Frequently asked questions
Everything hosts and guests ask about OakDrop shared event albums. Can't find it here? Email [email protected].
Guests and uploading
Do guests need an app or an account?
No. Guests open the album in their phone's web browser by scanning the QR code or tapping the link, then upload photos straight from their camera roll. No install, no sign-up, ever.
What phones does it work on?
Any phone with a modern browser — iPhone (Safari) and Android (Chrome and others) both work, as do tablets and computers. The built-in camera app on iOS and Android scans the QR code natively.
Can guests upload videos?
Not currently. OakDrop albums are photos-only for now.
Can guests add their name or a caption?
Guests can add a display name with their uploads. Hosts can also enable captions, letting a guest include a short note with a photo — popular for memorial albums.
Can a guest remove a photo they uploaded by mistake?
Yes — a guest can undo their own upload within an hour. After that, the host can remove it, or either can contact support.
The QR code and sharing
How does the QR code work?
Each album has a private link built on a unique 7-character code; the QR code encodes that link. Scanning opens the album's guest page in the browser. You can print the code with the built-in print studio (table cards, signs, place cards) or share the link directly. More on the QR code photo sharing page.
Who can see the album?
Anyone who has the link can view and add photos — that's what makes it effortless for guests. Share it deliberately, and add an album password if you want a check at the door. Search engines are instructed not to index album pages.
Can I password-protect the album?
Yes. With an album password set, guests must enter it before viewing or uploading.
Managing your album
Can I approve photos before they appear?
Yes. Turn on approval and every upload waits in a moderation queue until you or a co-host approves it. You can also remove any photo at any time.
Can someone help me manage the album?
Yes — add co-hosts by email. They can approve and remove photos and adjust options, while ownership stays with you.
Can I close uploads when the event is over?
Yes, with one tap — and you can reopen them any time. The album stays viewable either way.
How does the slideshow work?
Every album has a full-screen slideshow page made for TVs and projectors. It updates as new photos arrive, shows a "scan to add photos" code, and offers transitions, shuffle, borders, captions, and a cover photo. Members can also export the slideshow as an MP4 video for offline playback.
Downloads and storage
How do I download all the photos?
Hosts on a paid plan download the entire album as one zip file. Guests can save individual photos, and hosts can optionally allow guests to download the full album too.
What's the Dropbox / Google Drive connection?
Members can connect their own Dropbox or Google Drive. From then on, guests' full-resolution originals land directly in the host's connected storage — your photos live in an account you control, with no OakDrop cap on connected storage.
Does OakDrop compress my photos?
OakDrop keeps full-resolution images and generates separate small thumbnails for fast galleries. When metadata stripping is enabled, supported formats may be re-encoded to remove embedded data, so stored files are not always byte-for-byte identical to the upload.
Privacy
What happens to photo location data?
By default, OakDrop strips embedded metadata (including GPS location) from new uploads before storage. Hosts can turn this off per album. Details in the Privacy Policy.
Does OakDrop use tracking or analytics?
No third-party analytics or advertising trackers — on this site or in albums.
Pricing and plans
What does OakDrop cost?
Guests are always free. Hosts can build and preview an album free (10 test photos, 14 days), then activate it with a one-time $39 Event Pass or a $5/month (or $48/year) membership for unlimited albums. Full details on the pricing page.
What happens when a free preview album expires?
Uploads close 14 days after creation. If OakDrop hosts test photos, we email a removal notice after expiry and remove hosted test photos no sooner than 3 days after that notice. Activating the album first keeps everything.
How long are photos kept on paid plans?
Event Pass: uploads open 180 days and OakDrop-hosted photos are retained 365 days after purchase. Membership: albums never expire while active, and photos in your own connected Dropbox/Drive are yours permanently. The full schedule is in the Terms.
Is there a refund policy?
Your first purchase has a 14-day, no-questions-asked refund guarantee. Email [email protected].
The fastest answer is trying it. Create an album and preview the guest experience free — no card required.
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