Frequently Asked Questions

Lens is currently in pre‑release. We’re targeting April 2026 for public availability on the App Store. These FAQs are here to help you understand what’s coming and how Lens will fit your work once it launches.

About Lens

What is Lens?

Lens is a professional proof‑of‑work camera app for iPhone that turns every photo and video into metadata‑rich, trustworthy documentation — with date, time, GPS, weather, and project context on every capture.

Who is Lens designed for?

Lens is built for people who need their camera roll to prove what happened, not just remember it — field professionals, inspectors, engineers, journalists, creators, and anyone who documents sites, assets, or events for work.

How is Lens different from the built‑in iPhone camera?

The iPhone camera focuses on aesthetics. Lens focuses on evidence:

A readable overlay on every capture (time, place, conditions, project, notes)
Consistent file naming for projects and clients
AI‑generated PDF reports from your photos
Optional Content Credentials (C2PA) for cryptographic proof of origin

You still get the same high‑quality photos and videos from your iPhone — plus an audit‑ready paper trail.

Is Lens right for my workflow?

Lens is a strong fit if you:

Take photos or video to document jobs, inspections, incidents, or field work
Need to show when, where, and under what conditions something was captured
Want to generate clean reports without copying images into Word or email

If that sounds like you, Lens is likely a good fit.

Plans, pricing, and trial

Can I try Lens for free?

Not yet. Lens is in active development and not currently available on the App Store.

At launch (targeting April 2026), we plan to offer a 21‑day full‑feature trial so you can try Lens with your own workflow before committing. Exact trial mechanics may vary by region and will be confirmed closer to release.

How long is the free trial?

We’re planning a 21‑day trial with full Core and Pro features (subject to fair‑use limits on AI features). Final details will appear on our website and in the App Store listing before you start a trial.

Do I need a subscription?

Lens will use App Store billing. Depending on your region, you may see a paid download, a subscription, or a free trial that converts to a paid plan.

Final pricing and options will be shown clearly on the App Store purchase screen before you confirm anything, once Lens is publicly available.

Can I use Lens for both personal and client work?

Yes. Many people start by testing Lens on a small personal or side project, then roll it out to full client or team work once they’re confident it fits their process.

Getting started

How do I take my first photo with metadata?

Open Lens and grant camera, location, and photo library permissions when asked.
Frame your subject with the overlay in mind.
Tap the shutter button.

Lens automatically embeds the date, time, location (if enabled), weather, and your current project details into the overlay.

What permissions does Lens need?

Permission	Purpose	Required
Camera	Capture photos and video	Yes
Location	Embed GPS coordinates and address	Yes
Photos	Save captures to your photo library	Yes

Microphone is only requested when recording video.

Can I use Lens without location access?

Yes. Lens will still capture and save your photos and videos, but they will not include GPS coordinates or address data. The overlay will show “Location Unavailable.”

What’s the best way to try Lens in my first 10 minutes?

For a quick end‑to‑end test:

Take 3–5 photos of a real‑world scene (e.g., a room, asset, or site) with the overlay visible.
Add a Quick Note and set a Project Profile name so you see how context appears on each capture.
Open the Gallery, select those photos, and generate an AI Report as a PDF.
(Optional) Enable Content Credentials for one capture and verify it using a C2PA viewer.

This sequence shows you how Lens turns a few photos into a clear, shareable record.

What should I try first?

Which features should I start with?

If you’re evaluating Lens, start with these pillars:

Metadata overlay: Capture a few photos and videos so you can see date, time, GPS, weather, and notes on every image.
Project Profiles & Quick Notes: Set a project name/client and use note aliases so every capture is labeled correctly with almost no typing.
AI Reports: Turn a small batch of photos into a polished PDF report and share it with a colleague or client.
Content Credentials (optional): Enable Content Credentials and sign a test photo to see how cryptographic provenance works in your workflow.
Offline capture & maps: Try capturing in low‑signal or offline conditions and, if helpful, enable Offline Maps for your area.

Once those feel natural, you can explore finer controls like fonts, branding, and video settings.

Photos & Video

What format are photos saved in?

Photos are saved in HEIC (High Efficiency Image Format) at 0.85 quality. Lens falls back to JPEG on older devices. Metadata is preserved in both formats.

Why is my photo file size large?

Larger file sizes typically occur when:

High‑resolution capture is enabled
JPEG fallback is used (less compression than HEIC)

You can check whether HEIC is supported and adjust settings in Lens and iOS Settings.

What video quality is supported?

Lens supports 1080p (HD) and 4K (Ultra HD) recording at 24fps, 30fps, or 60fps. Availability depends on your specific device hardware. In Video mode, use the top controls bar to change resolution and frame rate independently.

Can I remove the overlay after capture?

No. The overlay is permanently embedded at the moment of capture. This is intentional — it creates tamper‑evident proof of work so you can trust that what you see is what was captured.

Overlay & Display

How do I hide the mini‑map?

Go to Settings (gear icon) → Map → toggle Show Map off.

