Pikadditions lets you drop new characters, objects, and visual magic into any video—no green screen, no VFX skills, just one prompt and an upload.
No editing experience needed. Just type, generate, and share.
Pikadditions is Pika AI’s video-to-video inpainting feature that lets you add new people, objects, or fantasy elements into an existing video, while the AI automatically matches lighting, motion, and perspective so everything looks like it was filmed together.
In simple terms:
You upload a short video → give Pika a reference image + a prompt → Pikadditions “paints” that new element into every frame so it moves with the scene.
It’s part of Pika’s broader creative suite alongside tools like Pikaswaps, Pikaffects, Pikaframes, and Pikascenes, giving creators a full toolkit for AI-powered video editing.
Under the hood, Pikadditions is a video inpainting model:
Input
A short base video (typically a few seconds, often around 5s in many guides).
A reference image of who/what you want to add (character, logo, product, animal, etc.).
A short text prompt explaining what should appear and how it should behave.
Analysis
The AI looks at each frame of your video and learns:
Camera movement
Lighting and shadows
Perspective and scene layout
It also encodes the reference image so it knows what the new subject should look like.
Inpainting
For every frame, the model “paints in” the new element while:
Matching light and color to the original footage
Tracking motion so the added subject sticks to the scene (e.g., walks with the camera, sits on a chair)
Respecting depth so it appears in front of/behind objects correctly.
Output
A new video where your inserted character or object is blended as if it was there in the original shoot.
Because this process is automated, people with no traditional VFX skills can get results that used to require rotoscoping, motion tracking, and compositing.
Pikadditions is specifically described as a tool to add anyone or anything to any videos
You can add:
People (actors, avatars, stylized characters)
Animals (cats, tigers, hippos, dragons)
Products (shoes, gadgets, cars)
Fantasy objects (magic portals, glowing runes, sci-fi tech)
All while keeping the original background, motion, and aesthetic.
Pikadditions is often described as a video inpainting tool: it doesn’t replace the whole frame; it fills in target areas with new content.
Key strengths:
Lighting & shadows are matched to the original shot.
Motion tracking helps the inserted subject move naturally with the camera or environment.
Perspective & scale are adjusted so the addition doesn’t look pasted on.
Most guides suggest Pikadditions works best on short clips (around 3-5 seconds) where the camera and motion are manageable.
You can then stitch multiple clips in a video editor for longer videos.
On Pika’s pricing page, Pikadditions runs in both Turbo and Pro model modes:
Turbo Pikadditions clips use fewer credits and prioritize speed.
Pro Pikadditions clips cost more credits but use a higher-end model for better quality.
Exact credit costs and resolutions can change, so it’s best to check the live pricing page before quoting numbers on your site.
Choose a short clip (ideally a few seconds).
Make sure:
The subject area where you’ll add something is visible.
Motion isn’t too chaotic (smooth camera movement is easier for the AI).
Select Pikadditions from the tools menu (listed as a video-to-video feature).
Upload your base video.
Upload an image of the person, character, or object you want to insert:
A selfie or portrait for yourself
An illustrated character
A product shot or logo
Pikadditions uses this image as the visual blueprint for the insertion.
In the prompt box, describe:
What you’re adding: “a small orange cat”, “a glowing portal”, “my anime avatar”.
Where it appears: “sitting on the sofa”, “floating above the table”, “walking beside me”.
How it should behave: “looking at the camera”, “waving”, “standing still”.
Good prompts help the AI decide position, pose, and behavior frame by frame.
Pick Turbo or Pro Pikadditions depending on your plan and quality needs.
Select output resolution (for example, 480p for tests, 720p/1080p for final clips where available).
Click Generate and let the model process your clip.
Review the result:
Does the added element track correctly?
Does lighting look natural?
Is the object the right size and in the right place?
If not, adjust:
Your reference image (clearer, better angle)
Your prompt (more specific about placement/pose)
The input video (less motion, cleaner background)
Then re-generate.
Once happy with the Pikadditions clip:
Download the video.
Import it into a regular editor (CapCut, Premiere, DaVinci, etc.) to:
Add music or sound effects
Combine multiple AI-edited clips
Add text, transitions, or color grading.
Creators and blogs highlight a bunch of fun and useful ways to use Pikadditions:
Put wild animals (tigers, hippos) in normal rooms.
Drop a giant object (bunny, skyscraper, cartoon creature) into everyday scenes.
Insert yourself into iconic movie-style shots or imaginative settings.
