Tribute Reel: Turn a Loved One's Photos Into a Heartfelt Video
At MyHeritage, we believe every life story deserves to be preserved and shared. Photos capture the moments — but a Tribute Reel brings them to life.
Tribute Reel uses advanced AI to animate a set of still photos and stitch them together into a single, emotionally powerful video, complete with music and optional personalized text. Whether you're honoring a grandparent on their 90th birthday, creating a centerpiece for a golden anniversary, or preserving the memory of a beloved family member you've lost, Tribute Reel gives you a beautiful way to celebrate a whole life — not just a single moment.
Note: Tribute Reel is currently available on the MyHeritage website on desktop and mobile web browsers. Support on the MyHeritage mobile app will be added in a future update.
How Tribute Reel Works
Tribute Reel transforms still photos into a cinematic video by combining three things:
Animated scenes: Each photo is analyzed and individually animated into a 5-second clip that brings the scene to life.
Seamless storytelling: The clips are stitched together in sequence with smooth dissolve transitions, creating a single flowing video.
Personal touches: Your choice of soundtrack, opening title, and closing text make the video uniquely yours.
Your original photos on MyHeritage are never altered — all enhancements apply only to the video output.
At a glance:
👇How to Create a Tribute Reel
Follow the steps below.
Click on each step to open the collapsible instructions:
Step 1: Choose your subject
Step 1: Choose your subject
You can start directly by clicking here. Alternatively, access Tribute Reel from the Photos menu in the main navigation bar on the MyHeritage website.
Once you're on the Tribute Reel page:
Click on "Create Tribute Reel".
If you have a family tree with photos on MyHeritage, the page will display suggested relatives to create a video for. Click any suggestion to pre-fill their name.
You can also type any name in the search field — the subject doesn't need to be in your family tree.
Click "Get started" to continue.
Step 2: Select your photos
Step 2: Select your photos
Click "ADD PHOTOS" to open the photo selection screen. You can choose photos already uploaded to MyHeritage, upload new ones from your device, or both.
Photos where the subject is already tagged in your MyHeritage library will appear at the top for easy selection.
Note:
Your video must include between 5 and 15 photos. We recommend at least 10 for the most engaging result.
Accepted file formats: JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, HEIF
When you're happy with your selection, click "Done".
Tip: For best results, upload a variety of images — from close-up smiles to group gatherings and meaningful scenes.
Step 3: Sort your photos and add text
Step 3: Sort your photos and add text
Arrange your photos in the order you want them to appear in the video — typically chronological order works best. Drag and drop the tiles to reorder them.
You can also personalize the video with optional text overlays:
Cover text — appears over the first photo (e.g., "Barbara: A Life Well Lived"). Maximum 32 characters.
Closing text — appears over the last photo (e.g., "The Legacy Continues"). Maximum 32 characters.
The estimated video length is shown at the bottom of the screen based on the number of photos (each photo = 5 seconds).
When you're ready, click "Continue".
Step 4: Choose your style
Step 4: Choose your style
On the Style screen, customize the final look and feel of your video:
Soundtrack — Choose from six music options or select "No sound". Hover over each option to hear a preview before selecting.
Soundtrack option | Mood |
Nostalgic piano | Warm and reflective |
Emotional strings | Moving and tender |
Uplifting acoustic | Hopeful and gentle |
Cinematic orchestral | Grand and sweeping |
Gentle guitar | Intimate and calm |
Ambient hope | Soft and atmospheric |
Photo colorization — When enabled, the AI automatically colorizes black-and-white photos and restores image quality before animating. This option is on by default, if you don't wish for your photos to be enhanced, please remove the selection in the checkbox. Your original photos on MyHeritage remain unchanged.
When you're done, click "Create Tribute Reel".
Step 5: Consent and results
Step 5: Consent and results
Before generating your first Tribute Reel, you'll be asked to give your consent to allow MyHeritage to process your photos using AI technology.
Generating a Tribute Reel can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on server load.
There's no need to stay on the page — MyHeritage will email you when your video is ready with a link to view it.
Viewing, Downloading, and Sharing
Once your video is ready, you'll find everything you need on the delivery screen:
Watch the video with standard playback controls (play, pause, volume, full screen).
Download the MP4 file directly to your device.
Share directly to Facebook, X (Twitter), or WhatsApp — links are pre-populated for easy posting.
Copy link — share a unique URL with anyone. Recipients can view the video without a MyHeritage account.
We encourage you to share your videos with the hashtags #MyHeritage and #TributeReel.
💡Tips for Best Results
Cover different life stages. Choose photos that show your subject from childhood through adulthood for a richer sense of their journey.
Include the people dear to them. Photos with parents, siblings, a spouse, children, or close friends add warmth and depth.
Favor candid moments. Photos depicting a real scene or interaction — outdoor moments, expressive faces, people in motion — tend to animate more beautifully than stiff posed portraits.
Mix close-ups and wider scenes. Variety keeps the video visually engaging throughout.
Don't worry if the first attempt isn't perfect. You can swap or remove photos, reorder them, and generate a new video. Each attempt uses one credit from your quota.
Privacy and Responsible Use
Who owns the video?
You do. MyHeritage creates the video for you but does not own it or your photos.
How are my photos used?
Photos you upload are stored in your MyHeritage account. To generate your video, they are shared with a third-party AI provider that does not obtain rights to your photos or the output. Your explicit consent is required before any processing begins. You can delete your photos at any time.
What are the watermarks?
All Tribute Reels include two watermarks that cannot be removed:
MyHeritage logo (bottom left) — so anyone you share with can discover the feature
AI symbol (bottom right) — to clearly identify the video as AI-generated, in keeping with MyHeritage's commitment to responsible AI
Responsible use
Please use Tribute Reel responsibly. Do not upload trademarked photos, or photos depicting violence, pornography, military scenes, or any other offensive subject matter. Do not share results that may humiliate or offend anyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a Tribute Reel for a living person?
Absolutely! Tribute Reel makes a meaningful and emotional gift for milestone birthdays, anniversaries, and family celebrations. It works just as beautifully for the living as it does for commemorating those who have passed.
How much does it cost?
Every user can create one Tribute Reel for free. To create additional videos, a Photo plan or Omni plan is required. .
Can I edit the video after it's been generated?
Not at this time. If you'd like a different result, you can adjust your photo selection, reorder the photos, and generate a new video.
Why doesn't the video look exactly as I expected?
AI animation results can vary depending on photo quality, composition, and lighting. For best results, use clear, well-lit photos with visible faces and interesting scenes. Blurry, heavily cropped, or cluttered group photos tend to animate less well.
Is Tribute Reel available on the mobile app?
Not yet. It is currently available on the MyHeritage website on desktop and mobile web browsers. App support will be added in a future update.
Are the video clips authentic footage?
No. Tribute Reel uses AI to simulate how the scenes in still photos would have looked if filmed. The AI may occasionally add details not present in the original photo. All Tribute Reels are labeled with an AI watermark to distinguish them from authentic video.
When I create a Tribute Reel, who owns the copyright?
You do. MyHeritage creates it for you but does not own the resulting video. The same applies to the photos you upload.