Add a smile to a photo

Looked serious in a photo you otherwise love? Add a natural, closed or open smile to your own face, and leave the rest of the photo untouched.

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Before: A neutral face in the park, then a warm smile. Only the expression changes. — A neutral face in the park, then a warm smile. Only the expression changes.

After: A neutral face in the park, then a warm smile. Only the expression changes. — A neutral face in the park, then a warm smile. Only the expression changes.

Some photos catch you between expressions: thinking, listening, waiting for the shot. You look fine, just more serious than you are. In a profile photo or a trip photo you want to share, a small smile changes how the whole picture reads.

Add a smile without changing your face

Open the photo in the web editor or Glowly on iPhone.
Tap Smile and turn the dial from Neutral toward Smile. Keep going toward Laugh if the moment was a happy one.
Hold the photo to compare, then save.

Glowly draws the smile with your own mouth, teeth and cheeks, so it looks like you on a good day and not like someone else's smile. Your eyes follow the smile a little, the way they do in real life. The background, light and framing stay exactly as they were.

How much smile is right

For a profile photo or headshot, a closed or slightly open smile reads as warm and approachable.
For a candid or group moment, a bigger smile or a laugh fits the scene better.
Match the light and the setting. A big laugh in a quiet, moody photo can feel out of place. Stop where the face fits the photo.

If you're unsure, stop earlier than you think. The most convincing edits are the ones nobody notices.

Before you edit

A retouch works best on a sharp, well-lit face looking roughly toward the camera. Very small faces, heavy blur or a face turned far away give the tool less to work with. For more on getting a smile right at the shutter, read how to smile naturally in photos.

Can I add a smile to a photo where I'm not smiling?

Yes. The Smile dial goes from neutral to a natural smile to a laugh, using your own face. You can stop at any point.

Will people be able to tell?

A small, matching smile is very hard to spot, because nothing else in the photo moves. Large changes in a serious scene are easier to notice, so we suggest a light touch.

Does it change my teeth?

It keeps your teeth as they are. If your mouth was closed, the smile shows teeth only as much as your own smile would.

Can I use it on someone else's photo?

Only on photos of yourself, or of people who have agreed. Glowly is for retouching your own face.

How to smile naturally in photos (and fix a forced smile)Why camera smiles look forced, how to get a real one while the photo is being taken, and how to fix a stiff smile in a photo you already have.
The best dating profile photos, and how to get themWhich photos to use on Hinge, Tinder and Bumble, which to leave out, and how to get good ones from your camera roll without a photographer.

Fix something else

Fix closed eyes in a photoBlinked in the one good photo? Open your eyes in the photo you already have. Only your eyes change; the light, the room and your expression stay as they were.
Fix a forced smile in a photoA stiff, held-too-long smile can make a good photo look awkward. Soften it into a natural one in the photo you already have, and keep everything else.
Make your dating profile photo betterYour best dating photo is often one you already have, minus a blink or a stiff smile. Fix the moment, keep the person, and put your best real photo first.