Glasses, hats and masks don't stop an AI video swap, but they change what the AI can see, and it can only copy what it sees. In your photo, take off sunglasses, masks and anything that hides the face, and keep clear glasses only if you want them in the video. In the video, a face that is mostly covered gives a weaker likeness, so pick a part where the face is open, or expect to need another take.
Why do things on the face matter so much?
An AI person swap learns what you look like from one photo and then redraws you in every frame of the video, following the original person's moves, angles and light. Your eyes, brows, nose and mouth carry most of your likeness. Whatever covers them, in the photo or in the video, leaves the AI to fill the gap with a guess, and a guess tends to look like someone who only resembles you.
So there are two separate questions: what is on the face in your photo, and what is on the face of the person you are replacing in the video.
What should I wear, or not wear, in the photo?
| In your photo | What to expect | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sunglasses | Your eyes are hidden, so the likeness suffers in every frame | Take them off |
| A medical or costume mask | Most of the face is missing | Take it off |
| Clear glasses | The AI may draw glasses in the video, or the eye area may come out less like you | Keep them only if you want them in the result |
| A cap or hat | A brim shades the eyes; the hat hides your real hair | Take it off, unless the hat is part of the look you want |
| A hood or a scarf over the chin | Hides the face outline and hair | Pull it back |
The simple rule: show your whole face, sharp and evenly lit, with nothing in front of it. Our checklist of which photos work best for an AI video swap covers the light, sharpness and angle.
What about everyday glasses?
If you wear glasses all the time and your friends know you in them, a photo with them on can feel more like you. Pick one where the lenses have no glare and your eyes are clearly visible behind them. If the result looks off around the eyes, try a photo without glasses: it gives the AI a cleaner view of your features. Either way, this is generative AI, so glasses in the result may not match yours exactly.
How does "Keep the original look" change this?
In vswp, the "Keep the original look" switch decides what comes from your photo:
- On: the clothes stay as in the video, and only faces and hair change. A clear portrait is enough.
- Off: the person's look, including clothes and hair, comes from your photo. A full-body photo of one person carries clothing, hair and silhouette best.
A hat sits between "clothes" and "hair", so results vary. If you want your own cap in the video, turn the switch off and use a full-body photo where you wear it. If you only care about the face, keep the switch on and use a photo without a hat. More on this choice is in swap only the face or the whole person.
What if the person in the video wears sunglasses or a mask?
The video is the other half. When the person you replace is covered, the AI has fewer of their frames where your face can show:
- Sunglasses in the video. The AI follows the scene, so the glasses may stay. Your likeness then rests on the lower half of the face, hair and build, and it reads weaker than in frames with open eyes.
- A cap with a low brim, a hood or a helmet. Shade and edges around the face make it harder to see. Expect the likeness to come and go as the head moves.
- A full mask or heavy costume makeup. If the face is hidden for most of the clip, swapping it in has little effect. Pick a part where the mask is off, or a different video.
- Hands, glasses or a hat moving across the face. Someone adjusting sunglasses or pulling on a hood is a classic spot where a frame or two can look odd. Things covering faces can need another take.
Whether a covering in the video stays, changes or disappears is not something you can set exactly: the AI generates the scene anew each time.
How do I get a good result anyway?
- Use a photo with your whole face visible: no sunglasses, mask, hood or low brim.
- Decide on glasses: keep clear glasses in the photo only if you want them in the result.
- Set "Keep the original look": on for your face only, off with a full-body photo if you want your own hat or outfit.
- In a long video, choose a part of up to 30 seconds where the face is uncovered for most of the time. Our guide on picking the best 30 seconds shows how.
- Check a tricky clip with the free preview first: about 5 seconds at 480p where the people with photos are on screen.
- If one take misses, press "Create video" again for a new take; each one is a new render with its own price, shown before you start.
If the face still doesn't look like you, go through what to fix when an AI face swap doesn't look like you.
FAQ
Can the AI remove sunglasses from the person in the video?
Sometimes the result shows the eyes, sometimes it keeps the glasses, because the AI generates the scene anew each time. You can't switch this on or off, so if open eyes matter, pick a part of the video where the person isn't wearing them.
Will my glasses appear in the video if I wear them in the photo?
They may. The AI copies what it sees in your photo, so clear glasses can show up in the result, though not always in exactly the same shape. Use a photo without glasses if you don't want them.
Does a Halloween mask in the video work?
Only if the face is uncovered for part of the clip. A mask that hides the face the whole time leaves little to swap, so choose a moment when it is off.
Can I use a photo of a friend wearing sunglasses?
You can, but the likeness will be weaker; ask them for a clear photo without them. And use a friend's photo only with their permission.