Quick answer: most template problems come down to two things: the photo window in your overlay must be truly transparent (export as PNG), and the photo area layer must sit below your overlay in the left pane. Photo areas are always rectangles; shapes and borders come from your overlay artwork.
Quick answers to the template editor questions we get asked most. For a tour of the editor itself, see How to: Template & Attract Screen Editor. For template sizes and the Canva importer, see How to: Change Photo Layouts.
How do I put the photo behind my template or overlay?
Your design needs a transparent area where the photo should show through. A white box will cover the photo completely.
In your design tool (for example Canva or Photoshop), make the area where the photo goes transparent.
Export the design as a PNG. JPG files cannot hold transparency.
Upload the PNG into your template.
Add a photo area and size it slightly bigger than the transparent area, so the overlay covers the edges.
In the left pane, drag the photo area layer below your PNG (click and drag the dots on the left side of the layer to reorder). Your overlay must be on top.
Overlay on top, photo area below. The overlay hides the photo edges.
💡 Tip: if a layer is hard to grab because it is hidden, drag it to the top layer, resize it, then drag it back down.
How can I tell if my PNG is really transparent?
Change the template background colour in the editor. If the area behind your overlay still shows white, the file does not have a true transparent area.
⚠️ Important: AI image tools such as ChatGPT often draw a grey and white checkerboard pattern that only looks like transparency. It is actually part of the image, so the photo will be hidden behind it. Remove the background properly in a design tool and export again as PNG. Canva has a background remover for this.
A drawn checkerboard is part of the image and covers the photo.
Can I have round, rounded-corner, scalloped or other shaped photos?
Yes, but the shape comes from your overlay, not from the photo area. Photo areas in Booth.Events are always squares or rectangles.
Design your frame with a transparent window in the shape you want (circle, rounded corners, scallops, etc.).
Export it as a PNG.
Place a rectangular photo area behind it as described above. The overlay hides the corners so the photo looks shaped.
See How can I create and position a circular photo area for a worked example.
How do I add a border or frame around my photos?
There is currently no border or stroke option in the editor. Design the border in Canva or another image editor as part of your template artwork, then import it. You can either:
draw the border around the photo window in your overlay, or
place a shape slightly larger than the photo area behind it so its edge shows as a border.
Why weren't my photo areas detected automatically?
When you import a design, the editor only turns clean, plain rectangles or squares into photo areas. Detection fails when:
A logo, text or other element overlaps the photo box (this changes its shape).
The box has a shaped edge (scallops, waves, circles).
The box contains a placeholder image instead of being a plain white or transparent area.
In these cases, use a transparent area and add the photo areas manually behind your overlay.
💡 Tip: if you want a logo overlapping the photo, keep the photo box a plain rectangle, then add the logo back on top in the editor as a separate layer.
Can I fix a template after photos were already taken?
No. Once a photo is captured and the template applied, that photo is final and Booth.Events cannot change it. Editing the template only affects photos taken after you save the change.
To fix photos already taken (for example a spelling mistake), you need to edit them in a photo editing app. If original (untemplated) photos were uploaded for the event, those are also available to share.
What is the maximum image size I can import?
⚠️ Important: the longest side of an image must be 5000 pixels or less. For example, a 7500 x 5000 image will not import. Resize it so neither side is over 5000 px.
Supported uploads are JPG, PNG, or a ZIP containing JPGs/PNGs. Designs from Canva can also be imported as a non-flattened PDF (see How to: Change Photo Layouts).
Can I change the size of a template after I create it?
No. Once you choose a template size, you cannot change it later. If you need a different size, create a new template at the right size and import your artwork again.
Why am I getting two photos (one with the template and one without)?
That is the original photo being uploaded alongside the templated one. To stop it:
Open your event settings in the app.
Go to the Actions tab.
Just under the shared gallery section, turn off also upload original photos.
For AI captures, the option to also save the original is in your event capture settings under AI (tap your event on the device). See How to: Event Capture Settings.
Common questions
Can I copy SceneSelect scenes from one template to another?
Can I copy SceneSelect scenes from one template to another?
Not currently. If you have the original image files, upload them again as scenes on the new template.
Can I upload my own fonts for dynamic text?
Can I upload my own fonts for dynamic text?
Not at the moment.
Can I choose the order templates appear in on the iPad?
Can I choose the order templates appear in on the iPad?
Not currently.
How do I swap a template for a new one without deleting it?
How do I swap a template for a new one without deleting it?
Create the new template, then assign it to your event and deselect the old one. You don't need to delete anything.
How do I change the text guests see between photos (like "Two more left")?
How do I change the text guests see between photos (like "Two more left")?
That text is changed in the language settings in the iOS app. See How To: Customize Language Used in Booth.Events.
Can I upload photos taken elsewhere so they get my template?
Can I upload photos taken elsewhere so they get my template?
No. Only photos captured during the event on the capture device can be templated and added to the gallery.
Still stuck? Message us in chat with the template name, a screenshot of the editor and your exported PNG if you can. See How to Contact Booth.Events Support.