WAVESPEED AI PHOTO ANIMATOR Your photo stays on your device
100% FREE

Animate a PhotoBring a face to life.

Pick a photo of a person, choose how the face should move and get a short video: the head turns, the eyes blink, the person smiles or laughs.
It works best on a portrait looking toward the camera, from a selfie to a faded family print. Everything runs on your device.

Face moves, picture stays10 motions or your own videoFree, no upload
No sign-up No upload No watermark

Drop a photo to bring it to life

A JPG, PNG or WebP photo of one person looking toward the camera. Old and black-and-white photos work.

Or paste a photo. Up to 30 MB.
Or try an example
Your photo is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
TRY IT

Try an example photo

AI-made portraits, some aged here in your browser, no real people. Choose one and bring it to life.

THREE SIMPLE STEPS

How to animate a photo

01

Add a photo

Choose, drop or paste a photo (JPG, PNG, WebP) of one person looking toward the camera. A clear, front-facing face works best.

02

Choose a motion

Pick how the face should move, from a gentle blink and a soft smile to a laugh, a wink or a surprised look, or use your own video.

03

Animate and download

Press Animate and wait while the video is made on your device, then watch it and save the MP4.

WaveSpeed AI

Want longer or more detailed videos?

Turn a photo into a talking, singing or moving video with WaveSpeed AI.

  • 1,000+ AI models
  • Image, video and 3D
  • Pay as you go

$1 in free credits for eligible new accounts. No card needed. Generators have separate account and credit requirements. The photo animator is free.

Photo animator FAQ

Is this photo animator free?

Yes. Animate as many photos as you like with no account and no watermark.

Is my photo uploaded?

No. The photo, and any video you choose, is processed in your browser and never leaves your device. The first time, your browser downloads the face models (about 290 MB) and keeps them for next time.

How does it work?

The tool finds the face, works out its pose and expression and then redraws it for every frame of a recorded motion such as a head turn, a blink or a smile. The redrawn face is blended back into the photo; the background and the body stay as they are.

What photos work best?

A single person looking roughly toward the camera, with the whole face visible and not too small. Old, faded, black-and-white and sepia photos work; heavy damage, hands over the face, sunglasses and very small faces give worse results. Photos with several people animate the largest face only.

Can it animate a photo of a person who has passed away?

The tool does not know who is in a photo and treats every face the same. If you animate a photo of someone else, make sure they, or their family, would be comfortable with it, and do not use the result to mislead anyone.

Why does it need graphics acceleration?

Redrawing a face for every frame is heavy. It runs on your graphics card through the browser; a computer without it would take far too long, so the Animate button is disabled there. Try a recent Chrome or Edge on a computer.

How long does it take?

A few minutes for a short video, longer on a slower computer. Keep the tab open until it is done; you can cancel at any time.

Does the video have sound?

The ready-made motions are silent: add music or a voice in a video editor, or use the talking photo tool to make a photo speak. If you move the photo with your own video, its sound is kept.

Can I move the photo with my own video?

Yes. Choose Your video and pick a short clip (up to 8 seconds) of a face looking at the camera. The photo copies the expressions and head movements of the clip, frame by frame, and the result keeps the clip's sound. Start the clip with a calm, front-facing face.

How long and how big is the video?

Two to five seconds depending on the motion. The photo is used at up to 720 pixels wide; the video is an MP4 (or WebM where MP4 is not available).

All Free Tools

Ready to bring a photo to life?

Free, private and no sign-up. Your photo never leaves your device.

Animate a photo