# Face swap vs head swap > Compare a face swap with a whole head swap, including hair. See what SwapShoot changes, what stays unchanged, and how to choose an edit for your photo. - **URL**: https://swapshoot.com/face-swap-vs-head-swap - **Last Updated**: 2026-10-29 --- A face swap describes changing just the face. A head swap changes the whole head, including the hair. SwapShoot uses the head swap approach: upload a photo and a photo of the new head. Hair is rebuilt, while the pose, clothes, hands, background and light stay unchanged. [Try it free](https://swapshoot.com/app) ## Choose the scope of the edit first The useful difference is how much of the person you want to change. If your brief calls for changing only facial features while keeping the photographed hair, that describes a face swap. If your brief includes a new head with its hair, that describes a head swap. Write that choice down before picking your reference photo. These terms help explain the intended edit. The [head swap overview](https://swapshoot.com/head-swap) explains the two-photo workflow. For a creator, they also make a reference easier to choose. Look at whether the hair is part of the change you have in mind. A clear brief might say that the outfit and scene should stay while the head changes, or that the existing hair should remain. ## Understand the hair in a head swap In SwapShoot, hair is rebuilt with the new head. Treat the reference as a photo of a head rather than a face alone. When you inspect a result, include the hair in that review. It is part of the new head, while the rest of the scene comes from the photograph you uploaded to change. That distinction matters when the original hairstyle is central to your idea. If keeping that exact photographed hair is the requirement, a whole head edit does not describe your brief. If you want a new head with rebuilt hair in the same scene, the head swap workflow fits the scope you are asking for. If you are comparing tools, the [DeepSwap alternative page](https://swapshoot.com/alternatives/deepswap) sets a face swap tool and a head swap side by side. ## Keep the scene separate from the head The starting photo supplies the pose, clothes, hands, background and light. Those stay unchanged in SwapShoot. Choose that photo for the parts of the image you want to keep. You are selecting an existing scene, then providing the head that should appear within it. This gives each upload a clear role. For example, you may want to keep an outfit and a pose while trying a new head that includes different hair. That is a head swap brief. If your aim is to change only the face under the original hair, describe it that way instead. Use the distinction to decide whether the current tool suits the photo. ## Try the current photo workflow To try a head swap, open SwapShoot in the browser and sign in with Google or any email address. Upload the photo to change, then the photo of the new head. About a minute later, review the same shot with the new head. Start with one person whose face is clearly visible in the photo. Hair across the face, a hand or object covering it, and extreme angles can need another try. If you are choosing between references, begin with the clearer view. Compare the result with both inputs and check the head and rebuilt hair together. Another reference may be a better next attempt when the head does not look right. The guide to swapping a head in a photo, listed below, covers input selection. ## Check permission and save what you need Changing the scope from a face to a whole head does not remove the need for permission. You must have permission from the people in both photos, and everyone shown must be 18 or older. Check this before uploading either image. Apply the same care when choosing a different reference for another attempt. SwapShoot works with photos only. Each account gets 5 free swaps; the first is clean, the next four carry a small SwapShoot watermark. See [free swaps, plans and prices](https://swapshoot.com/#pricing) before trying the workflow. Results are kept in your Library for 24 hours; uploads are not kept. Once you have reviewed a result that you want to keep, download it. Plan to save the image during the same editing session. ## Questions ### What is the difference between a face swap and a head swap? A face swap describes changing just the face. A head swap changes the whole head, including hair. ### Which edit does SwapShoot make? SwapShoot swaps the head and rebuilds the hair. Pose, clothes, hands, background and light stay unchanged. ### Can I keep the exact original hair? Hair is rebuilt with the new head. Keeping the exact photographed hair is outside the described head swap workflow. ### Can I swap a head in a video? No. SwapShoot works with photos only. ## Related guides - [Swap a head in a photo](https://swapshoot.com/swap-head-in-photo) - [Head swap online](https://swapshoot.com/head-swap) - [A DeepSwap alternative for photos](https://swapshoot.com/alternatives/deepswap) [Try it free](https://swapshoot.com/app) Read the [Terms](https://swapshoot.com/terms), [Privacy Policy](https://swapshoot.com/privacy) and [Responsible use policy](https://swapshoot.com/responsible-use) before uploading photos.