---
title: "Virtual Try-On in 2026: ChatGPT vs Google vs Avatar Fitting Rooms"
url: https://aderlo.city/en/blog/virtual-try-on-chatgpt-vs-google/
description: "Virtual try-on compared for UK shoppers: ChatGPT, Google, ASOS and avatar fitting rooms — how they work, how accurate they are, your photo and your rights."
language: en-GB
published: 2026-10-17
modified: 2026-10-17
author: "Greg Ciupek"
reviewed_by: "Greg Ciupek"
category: "Future of Shopping"
source: "Aderlo City (https://aderlo.city/)"
---

# Virtual Try-On in 2026: ChatGPT vs Google vs Avatar Fitting Rooms

Virtual try-on shows how clothes could look on you. ChatGPT and Google generate a picture from your photo; avatar fitting rooms such as Zalando's dress a 3D model built from your measurements. Photo-based tools are good for colour, cut and style, but both OpenAI and Google say they do not guarantee fit or size — check the size chart.

## Key takeaways

- There are three kinds of virtual try-on: an AI image made from your photo, an AR overlay on your camera feed, and a 3D avatar built from your measurements — only the last one compares sizes.
- In the UK you can use Google's try-on (since December 2025), ChatGPT's “Try on” button (since 1 October 2026) and ASOS's hybrid try-on in its iOS app.
- OpenAI and Google both state that try-on images do not guarantee fit or size, and Google researchers note that current models default to showing a good fit.
- Your photo is saved for future try-ons; you can delete it in ChatGPT's settings and in Google's try-on panel.
- Trying clothes on at home does not affect your 14-day right to cancel, as long as you handle them as you might in a shop.

Since 1 October 2026 a “Try on” button has appeared under clothes in ChatGPT's shopping results. Google has offered UK shoppers its own try-on since December 2025, and ASOS launched a hybrid try-on in its app in February. They all promise the same thing: see it on you before you buy. What they actually show — and how far you can trust them when choosing a size — is very different.

I am writing as someone who is building a 3D shopping mall with real products and planning an avatar fitting room inside it. This guide compares the three approaches to virtual try-on, explains how they work under the bonnet, what happens to your photo, what UK consumer law says about trying clothes on at home, and when a virtual fitting room helps and when it quietly misleads you.

## What is virtual try-on?

**Virtual try-on is any tool that shows clothing or accessories on your body without a trip to the changing room.** It can be an AI image generated from your photo, an overlay on your phone's live camera feed, or a 3D avatar built from your measurements.

One name, three different technologies — and each answers a different question:

- **An AI image from your photo** answers “does this suit me?”. That is what ChatGPT's “Try on” and Google's “Try it on” do.
- **An AR overlay** (augmented reality) answers “how does this look on me right now?”. It works well for glasses, make-up or trainers drawn over your camera feed.
- **An avatar built from your measurements** answers “which size should I order?”. That is the approach behind Zalando's Virtual Fitting Room, where you compare different sizes of the same item on your body shape.

Our glossary entry on [virtual try-on](/en/glossary/virtual-try-on/) has a shorter definition.

## How does virtual try-on work?

**Most popular try-on tools do not measure you at all — they generate a new photo.** An AI model receives two images, you and the garment, and draws a third: you wearing it.

Google described its approach in 2023. The model uses diffusion, a technique that learns to rebuild an image from noise, but instead of a text prompt it takes a pair of images — one of a person, one of a garment. Each goes through its own neural network, and the two share information to produce a single photorealistic picture. Google trained it on pairs of images of the same person in two poses, then on millions of random garment-and-person pairs, so that it learned how fabric drapes, folds and stretches on different bodies.

ChatGPT does something similar with its general image model, ChatGPT Images. In practice the difference is that Google's model was trained specifically on apparel from its Shopping Graph — its database of products and retailers' listings — while ChatGPT can also try on an item from any screenshot you upload.

This mechanism explains the biggest limitation. The model knows neither your measurements nor the garment's — it only sees two pictures. In April 2026 researchers from Google Research and the University of Washington published FIT, a dataset for training “fit-aware” try-on, and wrote plainly that current try-on methods default to well-fitted results regardless of the garment or person size. One of the authors, Ira Kemelmacher-Shlizerman, presented Google's try-on on its blog in 2023. In other words, the people building the technology acknowledge the gap themselves.

**Avatar fitting rooms work the other way round.** First a 3D model of your body is created — from measurements, photos or a video — and then a garment in a specific size is put on that model. Zalando says its tool captures your measurements from two photos or a phone video and builds an avatar on which you can compare how different sizes of the same item would sit on your body. That requires data about each garment's dimensions and cut, so it only works for a prepared range.

## ChatGPT vs Google vs avatar fitting rooms: which is best?

**For style, ChatGPT or Google is enough; for size, you need a measurement-based avatar or a size chart.** Here is how they compare for UK shoppers:

| | ChatGPT “Try on” | Google “Try it on” | ASOS hybrid try-on | Avatar from measurements (e.g. Zalando) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launched | 1 Oct 2026 | in the UK on 3 Dec 2025 | 17 Feb 2026, selected UK and US customers | pilots; rolling out to all Zalando customers in 2026 |
| Where | ChatGPT on web and mobile | Google Search, Shopping and Images | ASOS iOS app | Zalando's app and site |
| What you upload | a selfie or full-body photo | a full-body photo or selfie | your own photo, or you pick an AI model resembling you | two photos or a video for measuring |
| What you get | a 2D image | a 2D image | a 2D image | a 3D avatar, size comparison |
| Items | clothes and accessories, also from screenshots | tops, bottoms, dresses (Google also lists jackets and shoes for the UK launch) | around 10,000 products at launch | a selected range, mainly jeans |
| Tells you your size | no — OpenAI says it does not guarantee fit or size | no — Google calls the image an approximation | ASOS makes no fit claim | yes, that is its job |
| Your photo | saved; delete in Settings | saved; delete any time; not used for training | ASOS's terms apply | depends on the retailer |
| Requirements | a ChatGPT account | a Google account, 18+, Search history on | ASOS app on iPhone | the retailer's app |

Sources: OpenAI Help Center and release notes (1 October 2026), Google Shopping Help and The Keyword (3 December 2025), ASOS plc (17 February 2026), Zalando (22 June 2026). Correct as of 17 October 2026.

The table shows that these tools do not really compete head to head. ChatGPT and Google are convenient because they work on almost any garment online. A measurement-based avatar is more precise, but only where a retailer has prepared the data. ASOS sits in between: its option to choose an AI model that resembles you is useful if you would rather not upload a photo at all.

## How do I use ChatGPT's “Try on” feature?

**Select “Try on” on a clothing listing, take or upload a selfie, and view the generated image.** OpenAI says the feature is available in ChatGPT on mobile and web.

1. Ask ChatGPT for an item, for example “a navy knee-length wool coat under £150”. When your question looks like shopping, ChatGPT shows product cards.
2. On a clothing or accessory listing, select **“Try on”**.
3. Take or upload a selfie. It is saved as a reference photo for future try-ons.
4. View the generated image. You can also upload a picture of any garment in a conversation and ask ChatGPT to show it on you.
5. Save the product to Favorites if you want to come back to it — the same update added a Library of saved products.
6. Before buying, open the retailer's page and check the **measurements, product details and returns policy** — that is OpenAI's own advice.

To change or delete your reference photo, go to **Settings → Personalization → Reference photos**.

It is also worth knowing that product cards in ChatGPT are not ads: OpenAI says they are selected independently, using data from merchants and third-party providers. The price shown first usually comes from the first merchant listed and may not be the lowest.

## How do I use Google virtual try-on in the UK?

**Search for a top, bottom or dress, open the product, tap “Try it on” and upload a photo of yourself.** Google launched the tool in the UK and India on 3 December 2025, saying it covered billions of apparel listings.

Google's help page sets a few conditions. You must be signed in, be at least 18, and have Search history and personalised recommendations switched on. Lingerie, swimwear, accessories and sponsored Shopping ads are not supported. If the button does not appear, the item is not eligible.

In the US, Google goes a step further: you can create a digital version of yourself from a selfie and optionally enter the clothing size you usually wear to improve the body shape. That option is US-only for now.

## Can virtual try-on tell me what size to buy?

**Photo-based try-on cannot.** The providers say so themselves. OpenAI writes that try-on images may not represent the product or your appearance exactly and do not guarantee fit or size. Google calls the image an approximation that does not determine how a garment will fit, and advises checking size charts, reviews and product details regardless of the size shown in the visualisation.

That matters, because size is where online fashion goes wrong. In Popsy's Fit Fix Report, published in August 2026, only 1% of more than 1,800 of the brand's UK customers said their usual size never varies between brands; 32% said it always varies and 49% said it often does. 27% said they regularly order several sizes to send back the ones that do not fit — so-called bracketing. The sample was Popsy's own customers rather than all UK shoppers, but the direction is clear: the label on the garment is an unreliable guide.

A convincing try-on image does not fix that. It can even reinforce a wrong choice, because the model tends to show the garment fitting well.

