User Guide & Support

Initial Countdown (Start Delay): Set how long the countdown timer runs before the first photo is taken. Useful for getting into position — especially with a group. Configurable from 3–10 seconds.

Between-Photo Interval: Set the delay between each successive photo in the four-photo sequence. A shorter interval keeps energy high; a longer interval gives everyone time to switch poses. Configurable from 1–5 seconds.

How to configure: Open ZillaBooth Settings → Timer. Adjust the Initial Countdown and Between-Photo Interval sliders to your preferred values. Changes take effect immediately for the next session.

Tips:

• For solo use, a 3-second countdown with a 2-second interval works great — quick and responsive.
• For groups, a 5–8 second countdown gives everyone time to get in frame. A 3-second between-photo interval gives time for pose changes.

How it works: When Manual Capture Mode is enabled, the automatic timer is replaced with a manual shutter. After tapping to start the session, you tap the shutter button once for each of the four photos. A progress indicator shows how many shots remain.

How to enable: Open ZillaBooth Settings → Timer → enable Manual Capture Mode.

Best for:

• Group photos where you want to make sure everyone is ready before each shot
• Capturing candid, spontaneous moments — tap when the laugh is happening, not when a timer says so
• Assisted photo booth use, where an attendant controls the shutter for guests

Note: When Simplified Sharing is active (Party), Manual Capture Mode works seamlessly alongside the full kiosk setup — guests take their photos at their own pace, and the delivery process kicks in automatically afterward.

Flash modes:

• Auto: ZillaBooth intelligently decides when to fire the flash based on ambient light. Great for mixed-lighting environments.
• On: Flash fires on every shot for consistent, pop-lit results. Ideal for dark rooms, evening events, or when you want that energetic photo booth look.
• Off: No flash. Use natural or ambient light only — great for well-lit spaces or when you prefer a softer, more natural look.

How to configure: Open ZillaBooth Settings → Camera → Flash Mode. Select your preferred mode. The setting is persistent between sessions.

Note: Flash availability depends on your device hardware. If flash is not available on your device, this control will indicate that. Without Pro, ZillaBooth defaults to flash-on behavior when flash hardware is present.

How it works: When the 1×4 Strip layout is selected, ZillaBooth arranges your four photos into a tall, narrow vertical strip instead of a square grid. The result is the traditional photo booth strip aesthetic that’s immediately recognizable and satisfying to print.

How to enable: Open ZillaBooth Settings → Photos → Layout. Select “1×4 Strip.”

Printing photo strips: The 1×4 strip is designed to be printed “2-up” on a standard 4×6″ photo sheet — two identical strips side-by-side — and then cut apart to give to two people. Most home photo printers and online print services support 4×6″ prints. Print two copies, keep one, share one.

Best for: Weddings and parties where guests want a classic, nostalgic keepsake. The vertical strip format is iconic, immediately shareable, and a genuine crowd-pleaser.

Border Spacing: Adjusts the gap between individual photos in the collage. Tighter spacing creates a more modern, dense feel; more spacing gives each photo room to breathe and creates a more classic printed-strip look.

Border Color: Choose between a white or black background/border for your collage. White gives a clean, bright, airy aesthetic. Black creates a bold, dramatic look that reads beautifully on screen and when printed.

How to configure: Open ZillaBooth Settings → Photos → Border Spacing and Border Color. Adjustments are reflected in your next collage.

Note: Border color options are only available when border spacing is set to a non-zero value — the color only applies to visible borders.

Save Collage: Automatically saves the assembled 2×2 or 1×4 collage to your Camera Roll after every session. Photos are saved to a dedicated ZillaBooth album for easy access.

Save Individual Photos: Automatically saves each of the four individual photos to your Camera Roll in addition to the collage. Individual images are saved to a dedicated ZillaBooth – Individual Images album and include full metadata — including portrait depth-map data on supported devices — making them ideal for editing in Photos or any other editing app.

How to configure: Open ZillaBooth Settings → Photos → Autosave. Toggle “Save Collage” and “Save Individual Photos” independently based on your needs.

