How to expand your photos using AI on TikTok

Help! An AI trend on TikTok won't get off my For You Page.

There's a new TikTok filter that uses AI to extend your photos and add fake backgrounds. It's reminiscent of the Photoshop AI toolthat fills in parts of images or expands them entirely, which some AI-focused accounts on Twitter used to make centuries-old paintings look worse. Now, you can use that same technology to make your photos on TikTok look worse. 

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The filter is going viral on TikTok, but you have to download a second app, CapCut, to create the video. So your first step to participating in this very weird trend is to download TikTok and CapCut. Here's how you do the rest.

Total Time

• 5 mins

What You Need

• TikTok app
• CapCut app
• a couple of photos

Step 1: Find your template

Because this AI technology is so widely shared, there are a bunch of copycat templates on CapCut and TikTok. But also because this AI technology is so widely shared, all of the copycats are virtually the same. I used this CapCut template, but if you want to use the exact template you've seen before simply navigate to their TikTok video of them doing the trend and above their username it will say "‘CapCut | Try AI Expand Template.’" Click on that button and then click "Use template in CapCut."

Credit: Screenshot / TikTok / CapCut

Step 2: Use template in CapCut

Once you're in CapCut on the template of your choice, click the blue "Use template" button. A permission request will pop up and, if you're cool with it, click "Allow" and give CapCut access to all of your photos.

Credit: Screenshot / CapCut

Step 3: Upload your pics

You'll need to choose six photos to upload that you'd like to see expanded.

Credit: Screenshot / CapCut

Step 4: Preview your video

After you're happy with your photo selection, click "Preview" at the bottom right of the video. This will also automatically download a copy of your video onto your phone.

Credit: Screenshot / TikTok / CapCut

Step 5: Move from CapCut to TikTok

Now, click "Add sound in TikTok" in the top right. It will automatically export the video to TikTok and add the trending audio. Edit the video how you normally would, and post it to the app. Viola! You've made a very weird trending picture video.

Credit: Screenshot / TikTok / CapCut

Most everyone who posted this trend commented on how "creepy" it is, and I can't help but agree. After all, one of the most used trending versions of the templates reads "este efecto de ia no te dejara dormir," or "this AI filter won't let you sleep."