The essentials
A live photo wall shows guest photos on a venue screen. With Capture, use the host app’s Slideshow for automatic photo rotation, or show the browser gallery for a feed you can scroll. Test the screen connection, guest upload, and approval steps together before guests arrive; upload-to-screen timing depends on the connection and review process.
Your setup, in order
- Create the event in Capture on your iPhone and open its sharing screen to get the guest QR code.
- Choose the display: automatic Slideshow in the host app, or the browser gallery on a connected computer. Confirm the cable, adapter, or screen-mirroring method with the venue.
- If photos need review, turn on Require Approval in the host’s event settings and assign someone to review Pending Uploads.
- Open the event’s Manage event menu, then Slideshow, for automatic rotation. Connect the host device to the venue screen and test what the audience can see.
- Scan the printed QR code on a second phone, submit a test photo, approve it if needed, and confirm that it appears on the display.
- Keep the display device powered, silence notifications, and have a downloaded slideshow ready if the internet connection fails.
At a glance
- Automatic rotation
- Host app → Manage event → Slideshow
- Browser option
- Guest gallery; scroll to show photos
- Screen connection
- Compatible cable/adapter or tested mirroring
- Internet
- Needed for new uploads and gallery updates
- Timing
- Varies with upload, approval, and connection
- Fallback
- A slideshow saved on the display device
Choose a Slideshow or a Browser Gallery
A rotating slideshow gives each photo time on screen. A browser gallery lets you show several contributions or scroll through a feed. Browser full-screen mode only hides the browser’s controls; it does not turn a gallery into an automatically advancing slideshow.
Capture’s host app has a Slideshow screen with play/pause and 3-, 5-, or 10-second slide intervals. These are viewing intervals, not a promise that new uploads will reach the display in that time. The slideshow displays photos; test video presentation separately if you need it.
New contributions make a live wall different from a slideshow prepared in advance. Rehearse how newly approved photos reach your chosen display, including whether it needs to be refreshed or reopened.
Equipment to Confirm with the Venue
Ask which screen is available, where it sits, and which input it accepts. For the host-app slideshow, use the iPhone running Capture with a compatible wired display adapter or a screen-mirroring setup you have tested. Do not assume a smart TV supports your phone or that the venue supplies the adapter.
For the browser gallery, connect a computer to the screen and open the guest link. Keep it powered, prevent sleep, and plan who will scroll the gallery. Check the actual browser and screen combination before choosing this arrangement.
The uploading phones and the device receiving new photos both need internet access. Guests can use mobile data where coverage allows, but that does not provide a connection for the display device. Ask about guest-network sign-in pages and wireless isolation before relying on mirroring.
Run a Complete Rehearsal
Use the final printed QR card in the room where guests will scan it. Try an iPhone and an Android phone, preferably with someone who has not used the gallery before. Check that the code opens the right event without a required guest app download.
Upload a test photo from the second phone. If Require Approval is on, confirm it stays out of the guest gallery until the host approves it in Pending Uploads. Then confirm it reaches the venue display. Time this complete process for your own setup instead of relying on a universal delay estimate.
Start with a few approved photos so the screen has something to show before guests contribute. Keep the slideshow device on power and silence notifications. If you mirror the host device, its menus and other on-screen content can also become visible: pause or blank the venue display before opening private controls.
Moderation and Guest Expectations
Tell guests on the sign that photos may be shown on the venue screen. Use Require Approval if someone should review submissions before other guests see them. Assign a moderator and a backup who know how to find Pending Uploads.
A host may be able to see content that guests cannot. Review the exact output on the large screen during rehearsal, especially if the host device is also used for approval. Do not assume a host-only view is appropriate to mirror publicly.
Keep a separate QR sign beside the screen or on tables. A simple prompt is: “Your photos could join the big screen. Scan and share a moment from today. Photos are reviewed before display.” Remove the review line only if you are actually showing uploads without review.
If Photos Do Not Appear
First check whether the upload completed on the guest’s phone. Then confirm that both phones and the display device are online, the correct event is open, and the photo is not waiting for approval.
If the browser gallery is stale, refresh it. If the host slideshow has not picked up a newly approved image, return to the feed and reopen Slideshow. Repeat your rehearsal after changing the display method.
For a blank screen, check the selected input and the cable or mirroring connection. For an unreadable QR code, move the sign out of glare, preserve the clear border, and offer the written guest link.
Have a Plan for an Internet Outage
Save a small set of approved photos locally and prepare a slideshow that plays without internet. Switch to it if the connection fails, then resume the live gallery when the connection is stable. Test the offline fallback in advance.
Guests can keep taking photos with their phone camera and contribute later. Send the same guest gallery link after the event and tell people when you plan to close collection.
Position the screen where people can enjoy it without blocking exits, service routes, or the photographer. Keep cables secured and agree when to pause the wall for speeches or other moments that deserve everyone’s attention.
Questions & answers
Does Capture’s browser gallery automatically rotate photos?
The browser gallery is a feed or grid. For automatic photo rotation, open Slideshow from Manage event in the host app. Full-screen browser mode alone does not add rotation.
How quickly do photos appear on the screen?
It depends on file size, network conditions, approval, and the display view. The app’s 3-, 5-, and 10-second slideshow settings control viewing time per photo, not upload speed. Test the whole process at the venue.
Can I review photos before guests see them?
Yes. Enable Require Approval and review submissions in Pending Uploads in the host app. Also check the view you are sending to the screen, because hosts can have access to content guests cannot see.
Does a live photo wall work without Wi-Fi?
Mobile data can replace Wi-Fi where coverage permits, but both guest uploads and new photos on the display require internet. Use a slideshow saved locally for an offline fallback.
Do I need a laptop?
A computer can display the browser gallery. The automatic slideshow runs in the host app on iPhone, which needs a compatible connection to the venue screen. Confirm the venue’s setup before choosing either route.
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