How-To Guide · July 2026
How to Make a New Baby Announcement Video from Photos (2026 Guide)
You’ve been keeping a secret. Now it’s time to tell everyone — here’s how to make an announcement video they’ll screenshot and send to everyone they know.
Two Types of Baby Announcement
The keyword is the same, but the photos and the timing are very different. Both work beautifully with Lumireel — you just need slightly different sets of photos for each.
🤰 Pregnancy reveal
You just found out. The positive test, the first ultrasound, the bump progression — this is the announcement that says 'we're having a baby.' Photos typically span the first 12 weeks. Use bump shots, ultrasound scans, and a name card or chalkboard sign if you have one.
👶 Birth announcement
Baby is here. The first hold, tiny fingers, the whole new family together — this is the announcement that says 'they've arrived.' Photos from the first 48–72 hours in hospital and at home. End with the best baby face or family wide shot.
For a deeper look at making baby videos across the first year, see our guide to the best app for baby videos.
✅ You don’t need video clips
Lumireel works entirely from still photos — iPhone photos, Google Photos, WhatsApp images, even screenshots. The AI builds motion, transitions, and music from stills. 15–20 photos is all you need.
Which Preset for Your Announcement
Lumireel has three presets. The music, pacing, and colour grade all change based on which you pick. Here’s the honest guide to which one fits your announcement.
💛 Memory preset
Right for 90% of announcementsMusic: Soft, warm, emotional
Soft crossfades, warm colour grade, gentle emotional music. The AI builds a video that feels like a memory being made. This is the preset that makes grandparents cry happy tears and gets the whole family watching on repeat. Default choice for almost every baby announcement — pregnancy reveal or birth.
⚡ Upbeat preset
Best for surprise party revealsMusic: Upbeat, joyful, celebratory
Fast, joyful, beat-synced. If your announcement was a surprise party with balloons popping, confetti, and pure chaos energy — this is the preset. Also good for very energetic family dynamics where you want the video to feel celebratory rather than sentimental.
🎬 Cinematic preset
Best for dramatic narrativesMusic: Cinematic, building, dramatic
Sweeping, epic, deliberate. If you want the announcement to feel like a film trailer — slow reveal, dramatic music building to the final shot — this is it. Best for 'we're having a baby' narratives with a strong visual story arc. Less common for birth announcements; better for pregnancy reveals with great photography.
10 Photos to Include in Your Announcement Video
You don’t need all 10 — pick what you have. But each of these has a specific emotional role in the video. For more on building a powerful photo story, see our guide on how to make a baby video from photos.
Pregnancy test or ultrasound scan
The first proof. A clear photo of the positive test or the 12-week scan. This is the opening or early anchor photo for a pregnancy reveal — the moment the secret started.
Bump progression photos
For pregnancy reveals only. A series of bump photos from week 6 to week 12 (or however long you kept the secret) tells the visual story of the growing bump. Even 3–4 progression shots add something no other photos can.
Hospital arrival or first hold photo
For birth announcements. The first time someone holds the baby — parents, grandparents, older siblings. This is usually one of the most emotionally loaded photos in the whole set.
Older sibling meeting the baby
One of the most-watched moments in any birth announcement video. The expression on an older sibling's face when they meet the baby for the first time is irreplaceable. If you have it, use it.
Grandparents meeting baby for the first time
Grandparent reactions are what the grandparents themselves will watch over and over. Include this if you have it — it's also the photo that makes other family members feel part of the moment.
Close-up of tiny fingers or feet
The detail shot. Newborn hands and feet are impossibly small and change fast. A tight close-up of fingers wrapped around an adult finger, or tiny feet next to a parent's hand, is one of the most universally emotional images in a birth announcement.
Parents looking tired but happy in hospital
Real and honest. The combination of complete exhaustion and pure joy is something every parent recognises. This photo makes the video feel true rather than staged.
Baby's first outfit or going-home outfit
The deliberate detail. Whether it's the hospital onesie with the name tag still on or the carefully chosen going-home outfit — this photo is small but meaningful and gives the video texture.
Name card or chalkboard sign
The reveal moment for the name. A photo of the name written on a hospital whiteboard, a chalkboard prop, or even a piece of paper. This is often the shot that makes people gasp. Place it near the end.
One wide shot of the whole new family
The closing image. Parents, baby, siblings if any — everyone together. Put this last. It's the photo that gives the video its emotional resolution and is the one people screenshot.
