There are many types of window tint available in the market for a wide variety of uses from solar heat reduction to UV protection, privacy to safety and security, decorative applications to heat retention.

Heat rejection films are normally applied to the interior of flat glass windows to reduce the amount of infrared, visible light, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation entering windows. Such films are either dyed or metalized (which can be transparent to visible light) to convert incoming solar radiation to infrared radiation, which is then rejected back through the glass to the exterior. They usually cost 10-15 percent more than regular windows but can reduce energy loss by as much as 30-50 percent."

To keep the sun's heat out of the house, a low-emissivity coating should be applied to the outside pane of glazed windows. If the windows are designed to provide heat energy in the winter and keep heat inside the house (typical of cold climates), the low-emissivity coating should be applied to the inside pane of glazed windows. Such films also reduce the amount of visible and ultraviolet light entering a window, and are often applied to reduce fading of the contents of a room. Silvered film may also be employed to the same end. Spectrally selective films act by blocking certain wavelengths of the sun's infrared radiation and reject heat without reducing natural light.

Privacy films reduce visibility through the glass. Privacy film for flat-glass commercial and residential applications may be silvered, offering an unimpeded view from the low-light side but virtually no view from the high-light side. It may also be frosted, rendering the window translucent but not transparent.

Not all films are suitable for all glass. You must consider the absorptance of the glass and the film, the size of the pane, the thickness of the glass, the construction of the window is it single pane, insulated glass, treated (with a low-emissivity coating), laminated or toughened.

Window film is typically installed after surfaces are thoroughly cleaned and wiped, typically using a commercial cleaner and a scraper blade, and then a simple soap solution is squirted on the glass before the film layer is mounted. Most manufacturers will only warranty their window films when installed by a certified, trained installer.

Safety and security window films are polyester films that are applied to glass & glazing in order to hold them together if the glass is shattered (similar to laminated glass). The main difference between film and laminated glass is that the film can be applied to the glass or glazing after manufacture or installation, i.e. it is a retrofit product. These films are used widely all over the world, they can be found on trains, buses, cars, and buildings.

Safety and security films are used where there is a potential for injury from broken glass(such as glass doors or overhead glazing). These films can be applied to toughened, annealed or laminated glass. The film thickness is selected for level of protection desired and the dimensions of the glass pane. Manufacturers recommend 100 micrometre film for glass up to 3 mm (1/8 in) and 175 micrometre film for glass over 6 mm (1/4 in).

These films can be applied for security applications, where a delay of forced entry is desired. The Performance of these films is affected by adhesive bond strength, thickness of the polyester, quality of application and window structure/frame.

The films are adhesive coated to bond them to the glass. The better safety films are those which are smooth-coated, as they have far superior optical clarity.

Safety and security films can have components added, such as for solar control & decorative effects. However, as mentioned before, it is their physical properties that allow them to be used in various applications.