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Questions, answered properly

If the answer you need is not here, message us: a person replies within one working day.

Photos & resolution

What file types can I upload?
JPEG, PNG, HEIC/HEIF and TIFF, up to 60 MB each and 1,200 photos per book. HEIC straight from an iPhone is fine: we convert it. RAW files are not supported in the browser builder; export them to JPEG or TIFF first.
Why is a photo marked as too low resolution?
Because at the trim size you chose it would print visibly broken. We measure every upload against the page it could land on.
  • 300 DPI and above: press quality at any size
  • 100 to 180 DPI: fine small, soft large; marked on the thumbnail
  • Under 100 DPI: blocks checkout

The usual cause is a screenshot, a WhatsApp forward or an image saved from social media: all three shrink and re-compress the original. Find the original file and the warning normally disappears. Choosing a smaller trim size also fixes it, since the same pixels spread over less paper.

Can I import from Google Photos, iCloud or Dropbox?
Download the album to your device and drag the folder into the builder: that path always works and always gives you the full-resolution originals, which the sharing links from those services frequently do not. Direct connectors are on the roadmap; we would rather ship the reliable route first.
Can I crop, rotate or fix a photo here?
Cropping happens automatically to fit each layout cell, and rotation is read from the file's orientation data. We deliberately do not offer filters, exposure sliders or retouching: doing that badly on a screen that is not colour-managed is how books come out looking wrong. Edit in whatever you already use, then upload.

The book itself

How many pages do I need?
Count your photos, divide by two or three, and double it: most people put two or three photos on a spread. Every edition starts at 20 pages and the builder tells you the exact price as you move the slider. Page counts are always even, because a bound leaf has two sides.
What is lay-flat and do I need it?
In an ordinary bound book the pages curve into the spine, so anything crossing the centre is bent and partly hidden. Lay-flat spreads are printed as one sheet and hinged, so they open completely flat and an image can cross the middle intact. You need it if you have panoramas or want a face in the centre of a spread. For a normal family book you do not.
Can I change the size or edition after starting?
At any point up to checkout, from the panel on the right of the builder. Changing the trim size re-checks every photo's resolution against the new dimensions, so the warnings update immediately.
Can I add captions and text?
Yes: a caption per spread, plus the title and subtitle on the cover and spine. There is no free-form text-box layer, because pages full of drifting text boxes are what makes home-made books look home-made.

Working with other people

How do share links work?
Turn on the link in the builder and send it to anyone. They can add photos and give their name; they cannot see your layout, change anything, remove a photo or see who else contributed. No account, no password. Turn the link off when you are done and it stops working immediately.
Can I make a surprise book without spoiling it?
That is exactly what share links are for. Contributors see only the upload page and your short message: never the book, the layout or the cover. It is how most milestone and memorial books on the site get made.
Can one order go to several addresses?
Yes. Set a delivery address per book in the cart, with its own gift message, and each one is posted separately. You pay one shipping charge per destination rather than placing several separate orders.

Ordering & delivery

Do I need an account to try it?
No. Build the whole book, upload every photo and see the exact price signed out. An account is created when you order, so that you can track it, reorder copies and download your PDF later, and if you sign up afterwards, the book you already made comes with you.
When will it arrive?
Production plus transit, both in business days, both published on the shipping page. The builder, the cart and the checkout all show the same estimated arrival window. It is an estimate, not a guaranteed date. See turnaround and deadlines
How do I order more copies later?
Open the order and press “Order more copies”. The book goes back in the cart at exactly the spec it was printed at. Reprints take the same production time as the first copy.
What if something is wrong with it?
We reprint it, you keep the first one, and there is no returns label. Colour, binding, trim, transit damage and missed dates are all covered. Read the guarantee

Your files & your data

Can I download my book as a PDF?
Yes: print-ready and free, whether you ordered the book or not, for as long as the book is in your account. If you want to print it somewhere else, the layout is yours and you can take it.
Can I send my own PDF instead?
Not through the site: there is no PDF upload today. Send us the file or a link to it, with the edition, trim size, page count and number of copies you want, and we reply with a quote. Your own PDF, by quote
What do you do with my photographs?
We keep them so the book can be printed and, if something goes wrong, reprinted. They stay until you delete the book or your account, and then the files are deleted. They are never used for marketing, never used to train anything, and never sold or shared. Privacy policy

Still stuck?

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