What changed | A picture can become a presenter in your project

On November 2, 2026, Google announced a new way to make a custom AI avatar in its video editor, Google Vids. Choose an image from your computer, Google Drive or Google Photos, refine details such as the background or lighting in Vids, then save the avatar for use throughout the project. The gradual rollout to Rapid Release domains began on October 30 and may take up to 15 days. For Scheduled Release domains, rollout starts on November 20 and is expected to take one to three days. The announcement lists personal Google accounts and several Workspace editions. Announcement and availability

Why it matters | Keep the same guide for the opening and closing scenes

Suppose you’re making an English-language onboarding video. In the opening scene a presenter directs colleagues to visitor registration. In the final scene the same person reminds them to return their badges. Select the presenter’s appearance and voice once, then write a short script for each scene. If you want the same avatar in another file later, Google’s help page explains how to take it with you by copying the original project. Saving and reusing an avatar

How to use it | Save the presenter, then add the lines

  1. Prepare an image on your computer. Open a Google Vids project, click AI avatar, then choose Design a custom avatar → Upload image → Upload. Pick a clear, well-lit face. Google recommends a landscape 16:9 image with a neutral background. The upload option may not be visible if your domain is still waiting for rollout.
  2. Check the appearance and preview a voice. Choose Refine selected and describe an adjustment, such as simplifying the background. Use Select voice to preview voices, then save. The character is now available to select again in this project.
  3. Generate a clip for the current scene. Select your saved avatar and enter a line on the right, such as “Please return your visitor badge at the front desk.” Click Insert to generate and place the clip. A generated avatar clip can be up to 60 seconds long. Keep the window open while it is generating. Select the same presenter for another scene and supply a different line. After editing an existing script, look for Avatar outdated. Choose Update for that scene and play it back to check. Controls, duration and script updates