This error appears when Descript’s automated safety system flags your uploaded photo. Most often, this is due to:

• Celebrity likeness or public figure detection
• Inappropriate content such as nudity

Try uploading a different image featuring a human subject, facing forward, with neutral lighting and no image alterations.

Descript only supports JPEG, PNG, and WEBP image formats for avatar uploads. If your file is another type (like GIF or HEIC), it will be rejected. Convert your file to one of the supported formats and try again.

If your avatar doesn’t appear after assigning it to a speaker, it’s likely hidden behind other layers or not added visibly to the scene editor. Here's how to fix it:

• Go to the Scene panel and click the “show layer” icon next to the avatar
• Drag the avatar layer above the script or video layer
  
• Use Replace media in the scene editor toolbar to swap the avatar into view
  

Note: avatars are not visible in the timeline. You can only see and adjust them from the scene editor or Layers panel.

Any time you make changes to your script, speaker, or assigned avatar, you’ll need to regenerate the avatar.

This includes:

• Editing the script or transcript
• Switching AI speakers
• Change the underlying audio recording
• Replacing or deleting the avatar image

Once changes are made, click Generate avatar again to re-sync the animation.

If you have just assigned an avatar or made any script edits, click Generate avatar from the scene editor. 

Descript avatar generation happens only after you click Generate avatar. Longer videos may take some time to process. You don’t need to stay in the project, closing the tab won’t cancel generation.

You’ll receive an email when your avatar is ready to review.

When exporting your Descript project to editing tools like Premiere Pro or Final Cut via timeline export (e.g., XML or AAF), avatar layers will not appear. This is expected behavior.

Avatars are not represented in the timeline. They must be baked into a video file before export.

To include avatars in your final project:

• Export your composition as a video file (e.g., MP4) from Descript
• Then import that video into your external editor for further work

For more, see Descript’s timeline export guide.

Avatar generation time is based on your total length of spoken audio and not just the parts where the avatar is visible. This allows you to use the avatar consistently throughout your composition.

Each time you generate, your available avatar minutes are updated. You can check your balance in the Usage tab of your account settings or in the generation confirmation modal.

Currently, only image files up to 10MB are supported. Please reduce your file size and try uploading again.

Avatar generation is currently limited to 12 minutes of video at a time. If your video is longer than 12 minutes, you’ll need to break it into shorter sections. Create separate compositions for each section, generate the avatar, export the clips, and then combine them in a new project.

In some cases, you might notice unexpected visual elements, like flickering lines or shapes near the bottom of the screen or around the hands of an avatar during playback. These artifacts can occasionally appear in certain scenes while the avatar is speaking.

If you’re seeing this in your video, here are a few ways to keep things looking clean and professional:

• Add a gradient background.
• Include a captions layer.
• Crop the frame slightly to remove the affected portion.

We’re actively working to improve avatar quality and appreciate your patience as we continue refining the experience.