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How do I create Personal Avatars from photos?

Learn how to turn a single photo into a Personal Avatar in Synthesia, customize its look, and use it to create professional videos—without filming or studio time.

Written by Meg
Updated today

📌 Personal Avatars are available on paid plans only.

Avatar Allowances by Plan:

  • Starter: 3 free avatars

  • Creator: 5 free avatars

  • Enterprise: Unlimited personal avatars

If you would like to upgrade your plan, check out our upgrade guide.

What are Personal Avatars from photo?

Personal Avatars from photo let you create a lifelike avatar of yourself using just one photo. Your avatar can move naturally with your script, wear different outfits, appear in different backgrounds, and even perform actions in b-roll footage.

✍️ You can only create a Photo Avatar of yourself with a matching live consent video. Avatars of public figures or anyone without explicit consent are not allowed.


How to create a personal avatars from a photo

  1. Go to the Avatars page and click Create avatar.

  2. Select Upload a photo.

  3. Upload a photo of yourself or capture one with your webcam.

    • Use a clear, well-lit photo of just you, ideally from the waist up.

    • Show your teeth for better lip sync results.

  4. (Optional) Record or upload a voice sample to clone your voice.
    If you skip this step, your avatar will use a Synthesia voice.

  5. Record and submit the consent video when prompted.

✍️ The quality of your uploaded photo directly affects how realistic your avatar looks and moves.


How to use your Personal Avatars from photo

Once your Personal Avatar is ready, you can add it to videos like you would any other avatar.

  1. Open a video project.

  2. Select Avatars from the media panel.

  3. Choose your Personal Avatar and add it to the scene.


Customize your Personal Avatars and generate B-roll footage

To update how your avatar looks or create action footage, follow the same steps used for customizable avatars and avatar B-roll.


💬FAQs

How long does it take to create a Personal Avatar from photo?

Your avatar will typically generate within minutes after you upload your photo and complete the consent step. In rare cases, consent checks may take longer if manual review is required.

What technology do Personal Avatars from photo use?

Personal Avatars from photo use the same Express-2 technology as our latest stock avatars.

How do these Personal Avatars different from legacy Personal Avatars?

Personal Avatars from photo are created from a single photo and are ready much faster. They support customizable outfits, backgrounds, and action-based B-roll. Personal Avatars created from a video, take longer to process, and base movements on your real footage.

Can I still create a Personal Avatar from a video?

Yes, creating a personal avatar from video footage is still supported. You can find this option in the avatar creation flow.


Learn more in this article: How do I create Personal Avatars from video?

Why doesn’t my avatar move exactly like I do in real life?

These Personal Avatars are created from a photo, so the system doesn’t learn how you personally move. Instead, it generates natural body language that matches the spoken content.

How can I get the best lip-sync results?

Lip sync works best when the avatar is framed tighter in the scene rather than positioned far away.

Can I share my Personal Avatars from photo with other users?

At the moment, Personal Avatars from photo can only be used by the person who created them. Sharing Personal Avatars from photo with other users isn’t supported yet.

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