# AI Headshot Privacy: What to Check Before Uploading

Before uploading, check what it stores, who can access it, how your photos are used and when each type of data is deleted. A promise of "private photos" is less useful than specific answers about source images, generated portraits, models and service providers.

Resource. Published 2026-11-06, updated 2026-11-06. 5 min read.

![An illustrated portrait in a transparent clasp envelope beside a key on cream paper.](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/assets/guides/covers/ai-headshot-privacy.webp)

Use this checklist to compare practical product choices; it does not determine legal rights or certify compliance.

## Separate the data before comparing the promises

Your uploaded photograph is only one part of an order. A service may also create a session-specific model, generated images, screening results and account or payment records. Deleting one category does not necessarily delete the others.

| Data or activity | What to ask | What a useful answer includes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Source photographs | When are uploads removed? | A duration and a starting event, such as delivery |
| Generated portraits | How long can I download them? | A gallery expiry date and an early-deletion option |
| Session-specific model | Is it kept after the gallery expires? | A separate retention rule for the model |
| Broader model training | Can my photos improve shared models? | A statement identifying whose models and which uses it covers |
| Provider processing | Which other companies receive data? | Named providers, purposes and relevant retention limits |
| Account and transaction records | Does deleting photos remove these too? | An explanation of records retained separately |

Read the policy for the exact purchase you are considering. Free offers and employer-funded sessions can carry different permissions. Our [AI headshot comparison](/guides/best-ai-headshot-generators) highlights why headline promises need that context.

## Read training statements carefully

Training a model for your requested portraits and using your images to improve a public model are different activities. Ask about both. "We do not train on your photos" can be ambiguous if the same product advertises a personalized model.

Smart Headshots AI's [privacy policy, section 5](/privacy), says it uses a private session-specific model and does not use your source photos, generated headshots or session model to train a public or shared **Smart Headshots AI** model. Named AI and infrastructure providers process information under their own applicable terms and configured settings; this is not a promise that no third party ever receives your photos.

Provider documents also have different scopes. For example, [Replicate's prediction-retention documentation](https://replicate.com/docs/topics/predictions/data-retention) describes default one-hour removal of API prediction inputs, outputs and logs, while web-interface predictions have different retention. That does not establish a one-hour lifetime for an entire headshot order or its model. Its [privacy policy](https://replicate.com/privacy) separately discusses operational and legal retention and residual backups.

## Smart Headshots AI's retention schedule

The following summarizes our [privacy policy, section 10](/privacy), checked November 6, 2026. Read the full policy for exceptions and other records.

| Category | Published schedule |
| --- | --- |
| Source photographs and training archive | Normally deleted 7 days after delivery |
| Generated gallery and private session model | Deleted 30 days after delivery |
| Unfinished draft and its uploads | Deleted after 30 days of inactivity |
| Account deletion request | Starts a 30-day grace period before scheduled deletion |

The delivery date matters: seven days after delivery does not mean seven days after your first upload. A paid order still waiting for photos has its own lifecycle, described in the policy. Do not apply the delivered-gallery clock to an unfinished order.

These are product-retention periods, not a claim that every copy disappears simultaneously. Provider logs, backups, legally required records and temporary delivery caches may remain longer. Our policy notes that transformed image variants can remain cached for approximately one day after deletion from active storage.

## Check access, including employer access

For an individual account, protect both your sign-in email and the devices where you download portraits. Once you publish a headshot or send someone a file, the service cannot control their copy.

Team accounts need an additional check. Under our [team-account policy](/privacy), team owners and administrators can see and download generated headshots from team-funded sessions, along with membership and session progress. They cannot see or download members' source photographs or access their other sessions through that team role. Ask where your employer will retain delivered files.

## Before uploading, use this checklist

1. **Read the policy:** Open the privacy policy from the service's own website and check its update date.
2. **Separate the data:** Find separate rules for uploads, outputs, models and account records.
3. **Check permissions:** Confirm whether marketing use needs separate permission and whether free offers differ.
4. **Check team access:** Check who can access a team-funded gallery.
5. **Find deletion controls:** Locate the deletion controls and support contact before paying.
6. **Review refund consequences:** Review refund consequences before deleting anything.
7. **Confirm consent:** Upload only appropriate photographs of yourself, or an adult who has expressly permitted the processing.

For Smart Headshots AI, deleting any source photograph early ends the contractual rerun and refund guarantee. Keep the complete source set while evaluating results or discussing a claim; consult the [refund policy](/refund). This does not remove rights that cannot lawfully be limited.

## FAQ

### Are AI headshot services private?

There is no single answer for every service. Compare specific collection, access, training and deletion rules. A private gallery still requires processing and storage, and no online service can promise complete security.

### Does deleting my gallery delete my account?

Not necessarily. Gallery deletion and account deletion are separate actions. At Smart Headshots AI, an account-deletion request has a 30-day grace period; transaction and other required records may follow different retention rules.

### Can I delete photos before the automatic deadline?

Smart Headshots AI offers early deletion for delivered source photos and galleries where available in the dashboard. Read the confirmation carefully, especially the effect on the contractual guarantee, and download portraits you want to keep first.

### Does "no public model training" mean no providers see my photos?

No. A restriction on a particular training use is different from the processing needed to provide the service. Read the named-provider section and ask support about any unclear use before uploading.

### What if a policy does not answer my question?

Ask for a written answer identifying your purchase type and the data concerned. If the answer is still unclear, you can use an existing photograph or take a phone headshot without ordering generated portraits.

- [phone headshot](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/how-to-take-a-headshot-with-your-phone)

## Related guides

- [AI Headshot Likeness: How to Choose Photos That Look Like You](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/ai-headshot-likeness): A useful AI headshot should look like you today, not simply like an attractive portrait. Start with clear, current source photographs, then compare generated results with those originals. Check recognizable features and expression before deciding whether the outfit, lighting or background works.
- [Best AI Headshot Generators Compared by Price and Features](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/best-ai-headshot-generators): The best AI headshot generator for you depends on the portrait you need and the conditions attached to it. Compare profession-specific packs, team workflows, editing allowances and purchase terms.
- [How to Take a Professional Headshot at Home With Your Phone](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/how-to-take-a-headshot-with-your-phone): Face soft window light, put your phone at eye level about five feet away, and use a plain background. Take several photos with small changes in expression, then choose the sharpest frame that looks like you.

## Related headshot packs

- [Professional Headshots](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/professional-headshots): Clean, corporate-ready portraits for any industry.
- [LinkedIn Headshots](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/linkedin-headshots): The profile photo that gets recruiters to stop scrolling.

## Links

- [All guides](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides)
- [Create your headshots](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/start)
- [Home](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/)