Guest or account
There are several ways into a PhotoGala gallery – pick the one that fits. They all get you there; they only differ in whether your contributions stay tied to this one device or travel with you.
Quick decision guide:
- Just want to look around or upload a few photos? → Enter as guest. No email, no sign-up.
- Want to keep your contributions, carry on across devices, or join several events? → Sign in with an account.
The entry point is a single-column welcome screen titled Welcome to Our Gallery. Below it sits the main button, whose label changes depending on the step. If you are signed out, a second button labelled Sign In with Account appears underneath, separated by an or divider.
The quick way: enter as a guest
Section titled “The quick way: enter as a guest”Perfect when you do not want to reach for your inbox and just want to get going. Depending on how the host protected the event, it takes one or two short steps.
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Open the gallery. Scan the QR code at the event or open the shared link. If the event is password protected, you first see the Gallery Password field with the placeholder “Enter shared password”. Type the code the host handed out – or use the camera icon inside the field (Scan QR Code) to scan an access QR directly. If the event is set to open access, this step is skipped entirely and you go straight to the next one.
For password events, enter the code first or scan it with the camera icon. -
Tap Continue. In the first step the main button reads Continue. This validates the code and takes you to the name step.
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Choose your display name. In the Your Display Name field (example “e.g. ShutterBug42”) you enter a nickname. This is optional: leave it empty and you get a random nickname (“Leave empty for a random nickname”). Generate rolls a name like “ShutterBug” plus a four-digit number. Change Code takes you back to the password step if you mistyped.
Enter a nickname or roll one with Generate – leaving it empty gives a random name. -
Tap Enter as Guest. The main button now reads Enter as Guest – one tap and you are in the gallery.
With an account: sign in via email link or password
Section titled “With an account: sign in via email link or password”An account is worth it when you want your uploads, points, and achievements to stay, when you want to continue on a second device, or when you join several events. Signing in is email-first: you enter just your address and PhotoGala automatically detects how your account is set up.
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Open sign-in. On the entry screen, tap Sign In with Account (it only appears when you are signed out). If you are already in the gallery as a guest, use the avatar at the top right → Sign In (see Switching from guest to account).
The sign-in dialog: Google at the top, then the email field with Continue. -
Optional: use Google. At the very top of the dialog is a Sign in with Google button. One click and sign-in runs through your Google account – no password and no email link.
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Enter your email and Continue. Type your address in the Email field and tap Continue. While PhotoGala looks it up, it briefly shows “Checking…”. It then automatically decides which case applies:
- Account with a password → a password field and a Sign in button appear. Forgot your password? Tap Forgot password?. Using the email chip with Change, you can enter a different address.
- Passwordless account → you land on Check your inbox: “We sent a login link to your email address. Click it to sign in.” Open your inbox (including the spam folder) and tap the link – see the next section. Use Use a different email to fix a typo.
- No account found → No account found. Tap Create an account to set one up directly (see Create a new account).
- Linked only to Google → Use your social login. Use the Google button at the top instead.
Confirming the email login link
Section titled “Confirming the email login link”If you have a passwordless account, the link arrives by email. Important: you must actively click it – otherwise an automatic preview scanner in your inbox burns the one-time token.
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Tap the link in the email. It opens the Log in to your account page with a note that the link can only be used once.
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Tap Sign in. Only this click actually signs you in. After that you are in.
Create a new account
Section titled “Create a new account”You create an account via Sign Up – either in the footer of the sign-in dialog (“New to PhotoGala? Sign up.”) or via the Sign Up button on your profile page.
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Switch to sign-up. Tap Sign Up. You can also use Google here instead of choosing a password.
Sign up: email, password, and confirmation – or use Google straight away. -
Enter email and password. Type your Email and a Password. A live indicator shows the password strength; very weak passwords, or ones that contain your email, are rejected.
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Confirm the password. Repeat it in the Confirm Password field. If it matches, “Passwords match!” appears; otherwise “Passwords do not match!” and the button stays disabled.
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Tap Sign Up. Done – your account is created and you are signed in.
Switching from guest to account (later)
Section titled “Switching from guest to account (later)”Started as a guest and now want to secure your contributions? No problem – your existing uploads, points, and achievements are kept and merged into the account.
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Option A – via the profile menu. Tap the avatar at the top right. For guests it shows a Sign In entry. It opens the sign-in dialog where you sign in or register.
Via the avatar at the top right: guests find Sign In here. -
Option B – via your profile page. Open your profile. There you find the Sign Up button with the note “Store your progress and sync across all devices effortlessly.” A tap starts sign-up.
Signing in as the host
Section titled “Signing in as the host”Host access works differently from guest access. If you want to manage or unlock your own event, see Accessing your event. A magic link for unlocking an event lands, after confirmation, on the event list (/admin) – that is the host path, not the guest gallery. If you cannot get back into your account, Forgot password helps.