Someone holds a phone. On the screen, a subject – a person, a product, a pet, whatever the content is. Then the subject steps out of the screen – scaled up, layered in front of the phone, casting a shadow onto the hand holding it. It’s not contained by the display anymore. It’s in the room.

That’s the pop-out of phone trend, and it’s everywhere on Reels and TikTok right now. Creators are using it for outfits, products, travel reveals, pet content, food styling, before-and-afters. The phone is just the frame. What pops out is up to you.

The effect looks like it requires After Effects. It doesn’t. It requires background removal, layering, and about 15 minutes. Creator @gyasi.editz breaks down the full process in a quick tutorial using Picsart – worth watching before you start.

What is the pop-out of phone trend?

A person holds a phone in the center of the frame. On the screen, there’s a photo of a subject – themselves in an outfit, a product, a pet, anything. But the subject doesn’t stay inside the screen – it breaks out. Part stays inside the phone, part extends beyond the frame, scaled larger than the display. The result is a 3D illusion where the subject appears to physically emerge from the device.

The key to the illusion is layering:

  • Base layer: A photo or video of someone holding a phone
  • Screen layer: The subject photo placed inside the phone display
  • Pop-out layer: The same photo, background removed, scaled larger, positioned so the subject overlaps the phone frame

The most popular version is fashion – cycling through 3-4 outfits popping out in sequence. But creators are using the same format for product reveals, travel destinations, art showcases, and anything else that benefits from the “jumping off the screen” illusion.

Why this format stops every scroll

The 3D illusion is a pattern interrupt. Flat content blends into the feed. The moment something appears to break out of a frame, your brain flags it as different. That fraction of a second where you process the depth is the scroll-stop.

It turns any showcase into a hook. Whether it’s outfits, products, or travel spots – the pop-out effect makes the presentation the hook, not just the content.

It invites interaction. “Which one are you?” “Pick your favorite.” Every option is a vote. Every viewer becomes a participant. That engagement signal is exactly what the algorithm rewards.

It loops perfectly. The pop-out cycle creates a rhythm that rewards rewatching. Viewers loop back to compare options. Completion rate climbs.

How to make it with Picsart

Photo version

Step 1: Shoot your base and your subjects

  • Base shot: A photo of yourself holding a phone, screen visible and angled toward camera. Clean, well-lit background.
  • Subject shots: Photos of whatever you want to pop out – yourself in different outfits, products, pets, anything. Shoot 3-4 versions with consistent lighting and framing.

Step 2: Remove backgrounds

Open Picsart Background Remover and upload each subject photo. The AI cuts out the subject cleanly. Download each cutout as a PNG with transparent background.

Step 3: Build the composite

Open Picsart Photo Editor with your base shot as the canvas.

  • Place the screen version. Resize one subject photo to fit inside the phone screen.
  • Place the pop-out version. Add the background-removed cutout as a new layer. Scale it larger than the phone screen so the subject extends beyond the frame on all sides.
  • Layer order matters. The base photo (hand holding phone) sits between the screen version and the pop-out. The phone frame covers the bottom edge of the cutout, so it looks like the subject is emerging from behind the glass.
  • Add shadows. A subtle drop shadow behind the cutout sells the depth.

Repeat for each subject. Save each version as a separate frame.

Step 4: Post it

If you want a static post, you’re done – export the composite as an image and post it directly. For a Reel, open Picsart Video Editor and import your composites as a sequence. Quick-cut transitions, 1-2 seconds per look. Add trending audio. Export at 9:16.

Video version

Step 1: Record short clips (2-3 seconds) of each subject – a spin, a pose, a product rotation. Same framing and lighting across all clips.

Step 2: Upload each clip to Picsart Video Background Remover. The AI strips the background frame by frame.

Step 3: In Picsart Video Editor, layer your base clip with the background-removed clips. Scale and position each so it pops out of the phone frame. Stagger the entrances so each subject reveals in sequence.

Step 4: Add a scale animation (small to large) on each pop-out clip. Layer in shadows. Add text and trending audio. Export at 9:16.

Variations worth trying

  • Fashion pick-your-fit – cycle through 3-4 outfits popping out. “Which one are you?”
  • Product launch – sneakers, bags, skincare, tech – each product pops out at full scale
  • Glow-up – basic version inside the phone, upgraded version pops out
  • Travel reveals – destinations popping out of the screen like a portal to somewhere else
  • Pet content – your pet in different costumes or poses breaking out of the frame
  • Before and after – the “before” stays inside the phone, the “after” pops out
  • Reverse pop-in – subject starts outside, shrinks back into the screen. “Saving this for later”

The frame is fake. The content is real.

The pop-out of phone trend turns a flat post into something three-dimensional, interactive, and worth rewatching. The phone frame is just a visual trick – a border that exists to be broken.

Pick your subject. Remove the background. Break the frame.