Pick 720p when the video is going public: TikTok, Reels, Shorts, a big screen at a party, or a gift someone will keep. Pick 480p for a quick joke in a chat, a test of a new idea, or when you want to spend fewer Stars. Both come as an MP4 with the original sound, and neither one fixes a weak photo: likeness depends on the photo and the video, not on the resolution.
What is the difference between 480p and 720p?
The number is the height of the frame in pixels (the width, if the video is vertical). A 720p frame has more than twice as many pixels as a 480p one, so edges, hair, text on signs and faces in the background look crisper.
| 480p | 720p | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical frame (16:9) | 854 × 480 | 1280 × 720 |
| Looks good on | A phone in a chat or a story | A phone at full screen, a laptop, a TV |
| File size | Smaller, quick to send | Larger |
| Price in Stars | Lower | Higher |
| Best for | Tests, inside jokes, drafts | Posts, gifts, anything you'll keep |
Everything else stays the same at both settings. In vswp, the result keeps the moves, camera, lighting and sound of the original, and the frame rate follows the source, up to about 30 frames per second.
When is 480p enough?
480p is a fine choice more often than people expect, because most videos are watched small:
- Messages and group chats. A clip that plays in a chat bubble never shows its full detail anyway, and a smaller file sends faster.
- Trying an idea. If you aren't sure the video or the photo will work, a cheaper 480p take tells you before you spend more.
- Short memes and reactions. When the joke is the point, viewers don't study the pixels.
- Simple scenes. One or two people close to the camera, with faces that fill a good part of the frame, still read clearly at 480p.
The free preview is always 480p: about 5 seconds of your video where the people with photos are on screen, with a small "vswp.app" mark. It exists to check the swap, not to show off the final quality. More on it in how the free preview works.
When is 720p worth it?
Choose 720p when someone will watch closely or the video has to hold up after a platform compresses it:
- Posting on TikTok, Reels or Shorts. The apps re-compress every upload, and a sharper file loses less in that step. Our guide to posting an AI video on TikTok, Reels and Shorts covers the rest of the process.
- Full-screen or big-screen viewing. A birthday clip shown on a TV or a laptop at a party needs the extra detail.
- Wide shots and groups. When people are small in the frame, as in a dance crowd or a group of friends, 720p gives each face more pixels.
- Gifts and keepsakes. A wedding, anniversary or farewell video gets watched again later, often on bigger screens than the one you made it on.
Does the quality change the price and the wait?
Yes, quality is one of the things the price depends on, together with the length of the part you process and the number of people you replace. Prices are in Telegram Stars (⭐), and the app shows the exact price and the estimated time for your choice before you start, so you can compare both options and decide. Stars are taken when a render starts and returned automatically if it fails or is canceled.
Will 720p make the face look more like me?
Not on its own. Resolution decides how sharp the result is, not how much it resembles you. Likeness comes from the photo you add and from how clearly the person is visible in the video. A dark or blurry photo gives a sharp video of someone who only resembles you.
If the face is off, change the input first: a sharp, evenly lit photo with your whole face visible (which photos work best), and a part of the video where the face is open and not too small. Our list of fixes when an AI face swap doesn't look like you goes step by step.
The source matters too. If your own video is small, dark or heavily compressed, the background and anything the AI keeps from it will look that way at either setting. Start from the best copy of the clip you have; tips are in how to choose a video for an AI swap.
A simple way to decide
- Make the free preview to check that the swap works with your photos.
- Ask where the video will end up: a chat, or a public post, a big screen or a gift.
- For a chat or a test, choose 480p. For anything public or lasting, choose 720p.
- Compare the price shown for each option before you press "Create video".
- If a take misses on likeness, fix the photo or the part of the video first, then make a new take at the quality you need. Each take is a new render with its own price.
FAQ
Can I turn a 480p result into 720p later?
Not inside vswp: making the video at another quality means a new take, which is a new render with its own price. Stretching a 480p file in an editor makes it bigger, but it doesn't add real detail.
Is the free preview available in 720p?
No. The free preview is always about 5 seconds at 480p with a small "vswp.app" mark. It is for checking the swap; choose the quality of the full video when you make it.
Which quality is best for TikTok and Instagram?
720p. Both 480p and 720p upload fine, but the apps re-compress videos, and a sharper file looks better on a phone at full screen.
Does 720p change the sound or the length?
No. Both keep the original audio of the part you processed, up to 30 seconds, and the same frame rate as the source, up to about 30 frames per second.