Why save individual photos? The individual frames are captured at the same or better quality than the native iPhone front camera — including portrait mode depth data on capable devices. If one of the four shots is that perfect, once-in-a-lifetime expression, it’ll be saved at full quality and ready for editing, printing, or framing.

How it works: When geotagging is enabled, ZillaBooth attaches GPS coordinates to the image metadata of your saved photos. These coordinates are readable by the iOS Photos app (which shows a map view of where photos were taken) and any other app or service that reads EXIF location data.

How to enable:

1. Open ZillaBooth Settings → Photos → Geotagging and enable the toggle.
2. ZillaBooth will prompt you to grant Location permission if you haven’t already. Tap “Allow While Using App” for geotagging to work.
3. Location data will be embedded in all future saved photos while geotagging is enabled.

Privacy note: Location data is embedded only in the photos saved to your device. ZillaBooth never transmits location information to any server or third party.

How it works: When a custom share message is configured and enabled, ZillaBooth automatically prepends your message to the share payload when you tap Share. Recipients see your custom text alongside the collage image.

How to configure: Open ZillaBooth Settings → Sharing → Custom Message. Enable the toggle and type your message. It could be as simple as “Made with ZillaBooth at [Event Name] 🎉” or an event hashtag like “#SmithWedding2025”.

Note: Custom Share Messages are available via the standard iOS share sheet. When ZillaBooth Party’s Simplified Sharing is enabled, the email delivery flow uses its own configurable message (set in Party settings), and the standard custom share message is not applied through that path.

How it works: When you’re using ZillaBooth on an iPad with a Party subscription active, the app automatically switches to the iPad Party Layout. The camera preview expands to fill a larger portion of the screen, all controls are displayed as overlays on top of the camera feed, and the shutter button is always positioned at the bottom for easy, consistent access.

Attention-Grabbing Shutter Glow: In iPad Party Layout, the shutter button features an eye-catching glow animation that pulses to draw guests’ attention and makes it immediately clear how to start their photo session. No instruction needed — guests know exactly what to tap.

Setup: No configuration required. Subscribe to ZillaBooth Party, open the app on your iPad, and the Party Layout activates automatically. All other Party features (Simplified Sharing, Auto-Print, etc.) work seamlessly alongside this layout.

Best for: Any event deployment where iPad is your device of choice. The larger screen is ideal for groups, the immersive layout feels premium, and the prominent shutter button means guests need zero guidance to get started.

How to set it up:

1. Prepare your PNG overlay file. Use transparency (alpha channel) for areas you want to show the photo through — for example, a frame design or a logo badge in a corner.
2. Open ZillaBooth Settings → Party → Graphic Overlay and tap “Select Graphic File.”
3. Use the document picker to locate your PNG file on your device (Files app, iCloud Drive, etc.).
4. Once selected, ZillaBooth copies the file to its own documents folder and displays a preview so you can confirm it looks correct.
5. The overlay will now be composited onto every collage going forward.

Technical requirements:

• File format: PNG only. PNG’s support for transparency (alpha channel) is essential for overlays to look correct over your photos.
• Recommended dimensions: To get perfect results, match your overlay’s pixel dimensions to the final collage output size. The easiest way to determine this: take a test photo session, find the saved collage in your Camera Roll, check its dimensions (tap the photo in iOS Photos, swipe up for info), and design your overlay to match those exact dimensions.
• Positioning: The overlay is stretched to fill the entire collage canvas. Design your overlay at the correct aspect ratio with transparent areas where the photos should show through.
• File storage: Once selected, the PNG is copied into ZillaBooth’s documents folder. You can safely delete the source file from its original location.

Removing the overlay: Open ZillaBooth Settings → Party → Graphic Overlay and deselect the file to clear the overlay from future collages.

Design tips:

• A subtle frame or corner badge is the most popular approach — it brands the photo without covering faces.
• For events, include the event name and date in the overlay so every print is a self-contained keepsake.
• For branded installations, a logo in one corner with a hashtag in another works well and doesn’t interfere with the photos themselves.
• Test your overlay before the event. Print a test collage, check how it looks printed, and adjust if needed.

