In 2025, the fusion of artificial intelligence and creativity has taken social media by storm. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and even LinkedIn are filled with users generating stunning portraits using AI tools and creative prompts powered by ChatGPT.
One of the most popular trends involves turning ordinary selfies into artistic masterpieces using a combination of ChatGPT prompts and AI portrait generators, such as Media.io's AI Portrait Generator.
In this guide
Let's dive in!
🔍 What Are ChatGPT Photo Editing Prompts?
A ChatGPT photo editing prompt is essentially a text instruction you give to an AI model—like DALL·E or Midjourney—to generate or modify an image based on your description.
For example, instead of manually adjusting lighting, background, or style in Photoshop, you can simply write:
Then, input this prompt into an AI tool that supports text-to-image generation—and let the AI do the rest!
These prompts have become extremely popular on platforms like TikTok, where users upload a selfie and apply trending AI styles in seconds.
🛠️ How to Use ChatGPT Prompts for Photo Editing (Step-by-Step)
✅ Step 1: Choose an AI Tool That Supports Text Prompts
Not all AI photo editors support natural language prompts, but many now do. Some top options include:
- Bing Image Creator (DALL·E)
- Leonardo AI
- Canva Magic Edit
- Media.io AI Portrait Generator (our recommended tool)
We'll focus on Media.io AI Portrait Generator below due to its ease of use and stunning results.
✅ Step 2: Write or Generate Your Prompt Using ChatGPT
Before jumping into the AI tool, it helps to craft a strong, descriptive prompt. Here's how to do it:
- Open ChatGPT or another LLM.
- Describe what you want to do to your photo. For example:
"I want to turn my selfie into a cyberpunk-style portrait with neon lighting and a futuristic city background." - Ask ChatGPT to generate a detailed prompt for you:
"Generate a detailed photo editing prompt that transforms my selfie into a cyberpunk-style portrait with neon lights and a futuristic city background."
You'll get something like:
This is your prompt—you can now use it in an AI tool.
🧑🎨 Step-by-Step Guide: How to Use Media.io AI Portrait Generator
Now that you have your prompt ready, let's walk through how to use it with Media.io AI Portrait Generator.
⬇️ Step 1: Visit the Media.io AI Portrait Generator Website
Go to: https://www.media.io/ai/effect
🎨 Step 2: Select Your Preferred Artistic Style
Unlike some other AI tools, Media.io offers one-click style selection, making it incredibly user-friendly.
Choose from a variety of styles, including:
- Monochrome
- Cyberpunk
- Watercolor
- Anime
- Royal Portrait
- Sci-Fi Art
- Fantasy
- Puppet & Claymation
- And more!
📤 Step 3: Upload Your Photo
Click on the "Upload Image" button and select the photo you'd like to edit from your device.
Supported formats include jpg, png, jpeg, webp, gif, heic etc.
📥 Step 4: Generate & Download
Click the "Generate" button and wait for a few seconds than you can download it to your device.
If you want to use a custom ChatGPT-generated prompt, keep reading below.
🔄 Optional: Apply Custom ChatGPT Prompt (Advanced)
Media.io also supports text-to-image and image-to-image generation through direct text prompts. Alternatively, you can achieve results similar to ChatGPT outputs by selecting pre-defined styles that align with your desired outcome.
For example:
⚠️ Note: Media.io does not store your photos permanently. They are automatically deleted after 7 days for privacy reasons.
📈 Top Trending ChatGPT Photo Editing Prompts for AI Portraits (2025)
Here's a curated list of the most popular ChatGPT prompts being used across TikTok and Instagram to create stunning AI portraits. Feel free to copy and paste these into any compatible AI editor.
- 🌑 Monochrome Portrait Prompt
"Turn this photo into a cinematic monochrome portrait with soft lighting, deep shadows, and a dark studio background." - 🔮 Cyberpunk Portrait Prompt
"Convert this photo into a cyberpunk-style portrait with neon lighting, glowing eyes, and a futuristic city backdrop." - 🎭 Anime Portrait Prompt
"Transform this image into a Japanese anime-style portrait with expressive eyes, soft skin tones, and vibrant colors." - 🎨 Watercolor Portrait Prompt
"Make this portrait look like a hand-painted watercolor painting with soft brush strokes and dreamy textures." - 📚 Fantasy Storybook Portrait
"Create a fantasy version of this portrait with magical elements like glowing mushrooms, enchanted forests, and fairytale lighting." - 🧸 Puppet / Claymation Portrait
"Turn this photo into a puppet-style illustration with stitched textures, felt-like materials, and whimsical charm." - 🧱 LEGO Portrait Prompt
"Convert this image into a LEGO minifigure-style portrait with blocky textures and toy-like aesthetics." - 🌀 Vaporwave / Retro 90s Portrait
"Give this portrait a vaporwave aesthetic with neon grids, palm trees, and retro-futuristic color schemes."
🧩 Bonus Tips for Better Results
- Be specific: Include details like lighting, mood, and background.
- Mix styles: Try combining two or more styles for unique results.
Example: "Cyberpunk anime portrait with glowing rain effects." - Use keywords like "cinematic", "high detail", or "ultra-realistic" to enhance clarity.
- Experiment freely: Small changes in wording can lead to dramatically different outputs.