> ## 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 Get Started with Photo Avatars > Learn how to get started with Photo Avatars on Zoice. Upload any photo or generate one with AI to create a realistic talking avatar, add motion, and produce professional videos in minutes. How to Get Started with Photo Avatars on Zoice Not every video needs to star you. With Zoice Photo Avatars, you can turn any photo into a fully animated, talking AI presenter, whether it is a photo of yourself, a professional model, a brand mascot, or a character you describe entirely in text and let AI generate from scratch. The process is simple: provide a photo, write a script, choose a voice, and Zoice animates the result into a professional talking avatar video with accurate lip-syncing, natural head movements, and expressive facial animation. In this guide, you will go through each step of creating and using your first Photo Avatar on Zoice. ## What is a Photo Avatar? A Photo Avatar is an AI-animated talking presenter created from a single still image. Zoice analyzes the face in your photo and generates realistic motion, lip-syncing, and expressions to match any script you provide. The key difference between a Photo Avatar and a Digital Twin is purpose and personalization. A **Digital Twin** is built from your own photo and cloned voice — it is a personal AI version of you. A **Photo Avatar** is more flexible — it can animate any photo into a talking presenter, making it a great tool for brand characters, fictional spokespeople, content creators, and businesses that need different presenter styles without using their own likeness. **Photo Avatars are great for:** * Brand characters and virtual spokespersons * Marketing and product explainer videos * E-learning courses and training content * News and announcement videos * Social media content across platforms * Multilingual campaigns in 100+ languages ## How to Create and Use a Photo Avatar in Few Simple Steps Here is the complete walkthrough from sign-in to downloading your first Photo Avatar video. ### Step 1: Visit Zoice.com and Sign In Open [Zoice.com](https://zoice.com) in your browser and click the **Sign In** button at the top-right corner of the homepage. Enter your email and password, or choose **Sign in with Google** to access your account in one click. Zoice Homepage New to Zoice? Click **Sign Up**, enter your name, email, and password, and your account will be ready in under a minute. Sign Up ### Step 2: Open Avatar Characters Once you are logged in, click **Avatar Characters** in the left sidebar of your Zoice dashboard. Avatar Characters This is your avatar library — where all your Photo Avatar profiles live. Click the **Create New** button to begin building your first Photo Avatar. Create New Avatar You can build multiple Photo Avatar profiles for different projects. For example, one formal corporate presenter, one casual social media host, and one brand mascot — all managed from the same library. ### Step 3: Add Your Photo On the avatar creation page, you have two ways to provide a photo for your avatar: **Option A: Upload Your Own Photo** Click **Upload Image** and select a photo from your device. This can be a photo of yourself, a team member, a professional model, or any image of a person you want to animate. Upload Photo **For the best results when uploading a photo:** * Use a clear, front-facing image with the full face visible * Even, natural lighting works best — avoid strong shadows across the face * Keep the background plain and simple for cleaner animation * Do not use photos with sunglasses, heavy makeup filters, or face coverings * Images at 500x500 pixels or higher produce noticeably sharper output **Option B: Generate a Photo Using an AI Prompt** If you want a fictional presenter or a custom brand character, select the **AI Prompt** option. Write a text description of the avatar you want and click **Generate Image**. AI Prompt * *"A cheerful female traveler in her late 20s with a sun-kissed complexion, wearing a green utility jacket, beautiful outdoor setting at a scenic mountain overlook, soft golden hour sunlight, sharp focus"* * *"A professional woman in her 30s with short dark hair, wearing a navy blazer, studio portrait lighting, clean white background"* * *"A friendly male news anchor in his 40s wearing a formal grey suit, broadcast studio setting, sharp focus"* **AI Prompt writing tips:** * Lead with the most important detail first — describe the person, then the setting, then the style * Be specific about lighting: "soft studio lighting" or "warm natural daylight" makes a big difference to output quality * Add quality keywords like "highly detailed," "sharp focus," or "ultrarealistic" to push the image quality higher * Stick to one consistent visual style