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A guide to Photolog's features

Photolog is a camera built for keeping visual logs. Instead of one giant camera roll, you capture straight into stacks: dedicated collections for a DIY project, a plant's growth, a trip, a shopping list, or anything you want to watch over time. This page walks through what the app can do. If you get stuck, the Support page has contact details.

First launch

When you open Photolog for the first time, a short permissions screen explains why the app asks for camera, microphone, and location access. Camera and microphone are needed to take photos and record video. Location is optional and only used if you turn on location capture.

After that, a quick guided tour walks you through your first capture, creating a stack, and opening the gallery, all on the real app. You can skip it at any time.

You do not need an account. Photolog works fully offline and on-device. Signing in with Apple is optional and only unlocks iCloud sync.

Capturing photos and videos

Photo and video modes

The mode switcher sits at the bottom right of the camera. Tap it to flip between Photo and Video. The app opens in photo mode and remembers your last mode between launches.

Taking a shot

Tap the capture button to take a photo. To record video you have two options:

• Long-press the capture button to record, then release to stop.
• In video mode, tap the capture button to start, then tap again to stop. While recording, the button becomes a red stop square and a timer shows the elapsed time. There is no time limit.

Camera controls

• Zoom: pinch on the preview, or use the lens control at the top left.
• Focus and exposure: tap the preview where you want the camera to focus.
• Flash: top right. In video mode this also offers macro or video size options.
• Front camera: the flip button at the bottom left.

Everything you capture flies into the stack that is currently active, shown in the carousel just above the capture button.

Stacks

A stack is a named collection of photos and videos. Anything you capture without choosing a stack lands in Inbox, the default catch-all stack.

• Create a stack: from the camera, swipe left, or use the new-stack control, then give it a name.
• Switch the active stack: tap a stack in the carousel above the capture button. New captures go there.
• See all stacks: swipe right from the camera, or open the Stacks tab.
• Manage a stack: long-press it for a menu to rename, set its thumbnail, move, share, or delete.

Photolog resumes your last-used stack the next time you open the app, so you can pick up right where you left off.

Importing existing photos and videos

You can pull media you already have into a stack. Use import to pick photos and videos from your library; they are copied into the chosen stack. For large selections, Photolog shows a confirmation first and a progress banner while it works, and importing keeps running even if you move to another screen.

Photo library access is requested only when you import, and Photolog reads only the items you select.

Browsing the gallery

Open a stack to see its gallery, a grid of everything inside it.

• Resize the grid: pinch to change how many columns show, from a tight overview to large detail.
• Open an item: tap any photo or video to view it full screen.
• Search: use the search button to find items.

Viewing a photo or video

The media viewer shows one item at a time. Swipe left and right to move between items in the stack, and pinch to zoom into detail. Tap once to hide the on-screen controls for a clean, full-bleed view.

Notes

Swipe up to reveal the info panel, where you can add or edit a note for the item. Notes are great for logging a measurement, a date, a price, or what changed since last time.

Location and map

If location capture is on, items remember where they were taken and can be shown on a map. Location is entirely optional and off until you enable it in Settings.

Search

Photolog searches across your stacks and items. You can search by stack name, by note text, and by date phrases such as "today", "yesterday", "this week", or a specific date. On-device text recognition also makes words that appear inside your photos searchable.

On-device intelligence

Smart features run entirely on your device. Nothing is uploaded for analysis.

• Text recognition: reads text in your photos so it can be found in search.
• Auto-tagging: suggests tags based on what is in the image.

Both can be turned off in Settings.

iCloud sync

iCloud sync keeps your stacks, photos, and videos in step across your devices. It is off by default and opt-in.

• Sign in with Apple, then turn on sync in Settings.
• Synced media is stored in your private iCloud database and counts toward your iCloud storage.
• You can turn sync off at any time; your local media stays on the device.

Privacy

Your photos and videos stay on your device unless you enable iCloud sync, in which case they go only to your private iCloud database. Optional, anonymous usage analytics are off by default and never include your photos, notes, locations, stack names, or identity. See the Privacy Policy for the full picture.

Account and data

Sign in with Apple is optional and reachable from Settings. Signing out keeps your local data and pauses sync. To remove everything, go to Settings → Account → Delete Account, which permanently erases all stacks, media, and synced data from the device and your iCloud. This cannot be undone.

Gesture shortcuts

Photolog is built around swipes. The general idea: swipe toward what you want.

Camera

• Swipe right: all stacks
• Swipe left: create a new stack
• Swipe up: open the active stack's gallery
• Swipe down: search
• Long-press capture: record video
• Pinch: zoom; tap: focus and exposure

Gallery

• Pinch: resize the grid
• Swipe up: back to the camera
• Tap an item: open the viewer

Media viewer

• Swipe left or right: move between items
• Swipe up: info panel and note
• Swipe down: back to the gallery
• Pinch: zoom; tap: hide or show controls

Still need help?

Email support@photolog.io with your question and, for bugs, your iPhone model and iOS version. More common questions are answered on the Support page.