LooksCompare FAQ
Quick answers about family face comparison, similarity scores, photo quality, privacy, limitations and responsible use.
What does LooksCompare do?
LooksCompare compares visible facial similarity between uploaded photos. The family test compares a child's photo separately with mom and dad and displays similarity estimates.
Are the results proof of biological relationship?
No. The result is not a paternity test, DNA analysis or proof of biological relationship. It is a visual similarity estimate based on the uploaded images.
Can a high score prove two photos show the same person?
No. Similarity is not the same as identity verification. Related or unrelated people can sometimes look very similar, and photo conditions can strongly affect the result.
Why does the percentage change when I use another photo?
Different lighting, camera angle, expression, age, sharpness, lens perspective, cropping and filters can change the visible facial information used by the model.
What photos work best?
Clear, well-lit portraits with the face visible and near-frontal usually give the most stable comparisons. Avoid blur, strong filters, large sunglasses and extreme side profiles.
Should I compare several photos?
If you want to understand consistency, yes. Trying two or three good images can show how much the result depends on the specific photo.
What is the difference between normal and strict mode?
The modes apply different scoring behavior. Strict mode may interpret resemblance more conservatively and can return lower percentages.
Can LooksCompare tell whether a child looks more like mom or dad?
It can compare the child's uploaded photo with each parent's uploaded photo and show which pair is numerically closer. This is a visual estimate, not a genetic conclusion.
Can children look like both parents?
Yes. A child can resemble one parent in some facial traits and the other parent in different traits. Family resemblance can also change as a child grows.
Does age affect face similarity?
Yes. Children's facial proportions develop quickly and adult appearance also changes over time, so age differences can influence the result.
Is face similarity the same as face recognition?
No. Similarity asks how visually close two faces appear. Recognition or identity verification usually asks whether a face belongs to a specific known person.
Can I use the result for legal or forensic purposes?
No. LooksCompare is not designed for legal identity, forensic analysis, immigration, medical decisions or other high-stakes uses.
Can I use the result to question paternity?
No. Visual resemblance cannot establish or disprove paternity. Appropriate professional testing is required for biological relationship questions.
What happens if one photo is much lower quality than the others?
The comparison can become less meaningful because the model has less useful visual information for that person. Try to use photos with reasonably similar quality.
Do filters affect the result?
Yes. Beauty filters can alter eye size, skin texture, jaw shape, nose appearance and other visible traits, which can influence the score.
Can siblings get very different scores?
Yes. Siblings do not inherit an identical combination of visible traits, so one may resemble one parent more strongly than another.
Why might AI disagree with family members?
People use years of familiarity, expressions and context when judging resemblance. The model only sees the uploaded pixels, so human impressions and AI scores can differ.
Is a small difference between mom and dad meaningful?
Not necessarily. A small gap can easily change with different photos, so close scores are better interpreted as broadly similar.
Where can I learn more about the scoring process?
Read the Methodology page and the Learning Center guides for explanations of face embeddings, photo quality, accuracy and responsible interpretation.
Is LooksCompare intended mainly for entertainment?
Yes. It is designed for curiosity, fun and general informational use rather than serious decisions.