How to Create Replaceable Character Templates in CapCut

Those AI-style templates where you drop in your own face or photo use a placeholder clip with CapCut's Cutout tool applied to it. Build the scene, add the placeholder person as an overlay, cut them out with Auto cutout, and save the project as a template so anyone who uses it gets asked to replace that clip with their own.

How to make a template with a replaceable character

1. Build your base project. Open CapCut, tap New project and add the background scene. Add any effects, filters, text and music now, because these stay fixed for everyone who uses the template.
2. Add the placeholder as an overlay. Tap Overlay, then Add overlay, and pick a photo or clip of a person. This is the stand-in character that users will swap out.
3. Cut out the character. Tap the overlay clip on the timeline to select it, then tap Cutout and choose Auto cutout. CapCut removes the background around the person so they sit on top of your scene.
4. Place the character in the scene. Pinch to resize the cutout and drag it into position on the preview. Stretch the overlay clip on the timeline so it covers the part of the video where the character should appear.
5. Check the cutout through the whole clip. Play the project from the start. If the person moves a lot, watch the edges closely, because that's where the cutout can slip and show bits of the old background.
6. Save the project as a template. Save it as a template and mark the placeholder overlay as the replaceable clip. When someone opens your template, CapCut asks them to replace that clip with their own media, and the cutout and the rest of your edit stay in place.

Keep the placeholder on its own overlay layer. If the character sits on the main track with the background, users end up replacing the whole scene instead of just the person.

If you only need a cutout of a single frame for a thumbnail or sticker, and CapCut's background tools aren't showing up for you, see how to fix the CapCut Remove BG feature missing.

FAQ

What tools do I need to make a replaceable character template? Just CapCut's Overlay menu and its Cutout tool. Put the placeholder on its own overlay layer, cut out the person, and save the project as a template.

Why does my cutout look messy when the person moves? Auto cutout has a harder time tracking a subject that moves a lot. Pick a placeholder clip with slow, simple movement, or use a still photo, and check the edges frame by frame before you save the template.