Two kinds of tools genuinely help with size:

- **size recommendations and size flags** — the retailer suggests the size most likely to fit and warns when an item runs small or large; Zalando says such tools cover around 70% of its range and prevented 8% of size-related returns in 2025;
- **a measurement-based avatar** on which you compare sizes — Zalando reports that recent pilots of its Virtual Fitting Room reduced return rates by up to 40%, and aims to roll it out to all customers in 2026.

Both figures are the company's own, without independent verification. The first covers its whole range; the second comes from pilots on selected items, mainly jeans, where one style can come in more than 30 size combinations. They point the same way, though: accuracy on size comes from measurement, not from a generated picture.

## How accurate is virtual try-on?

**Accurate for looks, often; accurate for fit, no.** You can judge colour against your skin tone, the cut, the length on your frame and whether an item suits your style. You cannot reliably tell whether it will be tight, baggy or too short.

| What you want to check | AI image from photo (ChatGPT, Google, ASOS) | Avatar from measurements | Size chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colour against your skin tone | good | fair (depends on avatar quality) | no |
| Cut and style | good | good | no |
| Overall length (e.g. knee or midi) | rough guide | good | good |
| Whether the size will fit | no | good, for prepared items | good, if you know your measurements |
| How the fabric drapes | rough guide — the model is guessing | depends on fabric data | no |
| Details (buttons, prints, texture) | may differ from the real item | depends on the 3D model | no |

The photo you upload has a big effect. Google recommends a head-to-toe image or a selfie with nobody else in it, good lighting and a plain background, standing tall with your hands visible, and fitted clothing, because baggy outfits can distort the result. Avoid holding the phone too close, shooting from far away, sitting or crouching.

Google also warns that generated images may contain mistakes in body shape, personal features or clothing details. That matches what you see in practice: a model can “tidy up” your figure or change a detail of the garment it could not see clearly.

## What happens to my photo, and is it safe?

**Your photo is saved so you do not have to upload it each time — but you can delete it.** The rules differ between providers, so it pays to know them before your first try-on.

**ChatGPT.** Your reference photo is kept for future try-ons. You can change or remove it under Settings → Personalization → Reference photos. If you do not want your chats and files to help improve models, check the data controls in your account settings as well.

**Google.** Your photo is saved, but you can replace or delete it at any time (camera icon → “Delete original photo”), and remove generated images from the “Recently tried” tray. Google says try-on photos are not shared with other Google products or third parties and are not used for training. It does note that trained human reviewers may look at generated images for quality evaluation, disconnected from your account.

**Free “AI outfit try-on” apps and websites.** This is where to be most careful. You are handing a photo of your body to a company you may know nothing about. Before you do, check who the data controller is, how long the photo is kept and whether you can delete it.

A few rules I follow myself:

1. **Upload only photos of yourself.** Google requires a photo of you or one you have permission to use, and bans photos of children.
2. **Pick a photo with nothing else in it** — no documents, no house number in the background, no other people.
3. **Delete saved photos** when you stop using the feature.
4. **Do not upload underwear photos** — Google does not support that category anyway, and it is the most sensitive picture you could give anyone.

Legally, your photo is personal data. The ICO explains that information only counts as biometric data when it results from specific technical processing and allows or confirms someone's unique identification, and that not all biometric data is special category data — the purpose of the processing decides. A try-on that simply generates an image does not normally identify you. That does not change the fact that you are sharing a photo of yourself and have the right to know what happens to it and to ask for it to be erased. This is general information, not legal advice.

## Can I return clothes I tried on at home?

**Yes — virtual try-on does not change your rights when you buy online.** Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 you normally have 14 days from the day the goods arrive to tell the seller you want to cancel, with no reason needed.

The key points, from the regulations and Citizens Advice:

- **You can try things on.** A retailer can only recover a loss in value if you handled the goods beyond what is necessary to establish their nature, characteristics and functioning — and the regulations say that means, in particular, beyond the sort of handling that might reasonably be allowed in a shop (regulation 34(9) and (12)). Trying a jumper on is checking it; wearing it for a weekend is not.
- **You then have another 14 days** to send the item back after telling the seller.
- **The refund is due within 14 days** of the seller receiving the item or proof that you posted it, whichever comes first, and includes standard delivery if you paid for it.

So virtual try-on will not replace trying clothes on at home, but it can cut down the parcels you send back. If you are about to order two sizes “just in case”, a minute with the size chart is worth more than another AI image.

This is a summary of general rules, not legal advice on a specific case. Citizens Advice has a consumer helpline if a retailer refuses a return.

## When is virtual try-on worth using?

**It is worth it for style, colour and comparing looks; it is not a substitute for checking your size.** Typical situations:

| Situation | Will try-on help? | What to do instead or as well |
|---|---|---|
| You are unsure whether a colour suits you | yes | compare the image with the retailer's colour description and customer photos |
| You are torn between two cuts | yes | try both and compare the images side by side |
| You do not know your size in this brand | no | measure yourself and use the brand's own size chart |
| You are buying jeans | partly | a measurement-based avatar, or inside-leg and waist measurements |
| You are buying a gift | not really | do not upload someone else's photo without consent; ask their size or buy with a longer returns window |
| You are buying lingerie or swimwear | no (Google does not support them) | size chart and fit reviews |

The order I recommend: size chart and fit reviews (“runs small”, “size up”) first, try-on second. In that order the tool helps; the other way round, it is easy to be won over by a flattering picture.

## How is an avatar fitting room in a 3D mall different?

**It is a fourth approach: you try clothes on the character you walk around the shop with, not on a photo.** It combines the convenience of an avatar with the context of a real shop — you see the garment in a showroom next to other things, rather than on a blank background.

In a [3D virtual mall](/en/blog/what-is-a-3d-virtual-mall/) every visitor already has a [shopping avatar](/en/glossary/shopping-avatar/) — their character in the 3D world. The natural next step is for that character to wear what is in the shop window.

Here is what that looks like in Aderlo City today, and what we are planning:

**Working in the MVP (October 2026):**

- choosing an avatar and walking the Aderlo Galleries in London and Warsaw together with other visitors,
- a premium showroom on the third floor of the Warsaw gallery, with mannequins and clothing rails, streamed in photorealistic quality from our servers,
- a product card by each mannequin with a photo, description, price, size selection and basket, with orders fulfilled by Aderlo.

**Planned:**

- **an avatar fitting room in the premium showroom** — as a private, one-to-one session, because trying clothes on is private by nature; other visitors will not see you in the fitting room,
- **an avatar with your proportions** — from measurements you choose to enter, or from a photo; we are treating the photo option with care, because a photo of your face is personal data and needs its own data protection assessment,
- **linking the fitting room to each product's size chart**, so the avatar shows a specific size rather than a “perfect fit”.

![Premium showroom in the Aderlo Gallery with mannequins and rails of clothes](../../../../source-images/mvp/salon-manekiny.png)

*MVP screenshot: the premium showroom on the third floor of the Aderlo Gallery in Warsaw. Today you see clothes on mannequins and choose your size on the product card; an avatar fitting room is planned.*

Building the gallery has taught me one thing that applies to every virtual fitting room: the image has to be honest about size. A try-on that shows a perfect fit on everyone may lift orders, but returns will rise with them. That is why, in planning ours, we are starting from product measurements rather than visual effects.

![Inside the premium showroom in the Aderlo Gallery: clothing rails, shelves of handbags and a display table](../../../../source-images/mvp/salon-wejscie.png)

*MVP screenshot: inside the premium showroom — clothing rails, shelves of handbags and a display table, with the entrance from the gallery at the back.*

## How do I use virtual try-on sensibly? A checklist

**Treat try-on as a mirror for style and the size chart as your tape measure.** Seven steps before you buy:

1. **Measure yourself properly once** — chest, waist, hips, inside leg — and keep the numbers on your phone.
2. **Check that brand's own size chart**, not a generic UK size conversion. A size 12 in one brand and another can be quite different.
3. **Read fit reviews** — “runs small” or “size up” is information no image will give you.
4. **Only now use virtual try-on** to judge colour, cut and style.
5. **Use a good photo**: head to toe, good light, fitted clothes, nobody else in shot.
6. **Check the seller and the returns policy** — who is selling, how many days you have and who pays for postage.
7. **Delete your photo afterwards** if you are not planning to keep using the feature.

## What comes next for virtual try-on?

**The direction is clear: from a good-looking picture to a good fit.** Big platforms and researchers are working on try-on that accounts for size, not just looks.

You can see it in three places. Researchers are publishing datasets for training fit-aware try-on, such as FIT in April 2026. Google, in the US, already lets you build a digital version of yourself and add your usual size. Zalando is moving its measurement-based avatar from pilots to a permanent feature for all customers. At the same time, try-on is spreading into retailers' apps, as at ASOS, and into AI assistants, as in ChatGPT.

For shoppers, the takeaway today is simple: use virtual try-on freely to choose a style, but check your size the way you always have — with a tape measure and the size chart. And if you would like to see clothes in a real shop setting rather than on a blank background, step into the premium showroom in the Aderlo Gallery.