Can I change the overlay font?

Yes. Settings → Typography → Font Pairing. You can choose from several professional typeface combinations tuned for clarity and a clean, technical look.

How do I add my company logo?

Settings → Branding → Add Logo. Supported formats: PNG, JPEG. Transparent backgrounds usually look best on the overlay.

The overlay is blocking my subject. Can I move it?

The overlay position is fixed to keep documentation consistent across every capture. Frame your subject with the overlay in mind so important details remain visible.

Projects & Quick Notes

What are Project Profiles?

Project Profiles let you switch between different job contexts. Each profile saves its own Project Name, Project Client, and File Name Prefix so your documentation stays organized and your files are clearly labeled per site or client.

How do I create a new profile?

Settings → Project Profiles → tap + (plus icon) → enter your project details.

What are Quick Note Templates?

Quick Note Templates are pre‑set text blocks you can quickly add to your photos. Instead of typing the same status repeatedly, you select it from a list or use an Alias.

How do Alias shortcuts work?

Every template can have a short alias (2–4 letters). In the camera view, tap the Note area, type your alias (for example sc), and double‑tap the spacebar. Lens expands it to the full template text (for example Site conditions documented).

Is there a character limit for notes?

Yes. Quick Notes are limited to 100 characters so they fit cleanly inside the overlay without obscuring your image.

Reports & Export

What is an AI Report?

An AI Report is a professional PDF generated from your captures. It includes:

All selected photos with their metadata
An AI‑structured narrative tying the photos together
Any notes you’ve added
Project and client information

It’s designed so you can send a clear, ready‑to‑file report without manual layout work.

How do I create a report?

Open the Gallery and select photos (long‑press for multi‑select).
Tap Create Report.
Add notes and adjust the title if needed.
Tap Generate to create the PDF.

Can I edit a report after generating?

The report is generated as a PDF. To change it:

Adjust your notes or which photos are selected.
Regenerate the report — you’ll get an updated PDF.

What report title colors are available?

Go to Settings → Project → Default Report Title Color to choose Black, Red, or Blue.

Privacy & Data

How does Lens protect my data?

Lens is designed with a local‑first, privacy‑respecting model: your photos and videos stay on your device by default, with only a few clearly explained exceptions. You control analytics, feedback, and optional cloud features from Settings.

Does Lens upload my photos anywhere?

By default, no. Your photos and videos remain in your local storage and are not continuously synced to our servers.

Exception (Content Credentials): When you enable Content Credentials, Lens saves signed “Master Copies” to your iCloud Drive by default so they are not lost if you delete the app. You can change this to a local folder in Settings.

Exception (Transient AI Processing): If you use AI Report Generation, selected photos are briefly processed by our AI provider to create descriptions. No data is stored or used for training:

✓ Zero data retention — photos are discarded immediately after processing
✓ No training — your content is never used to improve public AI models
✓ Secure transport — data is encrypted in transit

See Google’s Generative AI Privacy Notice for more on how transient data is handled.

Exception (Opt‑In Offline Maps): If you enable Offline Maps, your approximate location is shared with Mapbox to download map tiles. This is disabled by default and clearly explained during setup.

Does Lens track my usage?

Partially. We collect anonymous, aggregate data (for example “App Launch Time” or “Percentage of users using Dark Mode”) to help maintain the app. We do not track your personal content, photos, or specific location history. We care about the health of the software, not a history of your life.

You can turn this off at any time in Settings → About → Diagnostics → toggle Share Usage Analytics off.

Does Lens collect my feedback?

Yes, but only when you choose to send it. Lens supports:

General Feedback: Stored locally and optionally synced to the cloud (if analytics are enabled).
Bug Reports: Sent via email with optional attachments (screenshots, logs, images).
Image Attachments: You can attach up to 3 images (10MB each, 25MB total) to help explain what you’re seeing.

What’s collected:

Your feedback text or bug description
Optional image attachments (for general feedback: uploaded to Firebase Storage; for bug reports: attached to email)
Timestamp of submission
App version and device information
An anonymized device identifier (hashed, not personally identifiable)

You can prevent cloud sync by disabling Share Usage Analytics. Feedback will still be stored locally but won’t be transmitted. Bug reports sent via email are always sent regardless of analytics settings.

How do I delete my data?

Delete photos directly from the Gallery, or delete the app. If you’ve enabled Content Credentials and chosen to save Master Copies in iCloud Drive or a Custom Location, you’ll need to delete those signed copies manually from the Files app.

Feedback Data: Feedback stored locally is deleted when you delete the app. To prevent future feedback from being synced, disable Share Usage Analytics in Settings. Historical feedback data in Firebase Firestore (including image attachment URLs) can be deleted by contacting support. Image attachments stored in Firebase Storage are retained until manually deleted.

Is crash reporting enabled?

Crash reporting helps us improve app stability. You can disable it in Settings → About → Diagnostics → toggle Share Crash Reports off.

