The right photo for swapping a person into a video is a sharp, evenly lit picture of one person with the face clearly visible and no sunglasses, masks, heavy filters, or beauty retouching. If you want your own clothes and silhouette in the video, use a full-body photo; if you keep the original outfit, a clear portrait is enough. An angle similar to the one in the video helps too.
What makes a good photo for an AI face swap?
The AI learns what a person looks like from a single photo, so it can only carry over what that photo clearly shows. Check yours against this list before you upload:
- One person in the frame. With several faces in the picture, the AI may take the wrong one. A crop from a group shot is no fix: it comes out small and soft, often with someone's shoulder at the edge.
- Sharp focus. Zoom in on the eyes. If the eyes, brows, and mouth aren't crisp, the face in the video will come out softer and less like you.
- Even light. Soft daylight from a window or outdoor shade works well. Hard shadows across half the face, strong backlight, and colored party lights hide your real features and skin tone.
- A clearly visible face. Hair, hands, a phone, or a cap brim shouldn't cover it.
- No sunglasses, masks, heavy filters, or beauty retouching. The AI copies what it sees, so smoothed skin, slimmed cheeks, or a cartoon effect end up in the video as someone who looks less like you.
- Enough resolution. Use the original file from your camera or gallery. Screenshots, thumbnails, and photos forwarded through messengers often lose detail.
Full-body photo or portrait: which do you need?
It depends on one setting. In vswp, the Keep the original look switch decides what the photo is used for:
- On: clothes stay as in the video, and only faces and hair change. A clear portrait from the chest up is enough.
- Off: the person's look, including clothes and hair, comes from your photo. Use a full-body photo of one person, since it carries clothing, hair, and silhouette. A portrait can't show clothes it doesn't contain.
A full-body photo has one catch: the face gets smaller. Hold the phone vertically and step back only until you fit from head to toe, so the face stays as large and sharp as possible.
Does the angle of the photo matter?
Roughly, yes. A photo facing the camera or slightly turned suits most videos. If the person you're replacing is mostly seen in profile or from below, a photo from a similar angle shows the AI what you look like from that side. You don't need to copy the pose, just the general direction of the face.
Which photos to use and which to skip
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| One person in the photo | A crop from a group shot |
| The original, sharp file | A screenshot, thumbnail, or blurry shot |
| Soft, even light on the face | Hard shadows, strong backlight, colored lights |
| The whole face in view | Sunglasses, a mask, hands, or hair over the face |
| Your natural look | Beauty filters, retouching, face-changing effects |
| A full-body photo when you want your outfit | A portrait when you expect your own clothes in the video |
How many photos do you need?
One per person. Add a photo to the card of each person you want to replace; everyone without a photo stays as in the original. One video takes up to 6 different photos in JPEG, PNG, or WebP, enough to recreate a trend with friends.
For group videos, keep two things in mind:
- Give each person their own photo. If two people who share the frame get the same photo, you'll get twins.
- Focus on the main people. Anyone seen only briefly or far away is grouped as the background and, without a photo, stays as in the original.
How do you take a good photo in two minutes?
- Face a window, or step outside into open shade, such as the shady side of a building on a bright day.
- Take off sunglasses and anything covering your face, and move hair away from your eyes.
- Turn off beauty mode and filters in your camera app.
- Ask a friend to shoot with the back camera, which is usually sharper than the front one.
- Hold the phone vertically: head and shoulders for a portrait, head to toe with a little space for a full-body photo.
- Look toward the camera with a relaxed, natural expression.
- Zoom in on the eyes. If they're not crisp, take another shot.
- Upload the original file, not a screenshot.
What if the result doesn't look like you?
Start with the photo: try a sharper, better-lit shot with a larger face and an angle closer to the video. Then check the switch: with Keep the original look off and only a portrait, the outfit can't come from the photo.
If that doesn't help, press Create video again for a new take, since every take is generated anew. Hands, objects over the face, very fast camera motion, and crowded scenes can need a few takes even with a great photo; our explainer on how AI video face swap works covers why.
FAQ
Can I use a selfie?
Yes, if it's sharp, evenly lit, and shows your whole face without filters. Hold the phone at arm's length, because a lens very close to the face makes the nose and the middle of the face look bigger. With Keep the original look on, a selfie is enough; for your own clothes, use a full-body photo.
Do I need several photos of the same person?
No. You add one photo per person, so pick the clearest one you have.
Can I use a photo of someone else?
Only with their permission. By pressing Create video, you confirm that you have the right to use the video and the photos; see our guide to face swap consent and safety.
Does my photo need the same lighting as the video?
No. The lighting in the result follows the original video, so your photo only needs soft, even light that shows your features clearly.