Animate Old Photos
Bring a still family photo to life with a short, natural video — gentle blinking, a warm smile, a slight head movement. Designed to keep faces recognisable.
- Subtle, natural movement — no exaggerated effects
- Choose a motion style and a 4 or 8-second clip, then download it as an MP4
- Repair or colorize the photo first for the best results
1 photo per video · up to 15MB · 80 credits for 4 seconds, 160 for 8 seconds · about 1–2 minutes · results can vary, so check the faces before you share
Works best with clear, front-facing faces. Damaged or faded? Run it through Old Photo Repair first.
Frequently asked questions
What does Animate Old Photos do?
It turns a still photo into a short video with subtle, natural movement — gentle blinking, a soft smile or a slight head turn — so a portrait of someone you love feels alive. You choose the motion style and a 4 or 8-second length, and download the result as an MP4 to share on WhatsApp, Instagram or Facebook.
Will the faces still look like the people in my photo?
We ask the AI for very small, natural movements and to keep every face exactly the same, but it's generative AI, so small details can occasionally change. Check the video before you share it. Photos with clear, front-facing faces give the best results; if a result isn't right, try another motion style.
Is there sound?
No — the AI generates sound with every video, but it can invent background noise or even voices, so we remove it by default. If you'd like to try it, tick “Keep the AI-generated sound” before you animate.
How long does it take and what does it cost?
About 1–2 minutes per video. A 4-second video costs 80 credits and an 8-second video costs 160 credits. Credits you buy never expire and are shared with every AI tool; if a video can't be made, its credits are refunded automatically. Free daily credits count towards the price too.
My photo is damaged or faded — what should I do first?
Repair it first with Old Photo Repair (scratches, tears, creases), then add color with the Colorizer if you like. Clean photos animate much better. The “Animate” button under each repaired photo opens this page with it already added.
Is my photo kept?
No. Your photo is used only to make the video, and the uploaded copy is deleted as soon as it's done. The finished video stays on our server for about 30 minutes so you can download it, and is then deleted. See our Privacy Policy.
What isn't allowed?
Please only animate photos you have the right to use, and never use the tool to create misleading videos of real people — for example, to make someone appear to say or do something they didn't. See our Terms.