How to Use the Solo Template to Animate a Single Person Photo

Homture's Solo template is designed specifically for animating photos with exactly one person. Using AI, it transforms a still portrait into a short animated video where the person performs a natural action — waving, smiling, blowing a kiss, and more.

This guide covers how to use the Solo template, what photos work best, and how to get the most natural-looking results.

What is the Solo Template?

Solo is a template in Homture's Magic tab labeled SINGLE — it works with photos containing exactly one person. The AI analyzes the portrait and generates a short video where the subject performs one of several available actions.

Available Actions

When using the Solo template, you can choose from these animated actions:

• Say Hi — The person waves at the viewer
• Smile — A warm, natural smile animation
• Send Love — Blowing a kiss or heart gesture
• Chill Chill — A relaxed, casual movement
• Love Now — An affectionate expression or gesture

What Makes a Good Solo Photo

The AI performs best when the photo meets these criteria:

• Exactly one person in the frame
• Subject is smiling
• Front-facing — looking directly at the camera
• Half-body or closer — face and upper body clearly visible
• Clear facial features — no blur, shadows, or obstructions

Photos to Avoid

These types of photos will likely produce poor results or fail entirely:

• More than one person in the shot
• Face covered or partially hidden
• Negative or unhappy expression
• Eyes closed
• Subject is very small in the frame
• Infants (the AI is optimized for older children and adults)
• Pet-hand contact (hand touching a pet in the photo)
• Cartoon or illustrated images

Step-by-Step: Animate a Single Person Photo

Step 1: Open the Magic Tab

Launch the Homture app and tap Magic at the bottom of the screen.

Step 2: Select the Solo Template

Find and tap the Solo template (labeled SINGLE). This opens the photo selection interface.

Step 3: Choose Your Photo

Select a photo from your gallery. The app uses image selection mode to let you pick the right image. Make sure the photo has exactly one person who is clearly visible and facing the camera.

Step 4: Choose an Action

Select the animation action you want the person to perform: Say Hi, Smile, Send Love, Chill Chill, or Love Now. Choose based on the mood of the photo and how you want to display it.

Step 5: Generate the Animation

Tap to submit. The AI processes your photo through its 4-stage pipeline. You'll receive a notification when the animated video is ready.

Step 6: Send to Your Frame

Preview the result, then tap "Select frames & send" to display it on your Homture frame. The animation plays when someone approaches within 5–6 feet.

Tips for Best Results

• Use a recent, clear photo — Modern smartphone photos with good lighting work best
• Smile in the photo — The AI generates more natural animations from smiling faces
• Avoid busy backgrounds — A clean or simple background keeps focus on the person
• Half-body framing — Showing the face and upper body gives the AI more to work with
• Good lighting — Avoid harsh shadows across the face

Troubleshooting

Generation failed

If the animation fails, your Magic Credits are automatically returned. Common causes: more than one person in the photo, face not clearly visible, or photo quality too low. Try a different photo that better matches the guidelines above.

Animation looks unnatural

This usually happens when the face is at an angle, partially obscured, or the expression is neutral or negative. Use a front-facing, smiling photo for the most natural results.

Conclusion

The Solo template is one of the most popular ways to use Homture's Magic feature. A single portrait becomes a living, moving display on your frame — waving, smiling, or sending love to everyone who walks by.

Follow the photo guidelines, choose the right action for the mood, and you'll get impressive results that make your Homture frame feel truly personal.