> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.zoice.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # How to Bring Old Photos to Life > Learn how to bring old photos to life using Zoice. Transform vintage black-and-white family portraits into realistic talking AI videos with text-to-speech and facial expressions. How to Bring Old Photos to Life Preserving heritage and family history has entered the digital age. Instead of letting vintage family albums sit on shelves collecting dust, you can now bring old photos to life using modern artificial intelligence. By animating old portraits with natural facial movements and customized speech, you can create engaging historical archives and touching family tributes. With Zoice, you don't need complex rigging tools or video editing experience. You simply upload a vintage photo, input the text you want the subject to say, and choose an AI voice model. The platform automatically animates the lips, eyes, and head movements to match the speech perfectly. In this article, you will learn how to bring old photos to life using Zoice by following a complete, step-by-step process. ## What Does Animate Old Photos Mean? Animating old photos means taking a static, historic portrait and using neural networks to generate a realistic video representation. The AI model analyzes the positioning of eyes, nose, cheeks, and lips in the vintage photograph, generating natural blinking, sways, and lip-syncing that matches a typed script. This technology allows you to hear ancestors tell their own stories, recite family histories, or present historical timelines in a highly immersive format. ## How to Bring Old Photos to Life Using Zoice Converting a vintage portrait into a talking video takes only a few minutes. Follow the detailed steps below to get started. ### Step 1: Open the Zoice Homepage Launch your web browser, navigate to [Zoice.com](https://zoice.com), and click **Sign In** in the top-right corner. Zoice Homepage ### Step 2: Sign In to Your Dashboard Account Enter your email and password, then click **Sign In**. Or select the **Sign in with Google** button for quick dashboard access. Sign In ### Step 3: Set Up a Free Creator Profile If you are a first-time user, select **Sign Up** on the page to register your free workspace. Sign Up ### Step 4: Click Avatar Characters Locate the left sidebar on the main dashboard page and select the **Avatar Characters** menu. Avatar Characters Dashboard ### Step 5: Click Create New On the presenter library page, click the **Create New** button to set up your relative's avatar card. Create New Avatar ### Step 6: Upload Your Relative's Portrait Photo and Generate Avatar * Upload a Photo: Select the **Upload Image** option on the creation page. Enter a name for your relative in the **Avatar Name** field (e.g., 'Old Photo Talking', pointed to by the yellow arrow), upload or drag-and-drop the face portrait in the **Upload Base Image** box, and click **Generate Avatar** at the bottom to build their AI profile. Upload Image * We used this image for the relative portrait : Relative Portrait ### Step 7: Select Your Relatives Avatar from Avatar Characters List Go back to the Avatar Characters menu. Your new card will appear in your library. Click on the card to select it. Select Avatar ### Step 8: Configure Avatar Settings Click **Avatar Setting** next to Generate Video. Under the **General** settings, add the Name, Gender, Age, and Ethnicity of the relative to help the AI map natural expressions. Click Save when finished. Avatar Settings ### Step 9: Click Generate Video With your character card active, click the **Generate Video** button to launch the avatar advance configuration. Generate Video ### Step 10: Click on the Script Field In the editor timeline, click on the **Script** tab to open the text editing panel. Click on Script box to add Script ### Step 11: Write Your Script Type the exact message, advice, or family history you want them to speak. Add Script *Tip: For historical figures, write transcripts of their famous historical quotes or letters.* ### Step 12: Select a Voice Model Click on **Select Voice**. Select a voice preset that matches the gender, age, and accent of your relative, or upload a custom voice sample. Select Voice * We used the below voice for the relative in the example: Choose Voice We used a public voice for the generation, but you can also record live audio or upload a custom voice. ### Step 13: Choose Output Formats Under **Output Settings**, choose the aspect ratio: * **Aspect Ratio**: Select 9:16 for mobile phone cards (WhatsApp, Reels) or 16:9 for widescreen visualizers. * **Resolution**: Choose 1080p or 4K to preserve the details of the original photo. Update Output Settings ### Step 14: Select Action Prompt Click on **Action Prompt** to control the physical behaviors. Write custom instructions (e.g., *"Gentle speaking style, nodding head slightly, warm gaze, smiling softly"*). Click on Action Prompt * We used the below action prompt for the relative in the example: Action Prompt ### Step 15: Click on **Generate** for Video Generation Verify your text script and configurations, and click **Generate** to start processing. Generate Video ### Step 16: Confirm the Audio Preview Listen to the audio preview to check the pacing. If everything sounds correct, click **Generate Avatar Video** to compile the video clip. Generated Audio Preview ### Step 17: Download the Video Once processing is complete, check the animations. Click the **Download** button to save the MP4 video to your device. Download Video ## Example Inputs & Result Here is an example setup showing how you can bring old photos to life: ### Used Photo Vintage Portrait ### Used Script ``` Hello there! This is a portrait of me taken in the summer of 1945. It is wonderful to share my story with you today using modern technology. Though years have passed and the world has changed, these memories remain as clear as ever. Thank you for keeping this history alive. ``` ### Used Action Prompt ``` Nostalgic memoir presenter. The person in the black-and-white photo speaks calmly, nodding gently with subtle, warm smiles and natural blinking. ``` ### Output Result Video Below is the rendered video: