Welcome to Pictor! This guide gets you from sign-up to your first live photo booth as fast as possible. We'll cover the essentials — creating your account, setting up a Simple Mode event, testing it, and going live.
If you're looking for advanced customization, check out Creating My First Event after you're comfortable with the basics.
What You'll Need
- Your device — Pictor runs on iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, and as a Virtual Booth on any Mac or PC browser. Check system requirements for supported models.
- A stable internet connection — Wi-Fi or a mobile hotspot. Pictor needs internet for AI processing.
- A Pictor account — Sign up at app.pictor.pro if you haven't already.
- A license — You'll need an active license to run live events. See Licenses and Tokens for details.
Step 1: Download and Sign In
- Download the Pictor app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android).
- Open the app and sign in with the email and password you used to create your account.
- You'll land on the Events screen — this is your home base.
[Screenshot: Events screen after first login]
Step 2: Create Your First Event
- Tap the + button to create a new event.
- Choose Simple Mode — it sets up smart defaults so you can get started fast.
- Fill in the basics: Event Name, Client Name, and Start and End Dates.
[Screenshot: Simple Mode event creation form]
Tip: Don't overthink it for your first event. You can edit everything later.
Step 3: Pick a Template
In Simple Mode, Pictor will prompt you to choose a template — this determines how your guests' photos will look.
- Browse the available templates and pick one that fits your event style.
- Templates include overlays, layouts, and AI effects like style transfers.
- You can preview how each template will look before selecting it.
[Screenshot: Template selection screen]
Tip: Start with a simple overlay or frame for your first event. AI effects are powerful but use tokens — make sure you have enough before going live.
Step 4: Test Your Event
Before going live, always test. From the Control Panel:
- Simulate — Walks through the guest flow on-screen without using tokens. Use this first to check your screen flow and layout.
- Test — Runs the full experience including AI processing (uses a test token). Use this to verify the output quality.
[Screenshot: Control Panel with Simulate and Test buttons]
Step 5: Go Live
- Open the Control Panel.
- Tap Launch Photo Booth.
- Your iPad enters the guest-facing experience — you're live!
While running, the Control Panel tracks session count, active status, and displays a QR code for the sharing station or virtual booth.
Step 6: Share Photos with Guests
By default in Simple Mode, Pictor enables a Sharing Station so guests can receive their photos via email, text, or QR code scan.
For other sharing options (printing, Dropbox backup, virtual booth), see Output Delivery In-Depth.
Quick Troubleshooting
| Issue | What to Do |
| App won't load | Check your internet connection and try restarting the app. See Loading Issues. |
| Photos not sending via text/email | Check Email/Text Delivery Troubleshooting. |
| Ran out of tokens | Top up under Billing → Tokens in your account. |
| AI output looks wrong | Make sure you're using a supported template and re-run a Test. |
What's Next?
- Creating My First Event — The full walkthrough including Advanced Mode
- Workflow Settings In-Depth — Build custom guest experiences
- Using AI Effects in the Template Editor — Add AI-powered effects
- How to Set Up and Use Printing — Connect a photo printer
- Analytics — Track event performance
Need Help?
Reach out through the chat widget on pictor.pro or email [email protected].