Turn your selfies into 4K HD realistic retro AI portraits with Google Gemini. Here’s the trick

Just as the internet was settling after the wave of Ghibli-fied selfies, Google Gemini has made a comeback with another viral sensation. The 4K HD realistic retro AI portraits trend has now taken over social media, immersing users in a wave of nostalgic creativity.

(Also read: Google Gemini Nano Banana AI saree trend is Instagram’s latest obsession. Here's everything to know)

Lovers, idols and vintage dreams

From couples recreating dreamy old-school romance shots to fans designing portraits with their favourite idols, users across platforms are hopping on the retro train. For once, it is not GPT leading the trend. This time Gemini is at the forefront, and users are clearly enjoying the ride.

How to join the vintage trend

For those wondering how timelines have suddenly transformed into galleries of timeless romance and film-like portraits, the process is simple.

Download the app: Install Google Gemini from the Play Store or App Store.

Sign in: Log in with your Google account.

Upload a photo:

For couple photos, upload two pictures, one of yourself and one of your partner or crush.

For solo shots, upload a well-lit photo of yourself.

Enter the prompt: Choose a ready-made prompt or create your own.

Generate: Tap the arrow button and wait a few seconds as Gemini creates the retro magic.

A sample prompt to try

One example currently circulating online reads:

"Convert, 4K HD realistic. A stunning portrait of a young Indian woman with long, dark, wavy hair cascading over her shoulders. She is wearing a translucent, elegant saree draped over one shoulder, revealing a fitted blouse underneath. She is looking slightly to her right, with a soft, serene expression. I want the same face as I uploaded, no alteration — 100% same. The background is a plain, warm-toned wall, illuminated by a warm light source from the right, creating a distinct, soft-edged shadow of her profile and hair on the wall behind her. The overall mood is retro and artistic."

This particular style lends images a warm, film-like quality, perfect for Instagram posts, moodboards or simply recreating the charm of a 90s romance movie.

Gemini takes the spotlight

Gemini’s rise has been swift. The app has now overtaken OpenAI’s ChatGPT to become the most downloaded free app on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store. Its popularity accelerated after the Nano Banana feature captured global attention, producing 3D-style portraits that went viral on Instagram and X.

Between 26 August and 9 September, Gemini recorded over 23 million new users. In the same period, more than 500 million images were created using the Nano Banana feature. The “Retro” trend looks set to build further on this momentum, showing that users are not quite ready to step off the nostalgic ride just yet.