per prompt — mixing conflicting styles produces inconsistent results Once you are happy with your uploaded or generated image, give your avatar a name and click **Generate Avatar**. Generate Avatar ### Step 4: Configure Avatar Settings After your Photo Avatar profile is created, click **Avatar Setting** to fill in details that help Zoice produce more accurate and natural animations. Configure Avatar Settings Configure Avatar Settings Popup * **Avatar Name:** A clear, recognizable label so you can find this avatar easily * **Gender:** Male or Female * **Age:** Young Adult, Adult, or Senior * **Ethnicity:** Helps Zoice calibrate facial expression rendering and skin tone accuracy Save the settings once filled in. ### Step 5: Select Your Avatar and Click Generate Video Return to the **Avatar Characters** library. Click your Photo Avatar to select it, then click **Generate Video** to open the video creation workspace. Select Avatar Generate Video Option ### Step 6: Add Your Script Inside the video creation workspace, click the **Script Box**. A popup will appear where you type or paste the text you want your Photo Avatar to speak. Script Box Write your script, then click **Add Script** to confirm. Add Script **Here is an example script you can use as a reference:** ``` Welcome! I'm your AI travel guide, ready to take you on a journey to some of the most beautiful destinations in the world. Today, we are exploring how you can create immersive travel vlogs, guides, and tips using AI avatars — allowing you to share stories from around the globe without carrying heavy camera gear. Whether you are mapping out your next adventure or sharing budget hacks, this makes storytelling effortless. Let's begin the tour! ``` **Tips for writing a Photo Avatar script:** * Write in a conversational tone — this always sounds more natural when spoken aloud * Keep each sentence short and clear — complex sentences can sound unnatural in AI-generated speech * Use punctuation deliberately — commas and periods control pauses and pacing in your avatar's delivery * Test with a short 20-second clip before generating a full-length video ### Step 7: Select a Voice Click **Select Voice** to choose which AI voice your Photo Avatar will use. Browse Zoice's library of public voices, preview them, and pick one that fits your content's tone — professional, warm, authoritative, or conversational. Select Voice Option Select Voice You can also import a custom voice from ElevenLabs using your API key in your Zoice voice settings, or use your own cloned voice profile if you have one set up. For Photo Avatars, a well-matched public voice often works just as effectively. ### Step 8: Set Output Settings Click **Output Settings** to choose the video format for your Photo Avatar: * **Aspect Ratio:** 16:9 for YouTube, websites, or LinkedIn — or 9:16 for Instagram Reels, TikTok, or YouTube Shorts * **Resolution:** Up to 4K for maximum clarity Output Settings ### Step 9: Add an Action Prompt Click **Action Prompt** to control how your Photo Avatar moves and behaves throughout the video. This includes head movements, eye contact, facial expressions, and delivery energy. Click Action Prompt **Here is an example action prompt you can use as a reference:** ``` Friendly and enthusiastic travel guide style. The avatar maintains steady, warm eye contact with the camera. Cheerful facial expressions with natural smiles during key highlights. Gentle, expressive head tilts and nods to emphasize destinations. Natural, fluid blinking and smooth pacing. ``` Action Prompt Write motion instructions using specific, visual language rather than abstract terms. Instead of "look natural," write "maintain soft eye contact and use gentle head nods at the end of key sentences." The more specific your prompt, the more consistent and professional the result. ### Step 10: Generate Your Photo Avatar Video Once your script, voice, output settings, and action prompt are all set, click the **Generate** button to begin rendering. Generate Video ### Step 11: Preview Audio and Confirm Before the final video renders, Zoice creates an audio preview. Listen carefully to verify pronunciation, pacing, and overall voice quality. If everything sounds right, click **Generate Avatar Video** to produce the final output. Audio Preview ### Step 12: Preview and Download Your Video Once processing is complete, play the video to review the lip-sync accuracy, head movements, expression quality, and overall appearance. Download Video If you are happy with the result, click **Download** to save the video to your device. Your Photo Avatar video is ready to publish wherever you need it. ## Output Result Video Below is a sample Photo Avatar video generated using Zoice, based on the script and action prompt shown in this guide: