Ns design blog
Copy an Existing ID Card with AI: Upload a Photo and Recreate It
If you already have an ID card, you can upload a photo of it and the AI assistant recreates the look as an editable design: the layout, colours and style. It copies the design, not the person, so you can add new names and photos and print new cards. This is useful when you have lost the original artwork or want to refresh old cards.
- Price: from £4.99 per card (reverse side +£1.00, NFC +£2.50, QR code free)
- Card: 85.6 x 54 mm PVC, the standard ID card size
- Minimum order: none. One card or a whole team
- Delivery: printed in the UK, free UK delivery over £30
- Free: design as much as you like and download your cards as a PDF before you order
When this is useful
- Your supplier has closed or you no longer have the design file.
- You want new staff cards that match your existing ones.
- You want to update a card but keep the same style.
- You like a layout and want a similar one for your own organisation, with your own name and logo.
What to copy, and what not to
Only copy a card you have the right to reproduce, such as your own organisation’s card. Please do not copy government, police, NHS or other official identity cards, or another company’s logo or branding. ID cards are for identifying people in your own organisation, club, school or event. Nobody should make a card that pretends to be something it is not.
Step by step
- Take a clear photo. Lay the card flat in good light and photograph the whole front, straight on. A scan works too.
- Cover personal details. The picture you upload is processed by Anthropic, the company behind the AI, so cover or crop any person’s photo, name and ID number first. The assistant only needs the layout and colours.
- Open the designer. Go to the card designer and choose Let the AI assistant do it.
- Tap Copy a card I have. Choose your photo. The assistant works out whether it is portrait or landscape, picks the closest editable design, and recolours it to match.
- Check the result. It is a starting point, not a pixel-perfect scan. Drag items into place, ask the assistant to change the colours or text sizes, and add your logo file.
- Add your people and photos, then order. Download a free PDF first to check it.
What the assistant copies, and what it does not
- It copies: orientation, colour scheme, where the photo, name and job title sit, header and footer bands, and the general style.
- It does not copy: the person on the card, logos and crests, security features or any official marking. Upload your own logo file for the card.
If you would rather start fresh, read how to make an ID card with AI, or see the ID card maker overview.
Frequently asked questions
Can I copy an existing ID card with AI?
Yes, if you have the right to reproduce it, such as your own organisation's card. Upload a photo of the card in the NS Design designer and the AI assistant recreates the layout and colours as an editable design.
Does the AI copy the person's photo or name?
No. It copies the layout and style only, not the person. You add your own names and photos afterwards.
Should I hide personal details before uploading a photo of my card?
Yes. The picture is processed by Anthropic, the company behind the AI. Cover or crop any person's photo, name and ID number first, because the assistant only needs the layout and colours.
Can I copy a police, NHS or government ID card?
No. Only copy cards you have the right to reproduce, such as your own organisation's. Do not copy official identity cards or another company's branding.
Will the copy look exactly like the original?
It will be close but it is a starting point, not a pixel-perfect scan. You can drag items into place and ask the assistant to adjust colours and sizes.
How much does it cost to print a copied card?
Designing is free and you can download a PDF first. Printed cards start from £4.99 per card with no minimum order.