You've seen them. Those hyper-stylized, hand-painted looking avatars taking over your Facebook feed and LinkedIn. It's the NewProfilePic app, and honestly, it’s one of those things that feels like it came out of nowhere. One day everyone has a normal selfie, the next day your entire friend list looks like they were painted by a trendy digital artist in a Parisian loft.
But here is the thing.
Whenever an app like this goes viral, the internet starts panicking. Is it a Russian spy tool? Is it "hoovering" your data? People get weirdly intense about it. I’ve spent some time digging into what’s actually happening under the hood of this thing, and the reality is a lot less like a spy movie and a lot more like, well, just modern tech.
What is the NewProfilePic app anyway?
Basically, it's a specialized AI editor. It isn't like Photoshop where you have to move sliders and layers for three hours. You just feed it a selfie. The AI—which is developed by Linerock Investments—analyzes your face and applies these complex vector art or oil painting filters.
It’s fast. Like, five seconds fast.
The app isn't just one filter, either. They’ve been rotating styles to keep people coming back. One week it’s that classic "vector" look with the sharp lines, and the next it’s more of a dreamy watercolor. Honestly, the tech is impressive because it handles hair and glasses way better than the old-school filters we used back in 2020.
The "Russian Spy" Rumors: Real or Fake?
Let's address the elephant in the room. You probably saw the viral warnings on social media claiming that this app is a front for the Kremlin. This mostly started because the domain was once registered in Moscow.
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Here is the actual reality:
Linerock Investments is actually based in the British Virgin Islands. Yes, they have developers in Russia, but they also have teams in Ukraine and Belarus. It's a global operation. Snopes and several cybersecurity experts have looked into this and found no evidence that your data is being sent to the Russian government.
Your photos? They are mostly processed on Amazon AWS or Microsoft Azure servers located in the United States.
Is it safe to use?
It’s about as safe as TikTok or Instagram. If you are okay with those apps having your data, you’re probably fine here. If you are a digital ghost who uses a VPN to buy milk, you’ll hate it.
The app asks for:
- Access to your photos (obviously).
- Your location (standard for ad tracking).
- Device ID.
It's the "ad-tech ecosystem" stuff that’s the real concern, not some international conspiracy. It wants to know what phone you use so it can show you an ad for a better one.
Why does it look so much better than other apps?
Most "cartoon" filters just overlay a texture on your face. It looks cheap. The NewProfilePic app uses a generative approach. It’s actually redrawing parts of the image based on your features. This is why the eyes look so sharp and the lighting actually matches the "paint" style.
I've noticed a few things it does differently:
- Feature Detection: It finds the "edges" of your face—jawline, nose bridge—and emphasizes them.
- Color Mapping: It doesn't just use your photo's colors; it shifts them to a specific palette that looks more "artistic."
- Background Removal: It often swaps your messy bedroom background for a clean, abstract design.
How to use it without giving away your life
If you want the cool photo but you’re still a bit sketched out, there is a simple way to do it. You don't have to give it access to your entire library. On modern iPhones and Androids, you can select "Only allow access to selected photos." Just give it the one selfie you want to edit.
Once you get the result, you can save it and delete the app.
Does it cost money?
The app is technically free, but it's a "freemium" model. You’re going to see ads. A lot of them. Every time you want to try a new style, you’ll probably have to sit through a 30-second clip for a mobile game you'll never play. They also have a "Pro" subscription if you want to skip the watermarks, but honestly, most people just crop the watermark out. (Don't tell them I said that).
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The competition in 2026
By now, the market is crowded. You've got Lensa, which does the "Magic Avatars," and Remini, which focuses more on making old blurry photos look like 4K masterpieces.
Where NewProfilePic wins is simplicity.
Lensa makes you upload 20 photos and wait 20 minutes. It feels like a project. This app is more of a "I'm bored in line at Starbucks" kind of experience. It’s for the casual user who just wants a fresh look for their Discord or WhatsApp profile without overthinking it.
The Bottom Line on your data
Look, everything you do online is being tracked. That’s the boring, scary truth. Whether it's the NewProfilePic app or the grocery store app you used this morning, your "digital footprint" is being sold to advertisers.
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Is this app a malware-infested virus? No.
Is it a perfectly private, encrypted vault? Also no.
It’s a fun tool. Use it if you want to look like a cool cartoon for a week. Just be smart about the permissions you grant and remember that "free" usually means you are the product.
Your next steps:
- Check your app permissions in your phone settings if you already downloaded it.
- Limit access to "Selected Photos" instead of your whole library.
- If you're worried about the watermark, use a simple crop tool after you save the image.
- Keep your app updated to ensure you have the latest security patches.