Face ShapeDetector

How face shape detection works

The detector runsMediaPipe Face Landmarker, an open face model from Google, inside your browser. It places 478 points on your face, then checks the photo before measuring anything: one face only, enough light, sharp enough, and your head roughly level and facing the camera. If any of those fail, it asks for a better photo instead of guessing.

From those points it measures your face length (top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin) and four widths: forehead, cheekbones, jaw and chin. It also measures the angle at each jaw corner. Every width is divided by your cheekbone width, so the size of the photo and how close you stood do not change the numbers.

Then it checks a few documented rules, in this order. The first one that fits wins:

• Diamond: forehead at 82.5% or less of your cheekbone width, and jaw at 81% or less.
• Oblong: face length 1.27× your cheekbone width or more.
• Heart: forehead wider than the jaw by 4.5 points or more, plus a wide forehead (86%+) or a tapered chin (chin at 54.5% of jaw width or less).
• Square: jaw at 85% of your cheekbone width or more, or 82.5%+ with angular jaw corners (143° or less).
• Round: face length 1.13× your cheekbone width or less.
• Oval: none of the above, so the proportions are balanced.

The thresholds come from running this same detector on 208 front-facing, public-domain official portraits. Each rule sits about one to one and a half standard deviations from the average face in that set. About half of those faces came out oval, with the rest spread across the other five shapes. If your numbers land close to the line between two shapes, the result says so.

What each ratio means

The result shows five numbers next to your photo, each with the average from the calibration set, so you can see how your face compares rather than taking a label on trust.

Length ÷ cheekbone width

How long your face is compared to how wide it is at its widest. The average is 1.20. A high number points towards oblong, a low one towards round. The face mesh stops a little below the hairline, so this reads shorter than a tape measure would. Every threshold uses the same mesh, so it still lines up.

Forehead ÷ cheekbones

The width across your temples as a share of your cheekbone width. The average is 84%. A wide forehead over a narrow jaw suggests heart. A narrow forehead with a narrow jaw suggests diamond.

Jaw ÷ cheekbones

The distance between your jaw corners as a share of your cheekbone width. The average is 82%. This is the main signal for a square face.

Chin ÷ jaw

How quickly your face narrows from the jaw corners to the chin. The average is 56%. Lower means a more tapered, pointed chin, which is common in heart-shaped faces.

Jaw angle

The angle at each jaw corner, averaged across both sides. The average is 147°. A smaller angle means a sharper, more defined corner. Combined with a fairly wide jaw, it tips a face towards square.

Tips for an accurate photo

• Face the camera straight on, with the phone at eye level. Looking up or down changes how long your face looks.
• Hold the phone at arm’s length. Close-up selfies stretch the middle of the face, a bit like a fisheye lens.
• Pull your hair back off your forehead and away from your jaw, so the edges of your face are visible.
• Use soft, even light. A window in front of you works well. Strong light from behind turns your face into a silhouette.
• Keep a relaxed, neutral face. A big smile widens the cheeks and jaw.
• Take off glasses and hats, and make sure you are the only person in the photo.

Not sure about the result? Try a second photo in different light. If both agree, it is a fair starting point. Our guide on how to take a photo for hairstyle recommendationsgoes into more detail.

The six face shapes, at a glance

Here is what the detector looks for in each shape. Each guide covers the cuts that often work well, what to consider, and common questions.