To use HeyGen, sign up for a free account, click Create Video (choose vertical or horizontal), pick an AI avatar, type the script you want it to say and click Submit. HeyGen turns the script into a talking presenter video. To appear in videos yourself, create a Digital Twin from a short recording of you.
HeyGen is an AI video tool built around talking avatars. Instead of filming yourself every time, you type a script and an avatar presents it, either one of HeyGen's ready-made presenters or a digital version of you. Business owners use it for training videos, product explainers, social clips and videos in other languages. Here's how to make your first one.
Step 1: Sign up
Create an account at heygen.com. As of October 2026, HeyGen's pricing page says you can try it free with no credit card, and the free plan includes up to three videos a month. HeyGen's FAQ says it works best on a computer, though there's a mobile page for making a demo.
Step 2: Start a video
HeyGen gives you three ways in:
- From scratch: hover over Create Video in the top right and pick a vertical or horizontal video.
- From a template: browse the template library and click Use this Template.
- From an avatar: browse the avatars, choose one you like, and HeyGen opens a window to create a video with it.
Choose vertical for Reels, Shorts and TikTok, and horizontal for YouTube, websites and presentations.
Step 3: Add your script and voice
Type or paste the script into the scene. Write it the way you'd say it out loud: short sentences, one idea per line, and a clear call to action at the end. Pick a voice that suits the avatar and your audience. Each scene holds one character, so if you want two presenters, put them in different scenes.
Copy this prompt
Hi, I'm Sam from Brightside Plumbing. If your boiler's making a banging noise, don't panic. It's usually trapped air or limescale, and both are fixable. Here are three things to check before you call anyone out.
Step 4: Generate and download
When the script is ready, click Generate. The Submit Video menu appears with your final settings. On a paid plan, there's a watermark toggle at the bottom left of that menu. Submit it and HeyGen renders the video.
How to make a Digital Twin of yourself
A Digital Twin is an avatar built from real footage of you, so it moves, gestures and speaks like you. HeyGen says free users get one Digital Twin slot. To make one, go to the Avatar section, choose Avatars, select New Avatar and choose Clone a Real Person. You can record live or import existing footage, and the last step is a short consent video from the person being cloned.
HeyGen's own short version is a 30-second recording on your phone or webcam. Its recording guidelines are where most of the quality comes from:
| Setting | HeyGen's guidance |
|---|---|
| Resolution | At least 1080p at 30fps; 4K at 60fps is even better |
| Orientation | 16:9 (wide) or 9:16 (tall) |
| Sound | Quiet room, no echo; your speaking voice must be on the clip |
| Lighting | Bright and even, no harsh shadows |
| Background | Simple and static |
| Delivery | Look into the lens, speak naturally, keep hands in frame |
The detail people miss: even if you plan to use a different voice, HeyGen says your recording must include sound of you speaking, because it's needed for lip syncing. And your avatar copies exactly what you give it, so any cough or odd movement in the footage can turn up in your videos.
If you'd rather not use your own voice, you can create a separate voice from your footage afterwards, or from a separate audio file, according to HeyGen. An external microphone helps, as long as the room is quiet. HeyGen's FAQ also says user data isn't used to train its AI models.
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What the free plan includes
HeyGen's FAQ lists the free plan as three videos a month, each up to one minute, in 1080p. It also includes limited trial access to premium features such as Avatar IV, Video Agent and lip-sync translation.
The main limitation is the watermark. HeyGen's help centre says free videos automatically include the HeyGen watermark with no option to remove it. Every paid plan lets you remove it. Once you switch it off for one video, it stays off for future videos until you turn it back on.
| Plan (US dollars) | Monthly | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 3 videos a month, up to 1 minute, watermark |
| Creator | $29 | 600 credits a month, videos up to 30 minutes, no watermark, 1 voice clone |
| Pro | $49 | 1,000 credits a month, 4K export |
These are monthly prices as of October 2026 from HeyGen's FAQ. On paid plans, monthly subscribers' unused credits roll over for one more month, but HeyGen says credits don't carry over once you cancel.
Generating scenes rather than avatars? See whether Veo is free.
My advice
Make your first three free videos with a ready-made avatar to learn how scripts sound out loud. Record your Digital Twin once you know you'll use HeyGen regularly, and take the time to get the lighting and sound right, because every future video depends on that clip. For other ways to animate a face, see my guide on making a photo talk with AI for free, and for wider video options, where to create AI videos for free.
Frequently asked questions
Is HeyGen free to use?
Yes. HeyGen's free plan needs no credit card and includes up to three videos a month. Its FAQ lists each free video as up to one minute in 1080p.
Can I remove the HeyGen watermark for free?
No. HeyGen says free videos automatically include the watermark with no option to remove it. Watermark removal is on all paid plans.
How do I make an avatar of myself in HeyGen?
Go to the Avatar section, choose Avatars, select New Avatar, then Clone a Real Person. Record or import footage of yourself and finish with a short consent video.
How long should my HeyGen recording be?
HeyGen says a 30-second recording on a phone or webcam is enough to start, at least 1080p and 30fps, in a quiet, evenly lit room.
Can you put two avatars in one HeyGen video?
Each scene holds one character. To use more than one avatar, put each one in a different scene.
