How to do the viral AI portrait trends on iPhone without writing prompts

There are two ways to make a viral AI portrait from your selfie on iPhone. The prompt route uses a general AI tool such as Google Gemini: you upload a photo and paste a long description of the look you want. The template route uses an app where each trend is already a ready-made style: you pick it, upload your photo and get the image, with nothing to write. Both work. Prompts give more control; templates are faster and more repeatable. Either way, the source photo you choose matters more than most people expect.

What the trends are

Most viral AI portrait trends are a style applied to your face: a vintage saree portrait, a retro polaroid with a celebrity, a 3D figurine of yourself on a desk. Many of them took off with Google's Nano Banana image model in Gemini, which can edit your own photo from a text description (Google).

Route 1: the prompt method (Gemini)

Open the Gemini app or website and choose the image tool.
Upload a clear photo of yourself.
Paste a prompt for the trend. Popular ones are long and specific, describing clothing, lighting, background and camera style.
Generate, then refine by asking for changes ("keep my face the same", "warmer light").

What to know:

Wording matters. Small changes in the prompt change the result, and there are whole guides about prompt mistakes to avoid (Storyboard18).
Cost and limits. Google says a Nano Banana model is free to use, with higher limits on paid plans (Google).
Watermarks. Gemini images carry a visible AI watermark and an invisible SynthID mark (Google).

This route suits people who enjoy tweaking and want something nobody else has.

Route 2: the template method

Template apps package a style so you do not have to describe it. In Anamur:

Browse the template categories and pick a style. Similar templates are shown next to it if you want a variation.
Upload your photo. Photos are sent to Anamur's AI provider only after you give consent.
Create the image. Each generation uses credits; extra credits are one-time purchases, and no subscription is required.
Save your favourite templates to reuse them, and find earlier results in your gallery.
Finish it in the same app if you like: background removal, collages and social layouts, filters, presets and retouching are built in, with high-resolution export.

Anamur is on iPhone and Android. This route suits people who want the look quickly and consistently, for example a matching set of profile pictures.

For a comparison of the two approaches, see Anamur vs Google Gemini.

Choosing a source photo that works

AI results vary in every app. These habits help in both routes:

One face, clearly visible. Face the camera, no sunglasses, nothing covering your face.
Even light. Daylight from a window is better than overhead light or a dark room.
Sharp, not filtered. Start from the original photo, not one already beautified by another app.
Similar framing to the style. A head-and-shoulders selfie suits a portrait; a full-body photo suits a figurine.

If the result does not look like you, try a different photo before blaming the style. Our guide on choosing a selfie for AI portraits goes further.

Privacy checklist before you upload

Read where the photo is processed. In Gemini and in Anamur, generation runs on a server, not on your phone.
Avoid uploading other people's photos, especially children's, without permission.
Review every result before you post it. AI can change features in ways you might not notice at first glance.

Which should you use?

Use Gemini if you like writing prompts and want to try for free. Use a template app like Anamur if you want trend results without learning prompts, and want editing tools and a gallery in one place. For more options, see the best AI portrait apps for iPhone.