How to Create a Talking Character With AI: A Simple 2026 Guide

Here is how to create a talking character in Zoice: upload a character image with a clear face, write its lines, pick a voice, and Zoice turns it into a talking video, lip synced to your script. Mascots, 3D figures, anime style personas, and illustrated characters can all work when the face is clear.

This guide walks through every screen in Zoice, from sign in to download, then shares tips and ideas. For more, see the best AI talking mascot generators, or browse anime talking avatar tools.

What Makes a Good Custom Character

Zoice needs to find the face, the eyes, and the mouth, so a good character image keeps all three in plain view. Check your image against this short list:

• A clear face with visible eyes and mouth
• A front facing pose, looking at the camera
• One character per image
• A plain, uncluttered background

Starting from a sketch instead? Our guide on how to make a drawing come to life covers hand drawn characters.

How to Create a Talking Character in Zoice, Step by Step

Here is how to create a talking character in Zoice, one click at a time. Each step shows the exact screen, with a yellow arrow on the button to click. For this demo we used an original 3D cartoon character, the Cartesia Sonic 3.6 voice model, a voice from the library, and 720p output.

Step 1: Visit Zoice and Sign In

Go to the Zoice website at zoice.com and click Sign In in the top right corner of the homepage. Log in with your email and password, or with Google. New to Zoice? Click Sign up on the login form to create a free account first.

Step 2: Open New Avatar Videos

After you sign in, you land on the Zoice Home dashboard. Click New Avatar Videos near the top of the left sidebar to open the Avatar videos composer, where every talking character video starts.

Step 3: Click Avatar Character, Then Create New

In the composer, click the Avatar Character button. The Select Avatar Character window opens with every avatar you have saved. Click the round Create New button at the top left to add a new one.

Step 4: Choose Upload Image

The Create new avatar panel opens. Keep the Upload Image tab selected, then click the upload area, or drag your file onto it. Zoice accepts PNG, JPG, and HEIC files up to 10 MB.

Step 5: Upload Your Character Image

Pick your character image. A preview appears in the upload area, so you can check the face before you continue. For this demo we used an AI generated 3D cartoon character with a teal bob, big brown eyes, and a mustard hoodie on a plain peach background. It is an original character, not a real person. A character image works best when:

• The eyes and the mouth are easy to see
• The character faces forward, toward the viewer
• The light is bright and even
• No second character or face shares the frame
• The image is cropped close around the head and shoulders

Step 6: Name Your Avatar Host and Click Generate Avatar

Type a name in the Avatar Name field. We used Host. A unique name makes the avatar easy to find later, when you have many saved avatars. Then click Generate Avatar. The panel notes that this generation uses 8 credits. Host is saved to Avatar Characters, so you can reuse it in any avatar video.

Step 7: Open the Add Script Panel

Back in the composer, Host now sits on the Avatar Character button. Click the script box to open the Add script panel, with the Voice Model menu on the right.

Step 8: Choose the Cartesia Voice Model

Open the Voice Model menu on the right and choose Cartesia Sonic 3.6 under Cartesia. A check mark shows next to the selected model. It handles scripts of up to 50K characters and supports audio tags, such as excited or whispers, that help a character sound like itself.

Step 9: Paste Your Script and Click Add Script

Type or paste the words your character will say. Our script starts with "Hey there, I'm the Host, a custom character made in Zoice, and today I'm doing the talking." It runs 896 characters, so the panel counts 896 of 50K. Zoice supports scripts in 170+ languages and dialects. Then click Add script.

Here is the full script we used:

Hey there, I'm the Host, a custom character made in Zoice, and today I'm doing the talking. Creating a talking character is easier than you think. Start with a character image, like a mascot, a 3D figure, or an illustrated persona, with a clear face, eyes, and mouth. Upload it to Avatar X and check the face preview. Then write my lines and give me some personality, a little humor, a little enthusiasm. Pick a voice with the Cartesia voice model that suits me, set the video to seven twenty p, and click generate. Avatar X syncs my lips to every word, so my mouth follows your script line by line. Use characters like me to host your channel, teach a lesson, or tell a story. Here's a tip. Keep the face, eyes, and mouth easy to see, give your character a consistent voice, and write lines with a little emotion so I sound like myself. Download the video, and let your character take the stage.

Step 10: Pick a Voice

Click the voice button in the composer and pick a voice profile from the library. We chose Maya. The composer now shows Host, Maya, and the start of your script. The Output button still reads 1:1 and 480p, which you change next.

Step 11: Set 720p in Output

Click Output to open the Output popover. Keep the 1:1 aspect ratio and choose 720p in the Resolution menu, which shows the extra credits 720p uses. The Output button now reads 1:1 and 720p. Choose 9:16 for Reels and Shorts, or 16:9 for YouTube.

Step 12: Click Generate and Check the Audio Preview

Click Generate. With Enable audio preview switched on, Zoice opens a new project and makes an audio preview first. When the card reads Preview generated, the player shows the length, and ours ran 0:54. Press play to check the words and the timing.

The composer below resets for your next video, while this project keeps your settings.

Step 13: Click Generate Avatar Video

If the preview sounds right, click Generate avatar video. The credit cost shows on the button, 900 credits for our 0:54 script at 720p. Want to change a word first? Click Cancel and edit the script before you spend credits.

Step 14: Wait While Zoice Processes the Video

Zoice queues the request and shows a Processing card with the text Generating avatar video. The card shows an estimate of the time left, and ours showed 20 minutes. You can leave the page open or come back to the project later from History.

Step 15: Preview Your Talking Character

When the status changes to success, the video player appears. Our talking character video ran 0:54. Press play and check that the video is lip synced to your script and that the voice fits the character. The composer below shows 480p for your next video, but your finished video stays at 720p.

Step 16: Open the Player Menu and Click Download

To save the video, click the three dot menu in the player and choose Download. You can also click the Download link below the player.

Step 17: Download and Share

Your browser saves the video as an MP4 file. In Chrome, it shows first under Today on the Download history page. Post it on your channel, add it to a lesson, or use it to introduce your brand's character. Only use images and audio you have the rights to use.

Watch the Finished Video

This is the talking character we made in this guide: Host reads the full script with the Maya voice, 0:54 at 720p. Want one of your own? Try Zoice.

Tips for Character Voice and Personality

• Use a character image with a clear face, eyes, and mouth
• Give the character a consistent voice and a catchphrase
• Write lines with personality so the character sounds like itself
• Use audio tags such as excited or whispers to shape the delivery
• Play the audio preview to test the character's voice before you make the video

Ideas: Mascots, Brand Hosts, Story Characters

One character can carry a whole series. Here are a few ways to use yours:

• A brand mascot that welcomes visitors and explains a new feature
• A channel host that opens every video with the same catchphrase
• A classroom guide that introduces each lesson
• A story character that narrates its own adventure

Want a longer tale? Browse AI storytelling avatar generators. For a seasonal twist, see how to make a goblin talk with AI or how to make a Halloween talking photo. Ready to give your character a voice? Try Zoice.

FAQ

What kind of character can I use?

Images with a clear face, such as 3D, mascot, or illustrated characters, work best. Keep the eyes and the mouth easy to see.

Is the character lip synced?

Yes. Avatar X matches the mouth to each word of your script, as the finished video above shows.

Can I reuse the character in many videos?

Yes. Host is saved to Avatar Characters, so you can pick it for each new script.

Do I need video editing skills?

No. You upload the image, add a script and a voice, and Zoice lip syncs the character to your script.