What is an AI hug video?
An AI hug video is a short clip in which two people from two separate photos meet and hug each other. You do not need a photo of the two of you together. You upload one photo of each person, the AI first places both of them in the same scene, and then it animates the moment they hug. The faces and clothes stay as they are in your photos.
People make these clips for friends who live in another country, for a sibling they have not seen in a while, for a long distance best friend on their birthday, or simply because it is fun to see two people from different photos in one warm moment. The clip is short, so it works well as a story, a message in the group chat or a post on TikTok and Reels.
How to make an AI hug video in 3 steps
This effect needs a free account with credits, and it works on phone and desktop.
- Upload two photos: one of each person, ideally a clear photo from the waist up. Confirm that both people agreed to be in the video.
- Choose a hug scene: Airport reunion, Bear hug spin or Old photo comes alive.
- Click Create video, wait about a minute, then watch your hug video and download it as an MP4.
Three hug scenes people love to copy
Each scene tells a tiny story, so the clip feels like a real moment instead of two people just standing still. Pick the one that fits the message you want to send.
- Airport reunion: the two people spot each other in an arrivals hall, drop the suitcase and rush into a big hug. It is the most emotional scene and works well for friends and family who live far apart.
- Bear hug spin: one person grabs the other in a huge bear hug, lifts them off the ground and spins around while both laugh. Great for birthdays, good news or just showing how much you missed someone.
- Old photo comes alive: the two people appear inside an old instant photo held above a table, then slowly turn to each other and hug inside the photo. It looks like a memory coming back to life.
Ideas for your hug video
The best hug videos have a reason behind them. A few ideas that people like to share:
- A surprise for a friend who moved abroad: send the Airport reunion clip with the date you will visit.
- A birthday message for your best friend, with the Bear hug spin as the big moment.
- Two cousins, two old friends or two teammates who have not met in years, brought together in one clip.
- A thank you to a parent or grandparent who helped you through a hard year, using the Old photo comes alive scene.
- A before and after post: first the two separate photos, then the hug.
Which photos work best
The AI needs to see both people clearly to keep their faces the same. These tips help a lot:
- Use one photo per person, with only that person in it. Group photos confuse the AI.
- Choose photos from the waist up or full body, with the face clearly visible and not covered by sunglasses or a hand.
- Photos with similar light, for example both taken outdoors in daylight, blend more naturally into one scene.
- Only adults, and only people who agreed to it. Photos of children, of celebrities and of people who did not agree are not allowed.
Posting your hug video
The video is a landscape 16:9 clip of a few seconds. For TikTok, Reels and Shorts, place it in the vertical editor of the app and add a caption above it, for example who the two people are and how long it has been since they last met. A soft song works better than a loud one for the reunion and old photo scenes; add it inside the app when you post.
If you post publicly, mention that the clip was made with AI. TikTok and Instagram both have a label for AI generated content, and it keeps your post honest.
Please use photos with permission
A hug video should make both people smile. Only upload photos of yourself and of adults who agreed to be in the video, and do not use the clip to deceive, mock or harass anyone or to suggest a relationship that does not exist. Every uploaded photo goes through an automatic safety check, and photos that break our rules are rejected.
Credits for this effect
This effect has no free videos: every clip is made with credits. The sample video on this page is free to watch, and the photo to video tool on our homepage and most of our other effects still include 1 free video as a preview. Videos made with credits have no watermark and download as an MP4.
To make one, create a free account and buy a credit pack. A 480p clip with 4 seconds costs 50 credits, and an HD clip at 720p with 8 seconds costs 80 credits. The smallest pack is 1,000 credits for $9.90, enough for about 20 videos of this effect. Credits last 12 months and are only taken when a video starts; if the AI fails, they go back to your balance automatically.
What happens to your photo
Your photo is sent to the AI model only to create your video. Uploaded photos are deleted after 24 hours, and we never publish your photos or videos anywhere. The finished clip is yours to download as an MP4 file.