How to use HeyGen AI to make videos: a step‑by‑step guide for 2026

To use HeyGen AI to make videos, you sign up, click Create Video, pick an avatar, paste your script into the AI Studio, choose a voice and press submit. HeyGen then renders a talking presenter that reads your words with lip sync. The free plan lets you make up to three short, watermarked videos a month, so you can try every step below without paying.

By the end of this guide you'll have a finished one-minute avatar video, and you'll know how to make an avatar of yourself and translate the result into another language. We built these steps from HeyGen's own help centre and Academy, checked in late October 2026. Nobody at The AI Future tested the tool hands-on for this piece. For our full verdict, read our HeyGen AI review.

What you need before you start

• A HeyGen account. The Free plan needs no credit card, according to HeyGen's pricing page.
• A short script. 100 to 150 words is about one minute of speech, which is the Free plan's limit per video.
• A laptop or desktop browser. The editor has a lot of panels, so a bigger screen helps.
• Optional: a phone or webcam. You only need this if you want an avatar of yourself (Step 7).

HeyGen plans and credits (checked October 2026)

HeyGen's paid plans use credits, a single currency you spend across features. The cost of a video depends on the AI model, the length and the complexity, according to the pricing FAQ.

Unused monthly credits roll over for one more month, but they expire if you cancel (HeyGen pricing). Start on Free and upgrade only once you know you'll use it.

If you prefer to watch first, this walkthrough from AI Academy shows how to build an explainer video with a HeyGen avatar from start to finish.

How to use HeyGen AI to make videos, step by step

Step 1: Create your account and open the dashboard

Go to heygen.com and sign up. After you log in, you land on the dashboard, where all your past projects live. The main navigation sits on the left, as HeyGen Academy explains.

You should now see an empty projects area and a Create Video button.

Step 2: Start a new project

Click Create Video, then choose Start from Scratch. Pick portrait (for Shorts, Reels and TikTok) or landscape (for YouTube and slides). You can change this later. HeyGen then opens the AI Studio, its main editor (HeyGen Academy).

Give the project a name at the top. A clear name like "Product update – November" saves you hunting later.

Step 3: Choose your avatar

A default avatar called Annie appears automatically. To swap her, click the avatar icon on the right panel and then the avatar's name. You can pick another version of the same avatar, replace it with a different one, or remove the avatar entirely (HeyGen Help Center).

You can also click Avatars above the canvas to browse HeyGen's public library or your own avatars. Clicking the avatar on the canvas lets you switch looks, adjust framing or remove the background (HeyGen Academy).

Tip: Pick a presenter whose style fits your audience. A relaxed avatar in casual clothes suits a social clip better than one in a suit.

Step 4: Write or paste your script

The script editor sits on the left. Each script section is linked to a scene, which works like a slide in a presentation. HeyGen recommends keeping each section under 2,000 characters for the best results (HeyGen Help Center).

Click + Scene to add the next part of your script, either as a blank scene or from a template. To make speech sound natural, put your cursor between sentences and click Pause. You can lengthen or shorten each pause in half-second steps.

Here is a short example script you can paste in and adapt. It is a starting point, not a tested output:

Hi, I'm Sam from Brightside Bakery. This month we're launching three new sourdough loaves. [pause] Each one is baked fresh every morning and ready by 8 a.m. [pause] Order online before 6 p.m. and we'll have yours waiting at the counter. See you soon!

If you'd rather not write from zero, you can ask any chatbot for help. Try this prompt and edit the result:

Write a 120-word script for a friendly presenter video. Topic: [your topic]. Audience: [who it's for]. Use short sentences, one idea per sentence, and end with a clear call to action.

Step 5: Pick and preview a voice

Select a voice that fits your message. You can adjust accent, tone, speed and the voice engine. Click the play button next to the voice to hear your script read aloud before you generate anything (HeyGen Help Center).

Voices apply to the whole video by default. When your script is finished, open the voice again and click Apply to all scenes. Want your real voice instead? Use Upload Audio or Record Audio to drop in your own recording.

Watch out: Listen to the preview all the way through. Names, brands and numbers are where AI voices most often slip, and fixing them now costs nothing.

Step 6: Add visuals, music and captions, then submit

Next to the Avatars tab you'll find tools to add text, upload media, generate AI images, manage captions and change the background (HeyGen Academy). Music lives on the right panel (HeyGen Help Center).

The AI Studio is script-based rather than timeline-based. To control when an element appears, click it on the canvas, then drag the two timing markers that appear in your script.

When you're happy, submit the video. HeyGen can't show a full preview while you edit because animating the avatar takes time, so the finished version appears only after you submit. If you see a "No Avatar in Video" warning, check that you really meant to leave the presenter out (HeyGen Help Center).

You should now see your project processing on the dashboard. When it's done, open it and download it.

Step 7: Create an avatar of yourself (with consent)

A stock presenter is fine for many videos. If you want to appear yourself, HeyGen calls a custom video avatar a Digital Twin. Free users get one Digital Twin slot (HeyGen Help Center).

1. Go to the Avatar section, open Avatars, click New Avatar and choose Clone a Real Person.
2. Record or upload footage. HeyGen asks for at least 1080p at 30fps, one continuous take with no cuts, bright even light, a plain background and a quiet room.
3. Speak on camera even if you plan to use a different voice. The lip sync depends on it.
4. Record for at least 2 minutes. HeyGen suggests up to 5 minutes for the best training results.
5. Record the consent video. You read the consent text shown on screen, in under 30 seconds, by webcam, phone or upload (HeyGen Help Center).

HeyGen says the avatar takes about 10 to 20 minutes to process for non-4K footage (HeyGen Help Center).