Simplified Sharing uses your own SMTP email server to send collages directly from ZillaBooth — no Mail app, no share sheet, no additional steps. Emails arrive in guests’ inboxes from your own email address, giving the experience a professional, branded feel.

How to configure:

1. Open ZillaBooth Settings → Party → Simplified Sharing and enable the toggle.
2. Tap “Configure” to open the email setup view.
3. Enter your SMTP server credentials (see below for details).
4. Set your custom email Subject line and Message body — these are what guests will see when they receive their photo.
5. Tap “Test Connection” to verify your SMTP settings work before the event.

SMTP settings to configure:

• SMTP Server Address — e.g. smtp.gmail.com, smtp.office365.com, or your hosting provider’s SMTP server
• Port — typically 587 for TLS (recommended) or 465 for SSL
• Username — your full email address (e.g. photos@youreventbrand.com)
• Password — your email password or app-specific password (see provider notes below)
• BCC Address (optional) — add a BCC address if you’d like to archive a copy of every outbound email (useful for collecting a guest contact list)

Provider-specific notes:

• Gmail: Standard Gmail passwords don’t work with SMTP. You’ll need to generate an App Password in your Google Account security settings (requires 2-Step Verification enabled). Use that App Password in ZillaBooth instead of your regular Gmail password.
• iCloud/Apple: Generate an App-Specific Password at appleid.apple.com under Security → App-Specific Passwords.
• Microsoft 365 / Outlook: Use smtp.office365.com on port 587. If your org uses Modern Authentication, you may need to enable SMTP Auth in your Microsoft 365 admin settings.
• Custom domain / hosting: Check with your email hosting provider for their SMTP server address and port. Most provide these in their help documentation.

How the guest experience works:

1. Guest takes photos — the assembled collage appears on screen.
2. Guest taps the Share button (or “Send & Print” if Auto-Print is enabled).
3. A simple input box appears asking for their email address.
4. Guest types their email and taps Send.
5. ZillaBooth sends the collage directly via SMTP — no Mail app, no additional taps.
6. A confirmation animation plays (if enabled) and the app prepares for the next guest.

Email queue & reliability: ZillaBooth includes a built-in email queue system. If a send fails (e.g. due to a momentary network hiccup), the email is queued for retry and processed in the background. You can view the queue status in Settings → Party → Email Queue to check for any pending or failed messages after an event.

Important notes:

• Simplified Sharing must be enabled for Auto-Print to function. Disabling Simplified Sharing will also disable Auto-Print.
• Always test your SMTP connection before the event — tap “Test Connection” in the setup view and confirm a test email arrives in your inbox.
• Ensure your device has a stable internet connection (Wi-Fi is strongly recommended) for reliable email delivery during the event.

Requirements:

• Simplified Sharing must be enabled (Auto-Print won’t function without it)
• An AirPrint-compatible printer on the same Wi-Fi network as your device

How to set it up:

1. Make sure Simplified Sharing is enabled and configured (see above).
2. Connect your AirPrint printer to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone or iPad.
3. Open ZillaBooth Settings → Party → Auto-Print and enable the toggle.
4. Tap “Configure Auto-Print” → “Select Printer.” ZillaBooth will display all AirPrint printers available on your network.
5. Select your printer. ZillaBooth saves the printer name and URL for the session.
6. Do a test print before the event — take a test session and confirm the collage prints correctly.

How it works at the event:

1. Guest takes photos, sees the collage, taps “Send & Print.”
2. Guest enters email and taps “Send & Print”.
3. ZillaBooth automatically sends the print job to the configured printer — no further interaction needed.
4. The print job processes in the background while the next guest can begin their session.

Printer monitoring & reliability:

• ZillaBooth monitors your printer’s availability automatically during the event — checking approximately every 30 seconds.
• If the printer becomes unavailable, you’ll be notified so you can address it quickly.
• If a print job fails, ZillaBooth retries automatically — up to 3 attempts with increasing delays between each try.

