nostalgic vibe for your music.
Marketing and Branding: Create distinctive promotional images for brands with a vintage or tech-focused identity.
Digital Art: Add texture and character to your illustrations and digital paintings for a cool, lo-fi feel.
Streaming Assets: Develop custom overlays, banners, and 'be right back' screens for Twitch or YouTube with a retro gaming theme.
CRT Screen Overlay Use Cases
Frequently Asked Questions
A CRT screen overlay is a visual effect that simulates the look of an old cathode-ray tube (CRT) television or computer monitor. Key characteristics include horizontal scanlines, screen curvature, a soft glow, and sometimes color distortions or digital noise.
You can easily add a CRT effect with our tool. Just upload the photo you want to edit, type a prompt describing the retro look you're going for (e.g., 'add scanlines and a green phosphor glow'), and our AI will generate the effect for you. It's free to try.
Yes, you can adjust the effect by changing your text prompt. For a stronger effect, you could write 'heavy CRT distortion with thick scanlines and a bright glow.' For a subtler look, you might try 'faint scanline effect with minimal screen curve.' Regenerating with a new prompt allows you to tweak the outcome.
Scanlines are the fine horizontal lines you see on older CRT screens. They are created by the electron beam scanning across the display's phosphor surface to draw the image. Including them in an overlay is essential for creating an authentic retro TV or monitor look.
Almost any image can be enhanced with a CRT overlay! It's especially popular for photos related to video games, technology, music, and fashion to create a retro or vaporwave aesthetic. It can also add a unique, nostalgic texture to portraits and landscapes.
Yes, all images edited with the CRT screen overlay tool can be downloaded in high resolution. They are provided as watermark-free PNG files, making them suitable for both digital use and printing.
Pixelcut is loved by over 2 million people
Best background remover
I need a good background remover for my work and I've been through them all it feels like. This one is the best by far. It's so easy to use and the results always look amazing. Thank you Pixelcut!
Love it
It's amazingly easy and gives the perfect results for my bags and accessories. It looks like it was done by a professional photographer.