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How the app works

Full tutorial coming soon.

A short overview is here now. The complete step-by-step guide, screenshots and practical tips live on the dedicated tutorial page.

Open the tutorial ↗
Privacy & data

Data Not Collected.

Max Photo Frames is listed this way on the App Store. Visit the dedicated privacy guide to compare the label and understand what other apps may disclose.

Open the privacy guide ↗
A useful download habit

Check what your apps collect.

Before downloading any photo app, open its App Store privacy section and compare the data practices. The App Store currently lists Max Photo Frames as Data Not Collected.

100% free privacy? That’s the joke. The serious version: read the label, read the policy and ask questions.

Check the App Store label ↗Read our privacy policy
See the difference

A label is easier to understand when you can see it.

These App Store privacy screens show the kind of information worth checking before you install an app.

App Store privacy label showing Data Not Collected
Max Photo Frames is currently listed as Data Not Collected.
App Store privacy labels showing data used to track you and data linked to you
Other app labels may disclose tracking or data linked to your identity. Always check the current listing.
Compare before you download

The label tells a story.

Every app is different. These are examples of categories you may see in an App Store privacy label—not claims about any particular app.

Max Photo Frames

Data Not Collected

The current App Store listing says the developer does not collect data from this app.

View the current label ↗

Some apps may list tracking

Depending on the app, you may see categories such as contact info, identifiers or other data used to track activity across apps and websites.

Contact InfoIdentifiersOther Data

Some apps may link data to you

Labels can also show data linked to your identity, such as location, contacts, purchases, user content, search history, usage data or diagnostics.

LocationUser ContentDiagnostics

Privacy labels can change as apps and services change. Check the live App Store listing and the developer’s privacy policy before making your decision.

A two-minute privacy check

How to read the label.

  1. Look for tracking. Check whether data may be used to follow activity across other apps or websites.
  2. Look for data linked to you. Check whether information such as location, contact details or user content can be connected to your identity.
  3. Read the policy too. The label is a useful summary, while the privacy policy explains the developer’s practices in more detail.

A category is a disclosure to understand—not automatically a verdict that an app is unsafe. Match the app’s practices to what you are comfortable sharing.

iOS product · Version 3 · Live on the App Store

Max Photo Frames

A privacy-first collage and retro photo frame app for turning everyday images into polished framed memories with captions, AI-assisted editing, 3D Props and export-ready layouts.

Download on the App Store ↗Read the journey
Release
Version 3.0 live
Focus
Privacy-first creativity
Validation
486 unit tests
Stack
SwiftUI · Vision · Core Image
Max Photo Frames · iPad promo
Max Photo Frames iPad promo showing a dog photo in a frame
Version 3 brings the photo, frame and finishing tools into one focused editing flow.

The Story

Photography has always been one of my hobbies. Over the years I've captured thousands of photos, family moments, holidays, landscapes and everyday memories. I wanted an app that could present those memories beautifully without subscriptions, watermarks or giving away unnecessary personal data.

Most apps I tried either locked features behind expensive subscriptions or uploaded photos to third-party services. As someone who values privacy, I wanted something different, so I decided to build it myself.

Release journey

One thoughtful release at a time.

These milestones come from the local Git tags and release history.

15 Sep 2025

v1.0 · The first release

Max Photo Frames begins as a working photo-framing product.

30 Jan – 14 Feb 2026

v2.8 · Reliability and smart photo tools

Date fallback, smart captions, skin smoothing, trackers and release hardening shape the v2.8 series.

28 Jul 2026

UX audit baseline

The interface and requirements are source-verified to guide the next stage of the product.

31 Jul – 1 Aug 2026

v3.0 · Architecture and studio tools

The V5 architecture, AI-assisted editing, 3D Pop, captions and export parity reach the App Store submission milestone.

Selected build history

A small, readable sample of the Git work behind the releases—not the full private repository log.