These kinds of surreal edits work well on TikTok, Reels, and Shorts.
Pikadditions is also used alongside Pika’s Selfie With Your Younger Self and similar concepts to create emotional, reflective videos where users appear alongside another version of themselves or loved ones.
Drop a product into different environments (desk setups, outdoor shots, lifestyle scenes).
Show “product in the wild” without reshooting footage every time.
Add visual anchors (arrows, mascots, characters) into lesson videos.
Place a guide character next to the teacher to highlight key information.
Bring characters from your art or comics into live-action footage.
Add fantasy or sci-fi elements to ordinary places to create mini stories.
It helps to know where Pikadditions fits:
Pikadditions – add a new element into the video while keeping everything else.
Pikaswaps – replace or swap an existing object or area with something else (e.g., turn a car into a different car).
Pikaffects / Pikatwists – apply more global style and VFX changes across the whole clip (glitch, stylization, wild transformations).
You can chain them:
Start with Pikascenes or a normal Pika clip →
use Pikadditions to add new elements →
then use Pikaswaps or Pikaffects to refine style and details.
Beginner-friendly: No pro compositing skills required.
High visual realism: Matches lighting, motion, and perspective surprisingly well when inputs are clean.
Fast iterations: Short clips + Turbo model make it easy to test multiple ideas.
Works best with short, stable clips heavy camera shake or very fast motion can break tracking.
Very complex scenes (crowds, busy backgrounds) are harder to edit cleanly.
Quality depends heavily on:
The clarity of the reference image
How specific and realistic your prompt is.
Because Pikadditions can add realistic people into videos, there’s real potential for misuse (deepfake-style content, harassment, or misleading media).
Best practice:
Only use images and footage you have the right and permission to use.
Don’t create deceptive or harmful content about real people.
Follow Pika’s Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy when using Pikadditions.
Both Pikadditions and Pikaswaps are video-to-video tools in Pika AI, but they solve slightly different problems. Here’s a clear breakdown you can drop into an article or comparison section.
Pikadditions – Add New Things
Designed to add new people, characters, objects, or elements into an existing video.
You keep the original footage and “layer” something new on top of it.
Great when you want to say: “Put this new thing into this scene.”
Pikaswaps – Replace Existing Things
Designed to swap or replace something that’s already in the video.
You pick a subject/area and tell Pika what it should become instead.
Great when you want to say: “Change this thing into that thing.”
Pikadditions
Takes your base video + reference image + prompt.
Inpaints a new subject into the scene:
Matches lighting, perspective, and motion.
Example: Add a cat onto a sofa in your living room video.
Pikaswaps
Takes your base video + prompt (and sometimes a reference).
Identifies a specific object/person and replaces it:
Tries to preserve the original pose, motion, and camera.
Example: Turn your regular car into a sports car, or change someone’s outfit.
Use Pikadditions when:
You want to add a new person, avatar, or creature beside you.
You’re inserting products, logos, or props into a scene.
You’re creating surreal or fun edits (dragons in the kitchen, giant animals in a park).
You need more stuff in frame, not to remove or change what’s already there.
Use Pikaswaps when:
You want to change what’s already on screen (clothes, cars, objects).
You’re upgrading or restyling something:
Old car → futuristic car
Plain outfit → fantasy armor
You want the same motion and framing, but with a different subject or style.
Pikadditions
Feels like “add a new layer to my video”.
Depends heavily on:
A good reference image (clear look of what you’re adding).
A clear prompt about where it should be and how it behaves.
Often used on short clips (a few seconds) for best quality.
Pikaswaps
Feels like “AI replace tool”.
Focuses on the existing subject region: you swap it out while keeping
The original movement
The camera’s path
Ideal when the shape and motion are good, but the appearance should change.
You don’t have to choose one forever many workflows use both:
Generate or shoot a base clip.
Use Pikadditions to add a new character or object.
Use Pikaswaps to:
Change outfits
Restyle props
Adjust details without regenerating the whole scene.
This is especially useful for ads, music videos, and story content, where you want tight control over visuals but don’t want to reshoot or re-prompt every time.
Pikadditions takes Pika AI beyond simple generate a cool clip into the realm of real video editing and compositing powered by AI:
It lets you drop new characters and objects into footage with a single prompt and image.
It automatically handles the hard parts lighting, motion, perspective so non-experts can get VFX-style results.
Used responsibly, it’s a powerful tool for short-form content, marketing, storytelling, and creative experiments.