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Avatars
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Understanding avatarsHow to use Avatar IVHow to create a Digital TwinHow to generate looksHow to use FaceswapHow to create an Avatar using imageHow to add Gesture ControlHow to generate an avatar using AIHow to add products to your avatar

Understanding avatars

Creating your custom avatar in HeyGen is one of the most exciting ways to bring your personality, brand, or character to life. There are three main creation paths to choose from:

  • Hyper-Realistic Avatar
  • Photo Avatar
  • Generated Avatar

Each designed for different use cases and levels of creative control. Once your avatar is ready, you can enhance it further with Avatar IV, a next-generation feature that adds expressive motion and dynamic environments to any avatar you create.

The Hyper-Realistic Avatar is HeyGen’s most lifelike option. By uploading or recording a short video, you capture your real expressions, movements, and voice, creating a digital version of yourself that looks and sounds remarkably natural. It’s ideal for professional settings like executive communications, corporate training, or customer messaging where authenticity and realism matter.

If you don’t have video footage, a Photo Avatar offers a simple alternative. Upload 10–15 high-quality images, and HeyGen’s AI will generate an avatar with natural motion, realistic lip-syncing, and your chosen voice. It’s a fast and reliable way to create a digital twin when recording video isn’t possible.

For more creative flexibility, try a Generated Avatar. With just a text prompt, HeyGen can design a fully AI-generated character with distinct features, voices, and styles. This option is perfect for fictional personas, stylized branding, or experimenting with different characters in your storytelling.

Once your avatar is created, Avatar IV takes it to the next level. This enhancement layer uses AI to adapt facial expressions, gestures, and even backgrounds to match the emotion and context of your script. The result is more natural delivery and immersive storytelling, no matter which avatar type you start with.

Whether you’re building a lifelike representation of yourself or a completely new persona, HeyGen gives you the tools to make your avatar truly your own. With Hyper-Realistic, Photo, Generated, and Avatar IV enhancements, you can create characters that feel alive, authentic, expressive, and ready to tell your story.