Recommended printer setup tips:

• Use a dedicated photo printer (e.g. Canon SELPHY) for best results — they’re fast, produce vibrant prints, and are designed for high-volume event use.
• Load the printer with paper before the event and bring spare paper and ink/media packs.
• Do a full end-to-end test before guests arrive: take a session, share it, confirm the print comes out correctly.
• Keep the printer and your device on the same Wi-Fi network throughout the event. If possible, use a dedicated router for the booth to avoid network congestion.

How it works: Immediately after a successful send via Simplified Sharing, the confirmation animation plays on screen. The animation features your chosen emoji animating in a celebratory burst. It plays briefly, then the app transitions to its next state (sharing complete view or auto-restart, depending on settings).

How to configure:

1. Open ZillaBooth Settings → Party → Confirmation Animation and enable the toggle.
2. Tap “Configure Animation” to choose your emoji.
3. Enter or select any single emoji. The default is 🎉.

Popular choices: 🎉 (party popper) · 🎊 (confetti ball) · ✨ (sparkles) · 🎈 (balloon) · ❤️ (heart) · 🌟 (star) · 💍 (ring — great for weddings) · 🥂 (champagne — great for celebrations)

Note: Confirmation Animation requires Simplified Sharing to be enabled and is triggered only when a share completes through that path.

How it works: After a collage is displayed, a 5-minute inactivity timer begins. If no interaction occurs — no tapping, no sharing, no navigation — the app automatically returns to the camera view and is ready for the next guest. Any user interaction (tapping the screen, viewing settings, etc.) resets the timer.

How to enable: Open ZillaBooth Settings → Party → Auto-Restart and enable the toggle. No additional configuration is needed.

Timeout duration: The inactivity timeout is set to 5 minutes (300 seconds). This gives guests adequate time to view and share their collage while ensuring the booth resets promptly if someone walks away.

Best for: Unattended or lightly attended photo booths. Combined with Keep Awake (Guided Access), Auto-Restart ensures your booth stays operational and ready throughout the entire event — even if a guest forgets to tap “Done” or walks away mid-session.

Guided Access is a built-in iOS accessibility feature that locks your device to a single app and prevents sleep. It’s the most reliable way to run an unattended photo booth. Here’s the complete setup:

Step 1 — Enable Guided Access on Your Device

1. Open the iOS Settings app.
2. Go to Accessibility → Guided Access.
3. Turn on the Guided Access toggle.

Step 2 — Set a Guided Access Passcode

1. In Guided Access settings, tap Passcode Settings → Set Guided Access Passcode.
2. Create a 4-digit passcode. This is what you’ll use to exit Guided Access at the end of the event — make sure you remember it.
3. You can also enable Face ID or Touch ID to exit Guided Access if your device supports it.

Step 3 — Set Display Auto-Lock to Never

1. Still in Guided Access settings, tap Time Limits.
2. Set Display Auto-Lock to Never. This prevents the screen from sleeping while Guided Access is running.

Step 4 — Add Guided Access to Accessibility Shortcut

1. Go to Settings → Accessibility → Accessibility Shortcut (at the very bottom of Accessibility settings).
2. Select Guided Access. This enables you to start and stop Guided Access by triple-clicking the Side button (iPhone X and later) or Home button (older devices and some iPads).

Step 5 — Configure ZillaBooth for Event Use

1. In ZillaBooth Settings → Party, enable Hide Settings Button (see the next section for details). This prevents guests from accessing the settings gear icon on the camera screen.
2. Configure all other Party features (Simplified Sharing, Auto-Print, Graphic Overlay, etc.) as desired.
3. Navigate back to the main camera screen in ZillaBooth.

Step 6 — Start Guided Access

1. With ZillaBooth open on the camera screen, triple-click the Side or Home button.
2. The Guided Access configuration screen appears. Set the following options:
   • Sleep/Wake Button: Off (prevents guests from locking the screen)
   • Volume Buttons: Off (prevents accidental volume changes)
   • Motion: Off (disables rotation if you want a fixed orientation)
   • Software Keyboards: On (required for guests to enter their email address)
   • Touch: On
   • Time Limit: Off
3. Tap Start in the top-right corner. Guided Access is now active.

Step 7 — Ending the Event / Exiting Guided Access

1. Triple-click the Side or Home button.
2. Enter your Guided Access passcode (or use Face ID/Touch ID if configured).
3. Tap End to exit Guided Access and return to normal device operation.

