How to swap faces: photo and video guide for 2026
Quick answer
To swap a face, choose a base photo or video, add a clear replacement portrait, and generate the edit in a face-swap tool. Match the face angles and lighting, then inspect the result before downloading. Magic Hour’s photo tool and video tool offer separate browser workflows with different free limits.
Try a face swap with a matched reference
Use a clear portrait with a similar angle and lighting, then inspect the hairline, skin transition, eyes, mouth, and background before downloading.
Try Photo Face SwapMagic Hour publishes this guide and includes its own product in the comparison. Treat the recommendations as editorial guidance from a vendor, and verify the linked first-party product details and your own output requirements before choosing a tool.
Choose photo, video, or manual editing
Workflow | Use it when | What to check |
|---|---|---|
Replace a face in one image | Face angle, lighting, hairline, skin transitions and untouched regions | |
Replace a face throughout a clip | Identity and blending during movement, turns, cuts and occlusion | |
Layer-based photo editor | Precisely blend selected parts of a face | Alignment, masks, color, texture and reversible source layers |
Match mouth movement to authorized new speech | Exact words, timing, mouth movement, expressions and audio rights |
Face replacement and lip sync are different operations. Swapping the face does not automatically change what the person says.
How to swap a face in a photo
Magic Hour input workflow, captured September 25, 2026. This shows the upload or prompt controls, not a completed generation. View official source
- Open photo face swap and upload the original image.
- Add the portrait containing the replacement face.
- Check the face selection and mapping controls available for your image.
- Generate the swap.
- Inspect the eyes, mouth, hairline, and edges at full size before downloading.
Use a clear reference with a similar angle. Heavy blur, deep shadows, and obstructions can cause distorted geometry or visible blending.
How to swap a face in a video
Open the video face-swap tool, upload a focused clip, and add the replacement portrait. Generate the result and watch the whole clip, including turns and transitions.
As checked September 13, 2026, free guest video use allows three swaps per day, up to ten seconds each at 480p, with a watermark. No signup is required for that guest flow. Paid subscriptions support watermark-free output and commercial use under their terms; see current pricing.
The photo tool’s free watermark rules differ from video. Do not apply an old account credit or frame allowance to every guest tool.
Fix an unnatural result
Start with the inputs. Change one thing at a time: a sharper replacement portrait for blur, a better-matched angle for distorted geometry, or a segment with fewer obstructions for broken motion. Reuse the same target when comparing portraits. Inspect the full result before increasing duration or resolution.
For a symptom-by-symptom checklist, use fixing face-swap blur, flicker, and blending. More pixels alone will not correct the wrong identity or a poor blend.
For multi-face scenes, inspect the mapping options in the current tool. Confirm which source face corresponds to each target rather than assuming the tool will infer your intention correctly.
Can you do this on a phone?
Yes, the browser workflow accepts compatible media from your device. Start with the tool’s current upload form. Historical dashboard instructions, including YouTube imports, may describe a different interface.
How long does it take?
Processing depends on the clip, selected settings, and queue. Use the status shown for your job. A fixed three-minute promise cannot describe every input or account workflow.
Use the result with permission and context
For a clear definition of synthetic identity media, its risks, and a verification checklist, read what a deepfake is.
Make sure your permissions cover the likeness, source media, and intended publication. Do not portray a synthetic scene as an authentic recording or invent a customer testimonial. Platform rules and legal requirements depend on the context and location; consent alone is not a universal legal clearance.
For a shorter product walkthrough, see the three-step Magic Hour video guide. Developers can compare hosted and self-managed approaches in the face swap API guide. For a manual selection-and-layer workflow, follow the Photoshop face-swap guide.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the browser workflow accepts compatible media from your device. Start with the tool’s current upload form. Historical dashboard instructions, including YouTube imports, may describe a different interface.
Processing depends on the clip, selected settings, and queue. Use the status shown for your job. A fixed three-minute promise cannot describe every input or account workflow.
