Custom Graphic Overlay Setup

Brand every photo booth collage with your event, business, or client identity. Upload a custom transparent PNG — a logo, decorative frame, event name, hashtag badge, or any design element — and ZillaBooth composites it onto every collage your booth produces. This guide covers Pro setup, file requirements, downloadable templates, getting dimensions right, design tips, and troubleshooting.

What Graphic Overlay does

Graphic Overlay applies a transparent PNG on top of the finished collage image. ZillaBooth stretches the overlay to fill the entire collage canvas — opaque areas cover the collage, and transparent areas let the photos show through.

Processing order matters for designers: ZillaBooth assembles the collage layout, applies borders, runs the black-and-white filter (if enabled), and then composites your overlay on top. That means your overlay colors and transparency stay exactly as you designed them — the B&W filter does not affect the overlay layer. If you want a fully monochrome frame, bake that look into your PNG artwork.

Requirements

  • Subscription: Active ZillaBooth Pro subscription.
  • Device: iPhone or iPad running iOS 26 or later.
  • File format: PNG only, with alpha transparency. JPEG is not supported — you need transparent regions for the photos to show through.
  • Dimensions: Match your overlay’s pixel size and aspect ratio to the final collage output on the device you will use at the event. The overlay is stretched to fit the collage — wrong dimensions cause distortion.

How to set it up

  1. Open ZillaBooth Settings → Pro → Graphic Overlay and enable the toggle.
  2. Tap Select Graphic File and use the document picker to locate your PNG on your device (Files app, iCloud Drive, AirDrop save location, etc.).
  3. ZillaBooth copies the file into its own Documents/GraphicOverlays/ folder and shows a preview so you can confirm it looks correct.
  4. The overlay is composited onto every collage going forward until you remove or replace it.

First-time tip: The first time you enable Graphic Overlay, ZillaBooth automatically selects the bundled portrait example so you can see the feature in action immediately. You can replace it with your own file at any time.

Example files & templates

Download editable Photoshop templates and ready-to-import PNG examples — the same files linked from our Photobooth Template Graphic Overlay Examples page.

The ZIP contains:

  • ZillaBooth-Example-Overlay-Portrait-2×2.png — ready-to-import PNG for portrait 2×2 collages
  • ZillaBooth-Example-Overlay-Landscape-2×2.png — ready-to-import PNG for landscape 2×2 collages
  • ZillaBooth-Example-Overlay-Portrait-2×2.psd — editable Photoshop template (portrait)
  • ZillaBooth-Example-Overlay-Landscape-2×2.psd — editable Photoshop template (landscape)

Open the PSD files in Photoshop (or any editor that supports layered PSD), customize the artwork, and export as PNG with transparency preserved.

Example ZillaBooth graphic overlay frame for a landscape 2x2 collage

Already in the app: The two example PNG files above are also bundled inside ZillaBooth on first launch. After opening the app once, you can find them in the Files app under On My iPhone/iPad → ZillaBooth → GraphicOverlays. They are seeded once per install — if you delete them, re-download from the ZIP above or import your own design.

Getting the dimensions right

ZillaBooth automatically optimizes collage output quality for the specific device it runs on. Pixel dimensions vary by iPad or iPhone model, collage layout (2×2 grid vs 1×4 strip), and orientation. The reliable workflow:

  1. On the same device you will use at the event, run a test photo session with your intended layout and settings.
  2. Open the saved collage in the iOS Photos app, swipe up on the photo, and note the pixel dimensions shown in the info panel.
  3. Design or resize your overlay PNG to match those exact dimensions and aspect ratio.
  4. Import the PNG into ZillaBooth and run another test session to confirm alignment before the event.

Because the overlay stretches to fill the collage canvas, a PNG that matches the output size eliminates distortion. If you switch between 2×2 grid and 1×4 strip layouts, you may need separate overlay files — each layout produces a different canvas shape.

Design tips & safe zones

  • Use border and frame patterns. Keep the center of the collage transparent so guest faces in the photo grid remain unobstructed. A subtle frame or corner badge is the most popular approach.
  • Include event details. For weddings and parties, add the event name and date in the overlay so every print is a self-contained keepsake.
  • Brand without blocking. For corporate or sponsor booths, place a logo in one corner and a hashtag in another — both stay visible without covering the photos.
  • Test before the event. Print a test collage and check how it looks on paper, not just on screen. Adjust opacity, placement, and font sizes as needed.
  • Design in professional tools. Create artwork in Photoshop, Canva, Figma, or Affinity Designer, then export as PNG with transparency. No proprietary template library — your creative workflow stays yours.

Removing or changing the overlay

  • Remove: Open Settings → Pro → Graphic Overlay and tap Remove Graphic Overlay. Future collages will no longer include the overlay.
  • Replace: Tap Select Graphic File and choose a new PNG. ZillaBooth copies the new file and applies it going forward.
  • Disable without deleting: Turn off the Graphic Overlay toggle in Settings → Pro. Your configured file stays saved for next time.

Troubleshooting

Overlay looks stretched or distorted

Your PNG’s aspect ratio or pixel dimensions do not match the collage output. Run a test session on your event device, check the saved collage dimensions in Photos, and resize your overlay to match exactly.

Overlay covers guest faces

Too much of your PNG is opaque in the center photo area. Redesign using a border or corner-badge pattern with transparent regions where the photo grid appears.

Black-and-white filter does not affect my overlay border

This is expected. ZillaBooth applies the B&W filter to the collage photos before compositing your overlay, so overlay artwork stays in full color. If you want a monochrome frame, design it that way in your PNG.

File will not import
  • Confirm the file is PNG format (not JPEG, PDF, or PSD — export PSD to PNG before importing).
  • Ensure the file is accessible from the document picker location (Files app, iCloud Drive, etc.).
  • Try AirDropping the PNG to your device and selecting it from Downloads.
Overlay disappeared after I deleted a file in the Files app

ZillaBooth stores the active overlay in its Documents/GraphicOverlays folder. If you delete that file externally, re-select your overlay in Settings → Pro → Graphic Overlay, or import one of the bundled example PNGs or files from the example ZIP.

Need separate overlays for portrait and landscape

Yes — if your booth runs in both orientations or you switch between 2×2 and 1×4 layouts, each output size may need its own PNG. Use the portrait and landscape example files in the download ZIP as starting points.

Related links