Important notes for event operators:

• Keep the device plugged in: Keeping the screen on all night uses significant battery. Use a charging cable and power bank or wall outlet during the event.
• Heat management: Extended high-brightness use can cause the device to warm up. Ensure adequate airflow around the device and consider reducing screen brightness slightly to reduce heat.
• Test before the event: Always run through the complete Guided Access setup — start it, use the app, and exit it — before your event day. Don’t discover problems with your setup when guests are already arriving.
• Don’t forget your passcode: You’ll need the Guided Access passcode to exit at the end of the event. Write it down or store it somewhere accessible.

How it works: When enabled, the settings icon is completely removed from the camera screen. Guests using the booth have no way to access or change app settings — the booth experience is exactly what you configured it to be, start to finish.

How to enable: The Hide Settings Button toggle is located in the iOS Settings app under ZillaBooth, not in ZillaBooth’s in-app settings. ZillaBooth Settings → Party → Hide Settings Button includes a direct link that will open the correct location in iOS Settings — just tap it and toggle the setting on.

How to access settings when this is enabled: With the in-app settings button hidden, you can unhide it by going to the iOS Settings app → ZillaBooth. Disable the Hide Settings toggle, make your adjustments in ZillaBooth, then re-enable it.

Recommended event workflow:

1. Configure all Party features and verify everything is working correctly.
2. Enable Hide Settings Button.
3. Run a full test session from start to finish — confirm all features work as expected.
4. Start Guided Access (see Keep Awake section above).
5. Your booth is fully locked down and ready for guests.

ZillaBooth is a free photo booth app for iPhone and iPad. It automatically captures four sequential photos and assembles them into a classic 2×2 photo grid — ready to share in seconds. ZillaBooth Pro adds full creative control with customizable timers, flash modes, photo strips, and more. ZillaBooth Party adds event-grade features for professional photo booth deployments: integrated email delivery, auto-printing, graphic overlays, kiosk mode, and more.

Yes. ZillaBooth is free to download and use — the core photo booth experience costs nothing. ZillaBooth Pro is an optional one-time in-app purchase that unlocks advanced customization features. ZillaBooth Party is a monthly subscription for event-grade tools. No account or sign-up is ever required.

ZillaBooth works on iPhone and iPad running iOS 26 or later. ZillaBooth Party includes a dedicated iPad kiosk layout for event use.

No. ZillaBooth works completely offline for taking and saving photos. An internet connection is only needed for certain features: sharing via social or messaging apps, and ZillaBooth Party’s Simplified Sharing (email delivery) and Auto-Print features. In-app purchases also require an internet connection.

No account or sign-up is required — ever. Just download ZillaBooth, grant camera access, and start taking photos. ZillaBooth doesn’t collect personal data, doesn’t store photos in the cloud, and doesn’t share anything with third parties.

ZillaBooth creates a classic 2×2 photo grid — four photos in a square arrangement — by default. ZillaBooth Pro adds the classic 1×4 vertical photo strip format, which stacks four photos in a single column for that authentic photo booth strip look.

ZillaBooth captures photos at the highest quality your device supports. Individual frames (when saved with Pro’s auto-save feature) include full image metadata and portrait depth-map data on supported devices — making them the same quality or better than what the native iPhone camera app produces with the front camera. Your collage is also saved at high quality, optimized for print and sharing.

ZillaBooth intentionally doesn’t include built-in color filters. This keeps the app fast and efficient, and ensures your photos are saved at maximum quality — giving you complete freedom to edit in the iOS Photos app or any editing app you choose. Think of ZillaBooth as the capture tool; edit wherever you like afterward.

Yes. The default 2×2 grid uses a 2:3 aspect ratio — the standard for 4×6″ photo prints. You can print at home or at any photo printing service. ZillaBooth Party’s Auto-Print feature can send collages automatically to an AirPrint printer after every session. The 1×4 strip (Pro) is designed to be printed “2-up” on a 4×6″ sheet and cut into two matching strips.

