Talking photo AI: make any picture talk
A talking photo is a portrait that speaks the words you type. You write the script, it's voiced with a natural-sounding voice, and the lips in the photo are synced to the audio. Scripts can be up to 200 characters, about 13 seconds of speech. Choose HeyGen Avatar IV, OmniHuman 1.5, or MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync.
How it works
Three steps
Upload a portrait, confirm consent
Pick a front-facing photo with a clear face. Confirm the person agreed; the generation won't start without it.
Type the script, pick a voice
Up to 200 characters. Choose one of 8 voices.
Choose a model and generate
Voicing and lip sync run back to back. The video is usually ready in one to five minutes and lands in your Library.
Models
Models you can use
Prices are in credits, and you see the exact cost before you generate. Credit packs start at $5 for 75 credits.
| Model | Best for | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MiniMax H3 Max Lip SyncMiniMax | More natural facial movement, with a high-resolution option. | 74120-character script |
| HeyGen Avatar IVHeyGen | The person in the photo says your text with natural expressions. It's fast. | 57120-character script |
| OmniHuman 1.5ByteDance | The most realistic face and body movement. Made for promos and ads. | 146120-character script |
Highlights
Why make it here
Real-sounding voices
The script is voiced by a dedicated text to speech model, then added to the video. That's why the speech sounds natural.
Three models, three budgets
HeyGen Avatar IV for speed, OmniHuman 1.5 for the most realistic motion, and MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync for the lowest price.
Accurate lip sync
Mouth movement follows the audio, and your punctuation shapes the pauses and intonation.
Vertical or horizontal
HeyGen Avatar IV outputs vertical for Reels or horizontal for YouTube. The other two keep your photo's shape.
Consent built in
Every generation asks you to confirm the person agreed, and the confirmation is stored with it.
Credits back on failure
If a generation doesn't finish, your credits are refunded automatically.
Models
Three ways to make a photo talk
The credits column shows the price of the longest script (200 characters). Shorter scripts cost less.
| Model | Strength | Output | Credits | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HeyGen Avatar IV | Natural expressions, fast. Keeps the face consistent. | Vertical or horizontal, 720p | 95 | 1.5 min |
| OmniHuman 1.5 | Most realistic face and upper-body movement. For promos and ads. | 720p or 1080p | 242 | 5 min |
| MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync | The budget pick, with natural facial motion. | 480p, 768p or 1080p | 77 | 3.5 min |
Price grows with the length of the speech, and the shortest billable clip is 5 seconds. The cheapest talking photo is a short line on MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync at standard resolution: 26 credits ($0.94–$1.73). The 20 free credits you get at signup work for voiceovers only. Talking photos become available after your first credit purchase; the smallest option is the Mini pack (75 credits for $5). See pricing for all packs.
Writing what the photo says
- You have 200 characters, about 13 seconds of speech. For more, split the text and make a few videos.
- Write the way people talk. Punctuation sets the pauses: a comma is a short breath, a period a longer one.
- Spell out what should be read aloud, like “twenty dollars” instead of “$20” and “doctor” instead of “Dr.”
- One person, one speech works best. For a conversation, make one video per speaker.
Example lines:
- “Hi, I'm Sam. Thanks for stopping by. Here's what's new in the shop this week.” (77 characters)
- “Happy birthday, Grandma. We miss you and we'll see you at Thanksgiving.” (71 characters)
- “Our bakery opens at six every morning, and the sourdough comes out of the oven at seven.” (88 characters)
Picking the photo
- A front-facing portrait with the face clearly visible and evenly lit.
- One person per photo. Group shots and side profiles break the lip sync.
- Nothing covering the mouth: no hands, microphones, or heavy shadows.
Talking photo, voiceover, or image to video?
If you only need the audio, say for narration, AI voiceover gives you the same voices as an MP3 without video. If the person should just smile, blink, or wave without speaking, use Image to Video. To have someone present a product while holding it, AI UGC ads combine a presenter photo with your product photo.
Consent
Only make people talk if they agreed
A talking photo puts words in someone's mouth, so consent isn't optional. Before each generation you confirm that the person in the photo gave permission; the generation won't start otherwise, and your confirmation is saved with it. For anyone under 18, permission comes from a parent or guardian.
- Photos of celebrities, politicians, and public officials aren't allowed.
- Don't use a talking photo to make it look like a real person said something they didn't.
- When you post it, say it was made with AI. In ads, disclose it as well; TikTok, Meta, and YouTube each have rules for labeling realistic AI-generated content.
Honest limits
What this tool can't do
- Scripts are capped at 200 characters, about 13 seconds. Split longer speeches into several videos.
- You can't upload your own recording or clone a voice. You pick one of the ready-made voices.
- The 20 free signup credits work for voiceovers, not talking photos. Talking photos need a credit purchase, starting at 26 credits for the shortest line on the cheapest model.
- Photos of other people need their permission. Celebrities, politicians, and public officials can't be used.
- Side profiles, covered faces, and photos with several people often come out wrong.
FAQ
Common questions
How do I make a photo talk?
Upload a portrait, confirm the person agreed, type what they should say, and pick a voice. The script is voiced first, then the mouth in the photo is synced to the audio. Choose a model and generate; the video is usually ready in a few minutes.
Is there a free talking photo AI?
Not here. We pay the AI provider for every video and image we generate, and free tries pushed that cost too high. Before you buy, you can watch the samples on our examples page: unedited outputs we made with these same models. The 20 free credits you get after signing up and verifying your email work for voiceovers. A short line on MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync is 26 credits, and the smallest option is the Mini pack (75 credits for $5). You pay per video; there's no subscription requirement.
How much does a talking photo cost?
It depends on the model and the length of the script. A short line on MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync is 26 credits ($0.94–$1.73). A full 200-character script is 95 credits on HeyGen Avatar IV, 242 on OmniHuman 1.5, and 77 on MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync. The price shows before you generate.
Which talking photo model should I pick?
HeyGen Avatar IV for a quick, balanced result. OmniHuman 1.5 for the most realistic face and body movement. MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync for the lowest price and a 1080p option. Trying the same photo on two models is the fastest way to decide.
Can I use my own voice?
No. There's no voice cloning and no audio upload; the speech comes from ready-made voices. That also means nobody can clone someone else's voice here.
Is there a talking photo app I need to download?
No download needed. It runs in the browser on your phone or computer, and the processing happens on the model provider's servers, so your device's speed doesn't matter.
Can I make an old family photo talk?
Technically yes, if the face is clear and facing the camera. Be thoughtful with photos of people who have passed away: get the family's agreement and don't put words in their mouth they wouldn't have said.
Is it legal to make a photo of someone talk?
It's fine with the person's permission and for honest use. Making it look like a real person said something they didn't can be illegal and is against our terms. Photos of celebrities, politicians, and public officials aren't allowed.
How long does it take?
Usually one to five minutes, since voicing and lip sync run one after the other. HeyGen Avatar IV is the fastest. You can close the tab; the video waits in your Library.
Try it now
Signing up is free. This tool becomes available after your first credit purchase, and packs start at $5 for 75 credits. No subscription needed, and you can watch the samples above before you decide.
Make a photo talk