Skip to main content

How do I create a Photo Avatar?

A Photo Avatar lets you turn a single photo into a talking avatar. Upload a clear, front-facing photo to create a Photo Avatar that you can use in your AI Studios projects.

E
Written by Eric Seyoung Jang
Watch: Create a Photo Avatar (under a minute)

In this help doc

A Photo Avatar turns a single photo of a person or a character into a talking avatar you can use in your AI Studios projects. This doc shows how to upload a photo, generate the avatar, and find and manage it afterward.

Start a Photo Avatar

To start a Photo Avatar:

  1. Go to Avatars, open the My Avatars tab, and click Create Avatar.

  2. Click Photo to Avatar.

Clicking Create Avatar in My Avatars and choosing Photo to Avatar

Upload a photo

To upload your photo:

  1. Click Drag and drop or click to upload, or drag a photo onto it. Use a JPG, PNG, or WEBP file up to 20MB.

  2. A photo at least 512px wide and tall is recommended. If it's smaller, a warning says the quality may drop. You can still continue.

  3. To use a different photo, hover over it and click Replace Photo.

  4. Click Submit.

Uploading a small sample image, seeing the low-resolution warning, and replacing it

The Recommended Upload Guidelines on the screen show good and bad examples:

  • Use: One person or character, a clear, front-facing face, clearly visible facial features, and a high-resolution image with a simple background (At least 512 × 512 px recommended).

  • Avoid: multiple people or characters, an obstructed or partially visible face, distorted or unclear facial features, blurry or low-quality images, and Characters that may infringe IP rights.

Note: The clips in this article use a drawn sample image instead of a real photo.

Review and generate your avatar

To generate your avatar:

  1. On Review Avatar Setup, check the Avatar Preview and type an Avatar Name.

  2. Select the confirmation checkbox to confirm that you are the person shown or have their permission.

  3. Click Generate Avatar. To start over with another photo, click Upload Again.

Naming the avatar, selecting the confirmation checkbox, and the Generate Avatar button

Generating can take a few minutes. When it's done, the video editor opens in a new project with your new avatar in the scene.

Clicking Generate Avatar and the editor opening with the new sample avatar

Find and manage your Photo Avatar

To manage your avatar:

  1. Go to Avatars > My Avatars. Hover over your avatar and click ⋯ for Use Project, Get Avatar ID, or Delete.

  2. Click the avatar to open its page. Your avatar is marked Primary.

  3. Click the voice button (Not set until you choose one) to open Select Voice and pick a voice from My Voices or AI Voice.

  4. Use ⋯ at the top of the page to Edit or Delete the avatar.

Opening the sample avatar's page with the Primary label

The ⋯ menu on the avatar card on this page also has Rename and Add to Interactive.

FAQ

What kind of photo should I use?
Use a high-resolution photo of one person or character facing the camera with the whole face clearly visible. For more reliable results, use a well-lit photo without face-covering accessories or heavy filters.

Why do I see a low-resolution warning?
The photo is smaller than the recommended 512px in width or height. You can still submit it, but the result may look less sharp. Click Replace Photo to use a larger image.

Can I create a Photo Avatar of someone other than myself?
Yes, but only if you have permission to create and use an avatar of that person. You confirm this with the checkbox before you generate the avatar.

Can I use a cartoon or mascot?
Yes. Photo to Avatar works with a photo of a person or a character. Avoid characters that may infringe IP rights.

How do I add more natural movement to my Photo Avatar?
Photo-based avatars are animated mainly through lip sync. Turn on Natural Avatar Motion for a scene or when you export to add facial expressions, head movement, and upper-body motion. It uses generative credits, so check the credit information shown before you export. Results depend on the photo: heavily tilted poses or a face or body that is mostly hidden may produce less natural motion.

Related articles

Related Articles
Did this answer your question?