Mugshot Filter: How to Turn Your Picture into a Mugshot

Ever seen those iconic police photos in movies where someone’s holding a board with their name and standing in front of a height chart? Yep, that’s a mugshot.

From funny memes to trending TikTok filters, people are now recreating their own “jailhouse look” for fun — no crimes required.

Mugshot Your Selfie Today

What Is Mugshot?

A mugshot (short for mug photograph) is basically the official photo police take when someone gets arrested.

You’ve probably seen them in movies or true crime shows — the classic front view + side view with a plain background or a height chart behind. It’s not about looking cute; it’s about documenting someone’s face at the time of arrest.

Why Do People Do Mugshot?

Originally, mugshots were created to help police keep track of people they arrested.

But now, outside of actual law enforcement, the term “mugshot” has taken on a whole new life. These days, people love to play around with mugshot filters on social media. Instead of being tied to crime, it’s more about:

• Making funny memes with fake arrest posters
• Dressing up in Halloween prisoner vibes 🎃
• Just creating a cool, edgy photo for your feed

Basically, it’s the safe way to live out your “jailhouse aesthetic” without ever stepping foot in a cell.

Best Mugshot Filter Options: Instagram, Online & Free Tools

Looking for the perfect mugshot filter to transform your photos? Here's a complete guide to the best free options available:

Instagram Mugshot Filter

While Instagram doesn't have a built-in mugshot filter, you can easily create one using YouCam Perfect and upload it directly to your Instagram stories or feed. The app offers professional mugshot background templates that give you that authentic jailhouse look perfect for Instagram posts.

Free Online Mugshot Filter

For those who prefer working directly in their browser, YouCam Perfect's online mugshot maker is a fantastic mugshot filter online free option. No downloads, no installations—just upload your photo and start creating. This web-based tool is perfect for quick edits on any device.

YouCam Perfect offers a completely free mugshot filter with access to:

• Height chart backgrounds
• Prisoner costume overlays
• Wanted poster templates
• Face swap features

Free AI Mugshot Generator

Take your mugshot game to the next level with our AI mugshot generator free feature. This powerful tool uses artificial intelligence to:

• Generate realistic prisoner costumes automatically
• Apply professional lighting and effects
• Create custom mugshot backgrounds on demand
• Transform your look into iconic characters

Authentic Mugshot Background Library

You can access a wide variety of mugshot background options in YouCam Perfect including:

• Classic height chart walls
• Police station backdrops
• Vintage jail cell settings
• Modern booking room styles

All these features make it your one-stop solution for creating professional-looking mugshots without any cost.

Mugshot Filter: How to Turn Your Photo into a Mugshot?

To make your own mugshot is easier than you might think. Follow these simple steps to turn any photo into a mugshot using a mugshot maker. In this section, we will show you several ways how to create your mugshot pictures by applying the jail filter:

1. Add Mugshot Background to Your Photo
2. Get into Prisoner Costumes using AI Fashion
3. Face Swap into an Existing Mugshot Picture
4. Apply a Wanted Poster Template
5. Transform Yourself using a Jail Photo Filter
   

#1: Add Mugshot Background to Your Photo

In the YouCam Perfect app, you can easily upload your pre-saved mugshot background, or simply utilize the app's "Stock" feature (currently available for iOS only). Then, type the keyword 'Mugshot' and press on the style you prefer.

Once you pick your mugshot background, locate the 'Add Photo' tool on the menu bar and choose a high-quality photo of yourself (or whoever you want to "mugshot-ify").

Lastly, select 'Cutout' to easily get rid of the image background. So you will have a clean photo of yourself on a mugshot background.

Try Mugshot Filter

#2: Get into Prisoner Costumes using AI Fashion

Aside from adding a height chart background, you can also turn your photo into a mugshot of you wearing prisoner costumes with the 'AI Replace' feature (iOS only).

All you need to do is paint the clothes area in the input image, type a prompt like "Orange prisoner costume" in the text field, and hit the 'Replace' button. Voilà! You're one step closer to creating your unique mugshot with our filters!

#3: Face Swap into an Existing Mugshot Picture

Alternatively, you can customize your look into someone wearing prisoner clothing with a mugshot board using the 'Face Swap' feature in the mugshot maker.

Simply search for keywords like "Breaking Bad" or "Mugshot" to find inspired looks, and within seconds, you can replace your face with the original photo subject's face!

Try Mugshot Creator

Read More: How to Replace a Face in a Photo in a Photo App

#4: Apply a Wanted Poster Template

Aside from turning yourself into a mugshot, you can also turn your photo into a wanted poster! Here's a quick how-to guide to achieve the look:

• Tap 'Photo Edit' and upload your image
• Locate 'Template' on the menu bar
• Press the 'Store' button and find the wanted poster template under the "Meme" template

#5 Transform Yourself into an Iconic Character

Since Halloween is around the corner, why not combine this festival spirit with your mugshot and add a bit of fun during the photo editing process?

Play around with the mugshot creator's 'AI Studio' tool, which has a "Joker-like" style that can easily turn your random selfies into visually stunning mugshots without a filter!

▲ Styles created using Male avatar styles for best fake mugshots

You've done the crime (filter), and now you can save your mugshot and share responsibly – remember, your future self might be running for office someday!

Try Mugshot Filter

More Mugshot Filter Creators Available

Mushot Creator #1 - Snapchat

For those looking to create a live cam mugshot, Snapchat is the best app to use. Simply open Snapchat and search for the keyword "mugshot" to find the filter.

To see more similar filters, just click on "Explore Lenses" and you will see a wide collection of filters available to you.

✨Best for live cam mugshot filters

Mushot Creator #2 - Mugshot Meme Generator

Mugshot Meme Generator is an online tool that lets you upload some meme pictures and add texts to create a meme mugshot.

However, it doesn’t have a background removal feature if you want to add your pictures to the template, so keep that in mind. 

Mushot Creator #3 - YouCam Online Mugshot Maker

YouCam's Free Mugshot Generator lets you transform any photo into a realistic—or wildly funny—mugshot in just a few clicks.

Whether you're aiming for a playful social media post, a personalized gift, or just some light-hearted fun, this tool has you covered.

No downloads required—just upload your photo and let the creativity flow.

Mugshot Filter FAQs