How to Make Your Baby Announcement Video — 5 Steps
⚡ Total time: Under 5 minutes
Gather 15–20 photos
Pull your best photos from your camera roll. For a pregnancy reveal, include progression shots and the ultrasound scan. For a birth announcement, focus on the first 48–72 hours. 15–20 photos is the sweet spot — enough to tell the story, not so many the pacing feels rushed.
Organise and end with your best photo
For a pregnancy reveal: start with the test or scan, progress through bump photos, end with a smiling couple or name reveal. For a birth announcement: start with the arrival, move through the firsts, end with the full-family wide shot or the best baby face. The last photo is what people remember.
Go to lumireel.madethis.app/create
Open any browser on your phone, tablet, or laptop. No app to install. Upload your photos — or drag and drop if you're on desktop. Your free trial begins the moment you upload. No credit card needed.
Pick the Memory preset
For 90% of announcements, Memory is the right call. Soft music, warm colour grade, slow crossfades — it makes the video feel like a moment worth keeping. Switch to Upbeat if it was a surprise party reveal. Switch to Cinematic if you have dramatic photography and want a film-trailer feel.
Download the 9:16 MP4 and share
Your video is ready in about 60 seconds. Download the 9:16 vertical MP4 directly to your phone. Post to Instagram Reels, send in the family WhatsApp group chat, or share a private link to anyone who isn't on social media. No watermark. Total time from first upload to a video your family is watching: under 5 minutes.
Where to Share Your Announcement Video
Lumireel exports in 9:16 vertical — the right format for every platform below, no reformatting needed.
📸 Instagram Reels
9:16 vertical, up to 90 seconds. Caption with the baby's name, date of birth, and weight. Tag both parents. The format that gets the most comments, saves, and shares — the one people screenshot.
💡 Post within 48 hours of the birth while attention is highest.
💬 WhatsApp group chat
The group reaction is the whole point. Send the MP4 directly into the family group chat — everyone can watch immediately, no account required, no algorithm between you and them. This is the announcement that gets the most replies.
💡 Drop it in at a time when family members are likely awake and at their phones.
📺 YouTube Unlisted
A permanent link only people with the URL can find. Perfect for grandparents who want to rewatch the announcement on their TV, or for anyone outside your immediate family you want to share with privately. It never expires.
💡 Great for families spread across time zones — share the link and let them watch when they wake up.
What Music to Pick
Music is what makes an announcement video feel like a memory rather than a slideshow. Two options:
🎵 Use a song that means something to you
The song that played at the 12-week scan. A childhood lullaby one of you grew up with. The song you played on repeat when you found out. Upload any MP3 directly to Lumireel and the AI will beat-sync the cuts to your track automatically. Custom music upload is available on all paid plans — and this is the version of the video that gets watched on repeat for years.
🎼 Let Lumireel’s default beat-sync choose for you
The Memory preset auto-selects warm, soft music that works beautifully for emotional content. If you don’t have a specific song in mind, the default is genuinely good — it’s designed to complement the kind of photography that ends up in an announcement video. One less decision when you already have enough on your plate.
For more on building the right emotional feel, see our full guide on how to make a memory video.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need video clips? I only have photos.
No — Lumireel works entirely from still photos. iPhone photos, Google Photos, WhatsApp images, even screenshots all work. The AI builds motion, transitions, and music from still images. You don't need a single video clip for a beautiful, cinematic announcement video.
How long will the announcement video be?
About 60 seconds for 15–20 photos. Long enough to feel like a proper reveal, short enough to watch on repeat without losing anyone. The Memory preset paces itself to the music automatically — you don't have to time anything manually.
Can I add the baby's name as text on the video?
The cleanest way to include the baby's name is to photograph a name card, chalkboard sign, or hospital whiteboard and include it as one of your photos — usually near the end. The AI will treat it like any other photo and build it into the video naturally. On-screen text overlays can be added in any standard editing app after you download the MP4.
Can I share it privately? I don't want it public.
Yes — your video is completely private by default. Nothing is posted publicly unless you choose to. You can download the MP4 and share it privately via WhatsApp, iMessage, email, or any direct message. Or post to YouTube Unlisted, which only people with the direct link can find. You're in full control of who sees it.
Make Your Baby Announcement Video Free →
You have the photos. Lumireel turns them into a warm, cinematic announcement video in under 5 minutes — no editing skills, no app install, no watermark. Memory preset for 90% of announcements. Upbeat for celebration energy. 9:16 vertical, ready to share on Instagram Reels, WhatsApp, or anywhere you want. Free trial, no credit card required.
Make Your Baby Announcement Video Free →