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QUICK ANSWER
Quick answer
What is the fastest way to get a filter?
Follow a public filter on your Path of Exile account, then select it in-game under Options > Game > Item Filter. No file juggling required, and it works on PC and Console.
Which strictness should I start with?
Start loose: Regular or Semi-Strict during the campaign and early maps. Move up to Strict and Very Strict only once you stop picking up most visible drops.
Why did my drops disappear?
A stricter filter hides low-value items. On PC, hold Alt to reveal hidden items (their names shrink at high strictness). On Console, open the item filter panel to toggle visibility.
What should I never hide too early?
Currency you still use, socketed or quality gear for salvage, build-critical bases, and uniques you have not identified. Hide those only once you understand their value.
FILTER INSTALL
Installation methods
Three ways to get a filter into PoE 2. Pick the one that matches how much control you want.
Official account followPC / Console
- Open the official Path of Exile website and log in with the account you use for PoE 2.
- Go to your account page, open Item Filters, then the public filter ladder.
- Make sure the list is set to PoE 2, not PoE 1, before following anything.
- Follow a trusted public filter such as NeverSink Regular, Semi-Strict, or Strict.
- In-game, open Options > Game, find Item Filter, select the followed filter, then refresh if it does not appear.
Cleanest hands-off method; public filters can update when the creator updates them.
FilterBlade syncPC / Console
- Go to filterblade.xyz and choose Path of Exile 2.
- Pick a NeverSink preset strictness and customise styles, sounds, beams, and item rules.
- Open the Export to PoE tab, name the filter, then Save & Sync to your account.
- In-game, select the synced filter from the Item Filter dropdown and apply it.
Best when you want control over strictness, currency tiers, and visuals while still auto-updating.
Manual file installPC
- Download the .filter file from a trusted source.
- Place it in your PoE 2 filter folder (Documents/My Games/Path of Exile 2).
- In-game, use the folder icon next to the Item Filter dropdown to load the file.
- Re-download and re-select whenever the filter is updated.
Useful if you do not want to link an account, but you must update it manually.
REFERENCE TABS
PC vs Console
The filter itself is the same. The difference is where you build it and how you toggle hidden drops.
On PC you can use the official follow method, FilterBlade sync, or a manual .filter file. You also get the Alt key: hold it to reveal items hidden by the filter, and at high strictness their names shrink so they stay easy to ignore.
- Full FilterBlade access with styles, sounds, and simulation.
- Alt reveals hidden drops; Z toggles the whole item display.
- Manual install via the Documents/My Games/Path of Exile 2 folder.
STRICTNESS PICKER
Strictness selector
Pick your stage and we will suggest a starting strictness and a keep list. Adjust upward only once most visible drops are things you never pick up.
OVERVIEW
What not to hide too early
A filter is a tool, not a verdict on every drop. Hiding the wrong category too early can cost you upgrades, currency, or trade income. Keep these visible until you have a reason to hide them.
- Currency you still use for crafting and vendor recipes, especially during the campaign.
- Socketed or quality items you may want to salvage for sockets, quality, or upgrade materials.
- Build-critical bases (weapon and armor types your build actually uses).
- Unidentified uniques and build-required uniques; identify before judging.
- Items other builds might value if you trade; do not hide whole gear categories too early.
OVERVIEW
Customisation
Customisation is powerful but should be gradual. Start from a preset and change only what you understand. FilterBlade exposes every drop category so you can tune currency tiers, bases, gems, and sounds.
- Campaign item progression: show bases that match your level, then stop showing outdated ones later.
- Currency tiers: hide or downgrade low-value currency in endgame while making high-value drops louder.
- Visual style: change text size, border color, beams, icons, and sounds if the default is too subtle or too loud.
- Custom sounds: make top-tier drops obvious while keeping lower tiers quiet to avoid sound fatigue.
OVERVIEW
Update and sync
Filters go stale after major patches. A filter built for one league can hide new items or miss new valuables. Keep it current.
- Synced filters (official follow or FilterBlade) update when the creator publishes a new version; re-select or refresh in-game.
- Manual .filter files must be re-downloaded and re-selected whenever the source updates.
- After a big patch, re-open the filter editor and review tiers before pushing strictness higher.
- If a followed filter has not been updated for the current patch, prefer a maintained preset.
CHECKLIST
Test before you use it
Confirm the game version
Make sure the filter is set to PoE 2, not PoE 1.
Check the filter's last update date against the current patch.
Walk a familiar zone
Run a campaign or early-map zone you know well.
Verify the items you expect to see are still visible.
Check hidden categories
On PC hold Alt; on Console use the filter panel to reveal what is hidden.
Confirm you are not hiding currency, bases, or uniques you still need.
Lower strictness if unsure
If useful drops feel missing, drop back to Semi-Strict or Regular.
Raise strictness gradually as you learn item value.
CARD GRID
Community questions
Common loot filter questions from Reddit and video comments, with our read and a direct suggestion.
Why did my screen suddenly go empty?
Problem: after switching to a strict endgame filter, almost nothing drops.
Evidence: stricter filters hide more low-value items by design.
Suggestion: you likely jumped too strict too early; drop back to Semi-Strict until you know what is hidden.
I hid items I still needed
Problem: a Very Strict filter removed bases my new build wanted.
Evidence: hiding whole gear categories too early hurts multi-build accounts.
Suggestion: keep build-critical bases visible; raise strictness per category, not all at once.
Console cannot find the filter
Problem: followed a filter on the website but it is missing in-game.
Evidence: console uses account-linked filters built on web/PC.
Suggestion: confirm you selected PoE 2 on the site, then refresh the in-game filter list or restart.
Alt does not show everything
Problem: holding Alt still hides some names.
Evidence: at high strictness, hidden item names shrink rather than fully appear.
Suggestion: use the filter panel to inspect hidden tiers, or lower strictness for that category.
SCREENSHOTS & VIDEO
Loot filter video walkthrough
P4wnyhof
How to Install & Customize Loot Filters for PC and Console in Path of Exile 2
A practical walkthrough of installing a PoE 2 loot filter on both PC and Console, customising it, and the settings to avoid.
What to watch for: Follow a public filter or FilterBlade, start loose, and only raise strictness once you recognise the drops you no longer need.
Open source ↗OVERVIEW
Troubleshooting
Most filter problems are version or strictness mistakes, not bugs. Read the symptoms before changing anything.
- Filter missing in-game: confirm PoE 2 (not PoE 1) on the source, then refresh or restart.
- Too much clutter: raise strictness one level and re-test in a known zone.
- Missing useful drops: lower strictness or whitelist that category in the editor.
- Sounds too noisy or too quiet: adjust alert sounds per tier in the Styles tab.
- Following a PoE 1 filter: switch the ladder or preset to PoE 2 immediately.
SOURCES & CHANGELOG
Sources and verification
Path of Exile official Item Filter ladder and account follow
FilterBlade - NeverSink-based filters for PoE 1 and PoE 2
Bamboo Gaming - PoE2 Loot Filters Guide (setup, strictness, FilterBlade)
GamesFuze - How to Get a Loot Filter in PoE 2 (Return of the Ancients)
P4wnyhof - Install & Customize Loot Filters for PC and Console
CHANGELOG
Changelog
- Published for PoE 2 0.5.4. Covers installation methods, PC/Console differences, a strictness selector, what not to hide, customisation, update and sync, and a before-use checklist. Client verification remains pending for the stated boundaries.
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