15 Sep 2025 · 2b53c9a6

Archive v1.0 submission

The first iOS and iPad release is captured for the App Store.

30 Jan 2026 · b1f3b412

v2.8 date fallback

Date-stamp fallback and smart-caption handling for photos with unknown dates.

1 Aug 2026 · d2d0d448

WYSIWYG pixel parity harness

Automated comparison work protects the relationship between live preview and export.

2 Aug 2026 · 98e8cb85

Backup v3 and caption library

Backup returns to Hub and includes the SwiftData caption library.

Repository snapshot: 1,654 first-parent commits on main, 2,061 commits across local refs, and 17 release or milestone tags. Commit count describes repository activity, not hours worked.

From Vibe Coding to a Real Product

Max Photo Frames began as an experiment using AI-assisted “vibe coding”. As I learned more about iOS development, the project evolved into a properly engineered application with reusable components, improved architecture, performance optimisation and a polished user experience.

Project Vision

Privacy-first creativity for everyone.

The goal is to keep the core application free so anyone can create beautiful framed memories. The ambition is to make Max Photo Frames the number-one free photo-framing app on the App Store. Rather than subscriptions, the project will be supported through optional tips from users who want to contribute to ongoing development.

Core Features

Frames & Presets

Build a look quickly, then tune borders, canvas shape, gradients, shadows and colour.

Layer Magic

Blur, cut out or keep the original background while maintaining preview and export parity.

Captions & Trackers

Add captions, dates, watermarks and calculated memory trackers with precise placement.

3D Props & Export

Add face-aware decorative props and save dependable high-quality stills.

Inside the product

The V3 experience is organised around five focused areas, so the editing journey stays clear from import to export.

Project & tech stack

Max Photo Frames is a SwiftUI-first iOS photo editor with a non-destructive document model and a strict preview-to-export parity goal.

UI

SwiftUI and Observation

SwiftUI, iOS 17 Observation with @Observable, a custom staged editor layout, Swift concurrency and a canvas-first interaction model.

Imaging

Vision and Core Image

Apple Vision foreground masks, Core Image compositing and filters, Photos/PhotosUI integration, skin smoothing and subject cutouts.

Rendering

Shared preview and export

ExportInteractor, ExportManager, RenderService and layout math stay aligned with the live SwiftUI preview.

Architecture

Non-destructive documents

Reusable frame profiles, persisted media layers and a V5 document model keep editing flexible while protecting user work.

Why I Built It

Photography

Avid photographer wanting a better way to preserve memories.

Privacy

No unnecessary photo collection.

Learning

Learn modern iOS and AI-assisted engineering.

Giving Back

Free app with optional tips instead of subscriptions.

Validation & Quality

The app supports both the original workflow and the 3D Pop workflow. Testing focuses on memory management, caching, restoration, exporting and ensuring edits persist correctly across both paths.

Download Max Photo Frames ↗View other projects
How the app works

Full tutorial coming soon.

A step-by-step guide will show the complete journey from choosing a photo to exporting a finished memory.

Tutorial in progress

See the workflow before the full guide arrives.

The finished tutorial will include tap-by-tap instructions, practical tips, accessibility notes and short videos or annotated screenshots.

Coming soon
Max Photo Frames creative photo tools
01 · Start

Choose a style

Import a photo, explore frames and use Studio tools to establish the look.

Max Photo Frames caption tools
02 · Personalise

Add captions and dates

Use the unified text tools to add captions, trackers, watermarks and dates.

Max Photo Frames decor tools
03 · Finish

Add depth and decor

Experiment with Layer Magic, 3D Pop, props and decorative finishing touches.

Max Photo Frames Hub and export tools
04 · Share

Review and export

Check the result, choose export quality and save a dependable finished image.

Support & feedback

Need help or have an idea?

Find support resources, report a bug or share a feature request on the support page.

Feedback & requests Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions

Image credits · Unsplash contributors: Joshua Koblin, freestocks, Lena Krieg and Xu Duo.

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