No. All photos stay on your device. ZillaBooth doesn’t upload, store, or have access to your photos. Your Camera Roll is the only place your photos live.

ZillaBooth Pro is a one-time in-app purchase that unlocks full creative control over your photo booth experience. It includes: customizable countdown and between-photo timers, manual capture mode, advanced flash control (auto/on/off), classic 1×4 photo strips, border spacing and color options, auto-save for individual photos and collages, geotagging, and custom share messages. Pay once — access forever.

ZillaBooth Pro is a one-time in-app purchase — no subscription, no recurring fees. The exact price is set by the App Store and may vary by region. You’ll see the current price in the app before purchasing.

Open ZillaBooth and tap the Pro upgrade prompt in Settings, or look for the upgrade option that appears after completing a photo session. The purchase is processed through the App Store and unlocks all Pro features immediately.

ZillaBooth Party is a monthly subscription that includes all ZillaBooth Pro features plus a suite of professional event tools: an iPad kiosk layout, integrated SMTP email delivery for instant collage delivery to guests, AirPrint auto-printing, PNG graphic overlays for branding, a celebratory confirmation animation, auto-restart for hands-free operation, kiosk lockdown via iOS Guided Access, and more. It’s designed for weddings, parties, corporate events, pop-ups, and permanent branded photo booth installations.

No. An active ZillaBooth Party subscription includes all Pro features. You don’t need a separate Pro purchase.

ZillaBooth Party subscriptions are managed through the App Store. To cancel, go to the iOS Settings app → your Apple ID → Subscriptions, find ZillaBooth Party, and tap Cancel Subscription. Your Party features remain active through the end of the current billing period.

Any email provider that supports secure SMTP access works with Simplified Sharing. Common providers include Gmail, iCloud, Microsoft 365/Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and any custom domain email hosted with providers like GoDaddy, Namecheap, Squarespace Email, etc. Gmail and iCloud require an App Password instead of your regular account password — see the Simplified Sharing setup section above for details.

Auto-Print works with any AirPrint-compatible printer. AirPrint is supported by most modern printers from Canon, Epson, HP, Brother, and others. For event use, dedicated photo printers (like the Canon SELPHY series or dye-sublimation printers from DNP or Hiti) produce the best results — fast, vibrant, and designed for high-volume printing. Check your printer’s documentation to confirm AirPrint support.

Blurry photos are almost always caused by one of three things: movement, poor lighting, or a dirty lens. Make sure your device is stable (use a tripod or stand), ensure you have adequate lighting in the space, and wipe the camera lens clean. If you’re in a dark environment, enabling flash (Pro feature) can dramatically sharpen photos by freezing motion and improving exposure.

Check that ZillaBooth has Photos permission: go to iOS Settings → ZillaBooth → Photos and make sure it’s set to “Add Photos Only” or “Full Access.” Also confirm you have available storage space on your device.

First, confirm that Simplified Sharing is enabled — Auto-Print requires it. Then confirm your device and printer are on the same Wi-Fi network. Check that the printer is powered on and has paper/media loaded. In Settings → Party → Auto-Print, verify the correct printer is selected. If issues persist, select the printer again — AirPrint printer URLs can change if the printer’s IP address changes on the network.

Start by testing your SMTP connection in Settings → Party → Simplified Sharing → Configure → Test Connection. If the test fails, double-check your SMTP server address, port, username, and password. For Gmail, ensure you’re using an App Password (not your regular password). For iCloud, use an App-Specific Password generated at appleid.apple.com. Check Settings → Party → Email Queue to see if messages are queued or have failed — you can retry failed messages from there.

Use iOS Guided Access to prevent sleep. Set up Guided Access as described in the Keep Awake section above, and make sure Display Auto-Lock is set to “Never” in Guided Access Time Limits. Also ensure the device is plugged into power, as low battery can trigger sleep behavior even with Guided Access active.

Force-quit the app and reopen it. If it happens repeatedly, restart your device. Make sure you’re running the latest version of ZillaBooth (check the App Store for updates) and that your device has enough free storage. If the issue persists, contact us at Hello@ZillaBooth.com with a description of what happened and your device model — we’ll get it sorted.