Only make an avatar of yourself, or of someone who has clearly agreed. HeyGen's moderation policy says creating avatars of other people without their explicit consent is "strictly prohibited", and it bans avatars of celebrities or public figures who haven't consented. If you're making an avatar for a colleague, they must record their own consent video, and it has to be the same person as in the footage (HeyGen Help Center). Photo avatars skip this check, but HeyGen's developer docs are clear that the missing step "is not permission to use someone's likeness". Get permission and keep a record of it.

HeyGen's official channel has a short tutorial on recording a lifestyle-style avatar, which pairs well with this step.

Step 8: Translate your video into another language

HeyGen's dubbing tool re-voices a video in a new language using the original speaker's voice, with optional lip sync (HeyGen Help Center). Here's how:

1. Open Video Translation and add your video. You can upload an MP4, MOV or WEBM file up to 5 GB, choose an existing HeyGen project, or paste a YouTube or Google Drive link.
2. Set the source language, or use Auto Detect. The video must use only one spoken language.
3. Choose up to 10 target languages per job.
4. Pick an engine. Audio Only costs 4 credits per minute with no lip sync. Speed costs 6 credits per minute and suits front-facing speakers. Precision costs 10 credits per minute and handles side profiles, hands in front of the face and several speakers.
5. Click Translate.

Tip: HeyGen recommends translating into one language first to check quality before running the rest. On Pro and higher plans you can proofread the translated script word by word before generating (HeyGen Help Center).

Translation only re-voices people who appear in the video. Only translate footage of yourself or of people who agreed to be dubbed.

Example: a complete worked example

Let's put it together. Say you run a small bakery and want a 45-second Instagram clip announcing new loaves, plus a Spanish version.

1. Set up. Click Create Video, Start from Scratch, portrait. Name it "Sourdough launch – Nov".
2. Avatar. Swap Annie for a stock presenter in casual clothes, or use your own Digital Twin if you've made one.
3. Script. Paste the bakery script from Step 4 into three scenes: greeting, the product, the call to action.
4. Voice. Choose a warm voice, slow it slightly, preview it and click Apply to all scenes.
5. Visuals. Upload three photos of your loaves, one per scene. Turn on captions, since many people watch social video with the sound off.
6. Submit. Wait for processing, then download.
7. Translate. Run the finished project through Video Translation into Spanish with the Speed engine. At 6 credits per minute, a 45-second clip costs under 6 credits by HeyGen's published rate.

On the Free plan, this English version uses one of your three monthly videos and carries a watermark. Paid plans remove the branding (HeyGen pricing).

Common mistakes and how to fix them

• The voice mispronounces a name. Preview every scene before submitting. Spell tricky words the way they sound, or for translations use the Brand Glossary to keep terms consistent (HeyGen Help Center).
• The Digital Twin is rejected. The usual causes are a consent video from a different person, a screen recording of the consent text, or dark or blurry footage. The reason shows on the avatar card (HeyGen Help Center).
• The avatar has odd habits. Your twin copies your footage, coughs and all. Re-record one clean, continuous take without edits (HeyGen Help Center).
• Your photo doesn't talk. If you drop a photo into Assets instead of creating a photo avatar in the Avatar section, the video won't have lip sync (HeyGen Help Center).
• The translation fails. Check the source video contains only one spoken language.

Tips to get better results

• Write for the ear. Short sentences, one idea each. Read the script aloud before you paste it.
• Use pauses. A half-second pause between ideas makes the presenter sound far less rushed.
• Keep scenes short. Switching scenes every 10 to 15 seconds gives you a natural place to change visuals.
• Look into the lens. When filming your twin, keep eye contact, smile during pauses and keep gestures in frame, as HeyGen advises.
• Test one language first. Credits are spent per minute, so check one translation before running ten.

For more on writing instructions for AI video in general, see our AI video prompt guide.

FAQ

Is HeyGen free to use?

Yes, with limits. The Free plan gives you three watermarked videos a month, each up to one minute, plus one custom video avatar and more than 500 stock presenters. No credit card is needed. Paid plans start at $29 a month for Creator, or $24 a month billed yearly (HeyGen pricing, checked October 2026).

How long does HeyGen take to make a video?

HeyGen doesn't publish a fixed render time, because it depends on length and the model you use. Paid plans get faster processing than Free. A new Digital Twin takes roughly 10 to 20 minutes to process for non-4K footage, according to HeyGen's help centre.

Can I make a HeyGen avatar of someone else?

Only with their explicit consent. For a video-based Digital Twin, the person must record their own consent video, and it must match the person in the footage. HeyGen's moderation policy bans avatars of real people, including celebrities, made without consent.

How many languages can HeyGen translate into?

HeyGen's pricing page lists 30+ languages on Free and 175+ languages and dialects on paid plans. You can pick up to 10 target languages in a single translation job, and choose whether you want lip sync (HeyGen Help Center).

Can I use my own voice in HeyGen?

Yes. You can upload or record your own audio for any scene, or create a voice clone. The Free plan includes one voice clone, and paid plans offer more usage (HeyGen pricing).

Can I use HeyGen videos commercially?

HeyGen's paid plans remove the watermark, which most businesses will want. Its moderation policy says you own the photo and custom avatars you create but are responsible for having the rights and consent behind them (HeyGen moderation policy). Check HeyGen's current terms for your use.

Next steps

You now know how to script, voice, render and translate an avatar video in HeyGen. If you want to compare it with other kinds of AI video, start with our pillar guide on how to generate video with AI. Then try our Higgsfield AI tutorial for cinematic clips, or learn how to use Kling AI for text-to-video scenes. Weighing your options? Our list of the best AI video generators compares HeyGen with the rest.