How to Fix a Smile in a Photo

February 12, 2026 6 min read

Quick Answer

To fix a smile in a photo, upload your image to EditThisPic and describe what you want: 'make the smile more natural,' 'fix the awkward smile,' or 'add a slight smile.' The AI adjusts the mouth, lips, and cheeks to create a natural-looking expression while keeping the rest of your face unchanged. Free, no signup required.

Why Smiles Go Wrong in Photos

The camera catches a single frame out of a continuous expression. That split-second capture often lands on the transition between expressions — a half-smile, a forced grin, or the moment right before a natural laugh. The result looks awkward even though the actual moment felt fine. Blinking mid-smile, asymmetric expressions from talking, and the self-conscious 'camera smile' that looks nothing like your real one are all common problems that ruin otherwise great photos.

How AI Smile Correction Works

The AI analyzes the facial expression in your photo and adjusts the mouth, lips, cheeks, and surrounding muscles to create a more natural smile. It understands how real smiles work — the corners of the mouth lift, the cheeks push up slightly, and the eyes crinkle a bit. This means the corrected smile engages the whole face, not just the lips. The result looks like the camera caught you at a better moment.

Common Smile Fixes

Forced or stiff smile — relax it into a natural, genuine expression
Asymmetric smile — even out both sides of the mouth
Closed-mouth grimace — open into a slight, friendly smile
Too wide or exaggerated grin — tone it down to something natural
No smile at all — add a subtle, pleasant expression
Mid-word capture — close the mouth into a proper smile
Nervous or tense expression — soften into a warm, relaxed look

Making the Fixed Smile Look Real

A real smile involves more than just the mouth. The eyes narrow slightly, the cheeks lift, and small creases appear around the eyes — what's called a Duchenne smile. If you ask the AI to just 'curve the lips up,' it may look painted on. Instead, prompt for the whole expression: 'make the smile more natural and warm' or 'add a genuine, relaxed smile.' The AI adjusts the entire expression so everything looks cohesive.

Best Prompts for Different Smile Problems

For an awkward forced smile: 'relax the smile and make it look natural.' For no smile at all: 'add a slight, friendly smile.' For a too-wide grin: 'make the smile smaller and more natural.' For a crooked or asymmetric smile: 'even out the smile so both sides match.' For a closed-mouth expression: 'open the smile slightly to show a hint of teeth.' For someone caught mid-word: 'close the mouth into a natural smile.'

Fixing Smiles in Group Photos

Group photos almost always have at least one person with an off smile — someone blinked, someone was talking, someone gave a forced grin. You can fix individual smiles without affecting anyone else: 'fix the smile on the person in the blue shirt' or 'make the man on the left smile more naturally.' Process one person at a time for the most control over each expression.

Step-by-Step Guide

Upload Your Photo

Drop your image into EditThisPic. Selfies, portraits, headshots, and group photos all work. The AI needs a clear view of the face to adjust the expression.

Describe the Smile Fix

Type what you want changed: 'fix the awkward smile,' 'make the expression more natural,' or 'add a warm smile.' Be specific about the problem — the more context you give, the better the result.

Review the Expression

Check that the smile looks natural in context with the rest of the face. The eyes should match the expression — a smile with dead eyes looks worse than no smile. Use the before/after slider to compare.

Refine If Needed

If the smile is too big, try 'make the smile more subtle.' If it looks stiff, ask for 'a more relaxed, genuine expression.' If the eyes don't match, try 'make the whole expression warmer, including the eyes.'

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I fix an awkward smile in a photo?

Upload your photo to EditThisPic and type 'fix the awkward smile' or 'make the smile more natural.' The AI adjusts the mouth, cheeks, and eye area to create a genuine-looking expression. Free, no account needed.

Can AI add a smile to a photo where someone isn't smiling?

Yes. Try 'add a natural, friendly smile' and the AI will adjust the expression from neutral or serious to a pleasant smile. It works best when the face is clearly visible and front-facing. The AI adjusts the whole expression, not just the lips.

Will a fixed smile look natural?

When you prompt for a natural expression, the AI adjusts more than just the mouth — it lifts the cheeks, adds slight eye crinkles, and creates the muscle movements of a real smile. The result looks like the camera caught a better moment, not like someone drew a smile on the face.

Can I fix one person's smile in a group photo?

Yes. Describe who needs the fix: 'make the woman on the right smile more naturally' or 'fix the smile on the person in the gray jacket.' The AI edits only that person's expression and leaves everyone else unchanged.

What if someone was caught mid-word with their mouth open?

Try 'close the mouth into a natural smile' or 'fix the open-mouth expression into a pleasant smile.' The AI will reshape the mouth from the talking position into a closed or slightly open smile that looks intentional.

Is fixing a smile in a photo free?

EditThisPic offers free edits with no signup. Upload your photo, describe how you want the smile changed, and see the result in seconds. No software or account needed.

Fix That Smile in Seconds

Upload your photo and let AI turn an awkward expression into a natural smile. Free, no signup.

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