How-to
How to make a before and after picture on your phone
Three ways to make a before and after picture on iPhone or Android, from a free online maker to aligned shots taken with a ghost overlay.
By Ahmet KütükUpdated 5 min read
You can make a before and after picture on your phone in three ways: put two existing photos side by side with a free online maker, use a collage or editing app, or take the after photo with the before photo as a ghost overlay so both line up from the start. The third gives the cleanest result.
A before and after picture is two photos of the same thing, taken at different times, shown together. The format is simple; what makes one convincing is that both photos are framed the same way. If the angle or distance changed, viewers notice the mismatch before they notice the change.
Option 1: Combine two photos you already have
If you already have both photos, a free online maker is the fastest route. Our before and after maker works in your phone's browser and never uploads your photos:
- Choose the before photo and the after photo.
- Tap Line them up. The after photo appears over the before photo as a see-through layer; drag and pinch until they match.
- Pick a format: 9:16 for Stories and Reels, 4:5 for feed posts, 1:1 or 16:9.
- Keep or rename the Before and After labels, add a caption if you like, and download a JPG or a swipe GIF.
Lining the photos up after the fact helps, but it can't fix a different camera angle or a different lens. That's where the next options come in.
Option 2: Use a collage or editing app
Most collage and video editors have a split or side-by-side layout. They're flexible if you want text, stickers or music, but they don't help with alignment, so you'll spend time cropping each photo to match the other.
If you go this way:
- Crop both photos to the same aspect ratio first.
- Match the subject's size: the same head height or object width in both.
- Apply the same color and brightness adjustments to both photos.
Option 3: Take the after photo with a ghost overlay
The best before and after pictures are planned before the after photo is taken. A ghost overlay camera shows your before photo semi-transparent over the live camera, so you can match the angle, distance and framing while you shoot.
With MatchFrame the steps are:
- Create a project and take (or import) the before photo.
- When it's time for the after photo, open the project: the before photo appears as a ghost.
- Move until the outlines meet and capture.
- Open compare to check the result with a slider, then export side by side, as a slideshow or GIF, in the format you need.
Take your reference shot today.
Free on iPhone and Android. No account needed.
Which method should you use?
| You have... | Use |
|---|---|
| Two old photos, no time | The free online maker |
| Two photos and want music or effects | A collage or video editor |
| A before photo and the after is still to come | A ghost overlay camera |
| A project that will run for weeks (fitness, skin, renovation) | A ghost overlay camera with a project timeline |
Tips for any method
- Same orientation. Don't mix a vertical photo with a horizontal one.
- Same light. Take the after photo at the same time of day as the before photo.
- Labels help. “Before” and “After” (or dates) save viewers from guessing which is which.
- Keep it honest. Don't edit one photo more than the other. People trust before and afters less when the after looks filtered.
For format choices (side by side vs slider vs GIF) and the exact sizes for each platform, see which before and after format works best.