How to animate a photo with AI

You can animate a photo in KollabiuM AI Studio on the "Animate photo" page. Upload a single picture, choose a motion, and AI turns it into a short 5- or 10-second clip. The person in the photo can blink, smile, turn their head or wave. It works for recent portraits and for old family photos too, even black-and-white ones.

Open "Animate photo"

Where to find it

Open AI Studio and click "Animate photo". The page has two steps: "Add a photo" and "Choose the motion".

How to animate a photo, step by step?

1. Check the box "I have the right to use this photo and consent from the people shown or their representatives".
2. Click "Upload your photo". A portrait, family picture or archival photo all work: JPEG, PNG or WebP up to 20 MB.
3. Choose a motion (see the options below).
4. Pick the duration (5 or 10 seconds), the mode and, if you like, sound.
5. Click "Animate". The price in credits is shown right on the button.

Clips come out in 720p, and the format follows the shape of your photo.

Which motions can you choose?

• "Gentle animation": natural breathing and gentle facial movement. This is the default: the photo comes alive but still looks like itself.
• "Smile at the camera": the person smiles and looks at the camera.
• "Head turn": a slow turn of the head to one side.
• "Wave": the person waves at the camera.
• "Hug": two people in the photo share a hug. You need a photo with exactly two people in it.
• "Breeze and background motion": a breeze gently moves hair and the background.
• "Custom description": describe the movement in your own words, for example "Grandma raises her cup and laughs".

How to bring an old photo to life?

Old pictures are often faded, scratched or black-and-white. In that case, check "Restore and colorize first":

1. Click "Restore". This is a separate paid step, and the price is on the button.
2. Look at the restored photo. Colors and missing details are reconstructed by AI, so they may differ a little from the original.
3. If you like the result, animate it. If not, just stop there.

This way you never pay for a clip before you've seen how the picture turned out.

"Fast" vs "Pro"

• "Fast": lower cost, a good fit for portraits.
• "Pro": more precise motion and sound.

Can you animate a photo with sound?

Yes. Turn on "Add sound" and the clip gets ambient sounds and emotion, such as laughter or wind. Whether there's speech depends on the model. Clips with sound cost more, and the new price appears on the button straight away.

What to do with the finished clip?

The finished clip appears on the page and is saved in "My work". From there you can:

• "Download": save it to your device;
• "To feed": publish it as a post;
• "To story": open the story editor with this clip.

Only you decide whether to publish it. Nobody sees the clip unless you choose to share it.

If a clip fails, your credits are refunded automatically.

How much does it cost?

Animating a photo is paid with AI credits. The price depends on duration, mode and sound, and you always see it on the button before you start: "Animate · N credits". If you don't have enough credits, the studio will offer to top up. Find out more in "How to buy AI credits in KollabiuM".

Which photos can you animate?

• Only upload photos you have the right to use, with consent from the people in them.
• Ordinary family photos with children are allowed. "Hug" and "Custom description" get stricter checks when children are in the photo.
• Nudity and sexualization of real people are prohibited.

Every photo and motion is checked automatically. If a check fails, try a different motion or another picture. The general studio rules are in "AI Studio rules and credit refunds".

Want a picture of yourself in a new look rather than a clip? See "AI photos of yourself: 'Me in the photo'".

Restore and colourise an old photo first. You can also use the separate Restore photo tab.