Creating a Moment

Photo, video, gallery

Updated

Three capture modes and how to switch between them.

PHOTO mode

The default. The capture button is a big white circle. Tap once to take a photo. The screen flashes briefly, then takes you to the composer.

VIDEO mode

  1. Below the capture button, tap VIDEO in the toggle.
  2. The capture button changes to a red circle.
  3. Tap once to start recording. A timer appears at the top showing seconds (02, 03, 04...).
  4. Tap again (now a red square) to stop.
  5. If you stop too early, you'll see: Video must be longer than 5 sec — keep recording.
  6. Once long enough, the recording auto-finishes and takes you to the composer.

Video rules. Videos must be at least 5 seconds long and have a maximum length (usually 30 seconds — varies by region). The minimum exists so videos feel intentional, not accidental.

GALLERY mode

Sometimes you want to share a photo or video that's already on your phone. For those:

  1. Below the capture button, look for the PHOTO / GALLERY toggle.
  2. Tap GALLERY.
  3. Your phone gallery opens — pick any photo or video.
  4. Tap the file to attach it.
  5. It goes straight to the composer.

PHOTO vs GALLERY difference. PHOTO captures fresh from your camera. GALLERY picks an existing image. Both end up as a normal moment in the feed — friends won't know which one you used.

Front vs back camera

Tap the flip icon (curved arrows) on the bottom-right of the camera to switch between front (selfie) and back (rear) cameras. Default is back camera. Currently remembers which one you used last.

Flash

Tap the flash icon on the bottom-left to toggle:

  • Off — no flash (default)
  • On — flash fires every shot
  • Auto — flash fires only in low light

FAQs — Photo, video, gallery

Q. Can I post a video longer than 30 seconds?

A. Currently is built around quick moments. Videos cap around 30 seconds to keep the feed snappy. For longer content, share a link to YouTube/Insta in your caption.

Q. Can I edit my video before posting (trim, filter)?

A. Currently doesn't have built-in trimming or filters yet. Use your phone's gallery editor before importing, or capture a clean shot in the camera.

Q. Why does my video show 'Video must be longer than 5 sec'?

A. Currently requires a minimum 5-second video. Tap and hold the record button (or tap again after 5 seconds) to keep recording. Below 5 seconds, the post is rejected.

Q. Can I add multiple photos AND a video to one moment?

A. Yes — see Multi-photo moments. You can mix photos and videos in the same moment.

Q. My gallery has photos but they don't show up. Why?

A. Currently usually filters out very old, very large, or unsupported file formats. Make sure your photo is JPG, PNG, or HEIC. Videos must be MP4.

Q. How do I save the photo I just captured to my gallery automatically?

A. On the composer screen, before posting, tap the download icon (small arrow-down) on the bottom-left. The photo or video saves to your phone gallery as a backup.