## Questions and answers

### Can virtual try-on tell me my size?

Photo-based tools cannot. OpenAI and Google both say their try-on images do not guarantee fit or size. Only avatar fitting rooms built from your measurements, such as Zalando's, compare sizes on your body. Whatever tool you use, check the retailer's size chart and fit reviews.

### How accurate is virtual try-on?

Accurate for looks, not for fit. Colour, cut and overall style come across well. But researchers from Google Research and the University of Washington note that current try-on models default to well-fitted results regardless of the garment or person size.

### Is Google virtual try-on available in the UK?

Yes. Google launched it in the UK on 3 December 2025. Search for a top, bottom or dress, open the product, tap “Try it on” and upload a photo. You must be signed in, aged 18 or over, and have Search history and personalised recommendations switched on.

### Does ChatGPT keep my try-on photo?

Yes, it saves your reference photo for future try-ons. You can change or delete it under Settings → Personalization → Reference photos. Google also saves your photo, lets you delete it, and says it does not use try-on photos to train its models.

### Can I return clothes I tried on at home?

Yes. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 you normally have 14 days from delivery to cancel. A retailer can only deduct money if you handled the item beyond what is necessary to establish its nature, characteristics and functioning — roughly, beyond what a shop would allow.

### Can I try clothes on my avatar in Aderlo City?

Not yet. Today you choose an avatar and walk the Aderlo Gallery; in the premium showroom you see clothes on mannequins and pick a size on the product card. An avatar fitting room is planned.

## Sources

1. [Shopping with ChatGPT Search — Virtually try on clothing and accessories](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/11128490-shopping-with-chatgpt-search) — OpenAI Help Center (accessed: 2026-10-17)
2. [ChatGPT release notes — New ways to shop in ChatGPT](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6825453-chatgpt-release-notes) — OpenAI Help Center, 1 October 2026 (accessed: 2026-10-17)
3. [ChatGPT can now virtually try on clothes for you](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/01/chatgpt-can-now-virtually-try-on-clothes-for-you/) — TechCrunch, 1 October 2026 (accessed: 2026-10-17)
4. [How the Google Try-On tool works](https://support.google.com/googleshopping/answer/16253678?hl=en) — Google Shopping Help (accessed: 2026-10-17)
5. [Virtual Apparel Try On tool comes to the UK and India this festive season](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/shopping/virtual-apparel-try-on-uk-india/) — Google (The Keyword), 3 December 2025 (accessed: 2026-10-17)
6. [How AI makes virtual try-on more realistic](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/shopping/virtual-try-on-google-generative-ai/) — Google (The Keyword), 14 June 2023 (accessed: 2026-10-17)
7. [FIT: A Large-Scale Dataset for Fit-Aware Virtual Try-On](https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.08526) — arXiv (Karras, Wang, Li, Kemelmacher-Shlizerman), 9 April 2026 (accessed: 2026-10-17)
8. [ASOS launches hybrid approach to virtual try-on, giving customers a unique way to shop with confidence](https://www.asosplc.com/news-and-media/latest-news/asos-launches-hybrid-approach-to-virtual-try-on-giving-customers-a-unique-way-to-shop-with-confidence/) — ASOS plc, 17 February 2026 (accessed: 2026-10-17)
9. [How Zalando uses technology to help customers find the right size](https://corporate.zalando.com/en/technology/how-zalando-uses-technology-help-customers-find-right-size) — Zalando SE, 22 June 2026 (accessed: 2026-10-17)
10. [Only 1% of online shoppers say clothing sizes are consistent between brands, new survey finds](https://retailtimes.co.uk/only-1-of-online-shoppers-say-clothing-sizes-are-consistent-between-brands-new-survey-finds/) — Retail Times (Popsy Fit Fix Report), 6 August 2026 (accessed: 2026-10-17)
11. [Biometric data guidance: Biometric recognition — key data protection concepts](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/lawful-basis/biometric-data-guidance-biometric-recognition/key-data-protection-concepts/) — Information Commissioner's Office (accessed: 2026-10-17)
12. [The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 34](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/regulation/34) — legislation.gov.uk, 2013 (accessed: 2026-10-17)
13. [Changing your mind about something you've bought](https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/changed-your-mind/changing-your-mind-about-something-youve-bought/) — Citizens Advice (accessed: 2026-10-17)
14. [Aderlo City — a 3D shopping city in your browser (MVP status)](https://aderlo.city/en/) — Aderlo City (accessed: 2026-10-17)

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