Troubleshooting

Why does the location show “Unavailable”?

Cause: Location services are disabled or denied for Lens.

Fix:

Open iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services.
Find Lens → set to While Using the App.
Re‑open Lens and try again.

Why aren’t my photos saving?

Cause: Photo library access is not granted.

Fix:

Open iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Photos.
Find Lens → set to Full Access or Add Photos Only.

Why is the camera preview black?

Cause: Camera access is denied, or another app is using the camera.

Fix:

Close other camera apps.
Open iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera.
Enable Lens.
Restart the app.

Why did video recording stop unexpectedly?

Cause: Your device is running low on storage space.

Fix: Free up device storage. As a rough guide, video at 1080p 30fps uses approximately 130 MB per minute.

Why does the overlay look blurry on export?

Cause: A screenshot or screen recording was used instead of an export from Lens.

Fix: Use the Share function from within the Lens Gallery to export at full resolution.

Features & Limits

What’s the maximum video length?

There’s no hard limit inside Lens. Practical limits depend on your available device storage. For long recordings, keep an eye on remaining space in iOS Settings.

Is there a limit on AI report generation?

AI Report generation uses on‑device AI when available. Network‑based generation may have temporary usage limits during peak periods, but for typical field and client reporting workloads you should be able to generate reports freely.

Does Lens work offline?

Yes. Core capture features work entirely offline:

Photos & Video: Capture and saving work without a signal.
Altitude & Compass: Use device sensors (GPS/Barometer/Magnetometer) and do not need internet.
Addresses: Lens will try to display a previously visited address (cached). If not available, it shows coordinates.
Weather: Shows the Last Known value (marked as “Cached”) if you have no signal.

You can also enable Offline Maps to download map data for offline use.

How do I use Offline Maps?

First‑time setup:

Go to Settings > Offline Maps.
Tap Enable Offline Maps.
Review the privacy notice and tap Enable Offline Maps to consent.
- This allows Mapbox to receive your IP address, device info, and approximate location.
- See our Privacy Policy for details.

After enabling:

Search for a city or use Use Current Location.
Pan and zoom to select your desired area.
Tap Download Selected Area.
Downloaded maps appear automatically when you’re offline.

To disable: Go to Settings > Offline Maps > Disable Offline Maps. This removes all downloaded maps and stops data sharing with Mapbox.

How much storage do offline maps use?

It depends on the size of the area. A typical city download is between 10–50 MB. You can clear storage at any time in Settings > Offline Maps > Clear All Maps.

Content Credentials (C2PA)

What are Content Credentials?

Content Credentials is the user‑friendly name for provenance data built on the open C2PA standard. When enabled, Lens cryptographically signs your photos and videos using your iPhone’s Apple Secure Enclave hardware, creating tamper‑evident proof of:

When the capture was taken (trusted timestamp)
Where it was taken (GPS coordinates, when enabled in Settings)
What device captured it (hardware‑bound identity)
That it hasn’t been altered (cryptographic hash)
Version tracking (app version for security vulnerability management)

Lens implements C2PA Technical Specification 2.2 guided by the C2PA UX Recommendations 2.0 and Security Considerations 2.0 documents. We are currently in the Conformance Phase of our evaluation. See our C2PA v2.2 Compliance page for detailed information.

What does “Signed by Lens App Signer” mean?

This is a digital signature embedded in your photo that proves its origin. It guarantees the photo was taken by Lens and has not been edited by external software.

Where can I find the signed photos?

By default, Lens saves your signed Master Copies to iCloud Drive (iCloud Drive > Lens > Artifacts) so they’re backed up and persist even if you delete the app.

If iCloud is disabled, they are saved locally to Files > On My iPhone > Lens > C2PA. You can also choose a Custom Location (such as a separate folder or external SSD) in Settings.

If I delete the app, do my signed photos get deleted?

It depends on where they’re stored:

iCloud Drive (Cloud Saved): ✓ Safe. Your photos persist in your iCloud storage regardless of the app’s status.
Custom Location: ✓ Safe. If you picked a folder outside the “Lens” app directory, the files are considered user data and remain on your device.
On My iPhone (Device Only): ! Will be deleted. If your photos are stored in the default On My iPhone > Lens folder, iOS removes them when the app is uninstalled.

Lens shows a guided warning in Settings if you are using device‑only storage so you can move Master Copies to a safer location.

Why is my photo “Unrecognized” on verification sites?

This is expected behavior during our Preview (Conformance Phase).

Lens currently uses a self‑signed certificate with Apple Secure Enclave hardware binding while we complete formal C2PA Conformance and finalize partnership agreements with Certificate Authorities (CAs) such as SSL.com.

What Works	What Shows a Warning
✓ Cryptographic integrity verified	! “Unrecognized Signer”
✓ Signature mathematically valid	! “Unknown Certificate Authority”
✓ File proven unaltered
✓ Implementation matches C2PA Technical Specification 2.2 for applicable requirements

To show “Trusted Signer,” we need a certificate from a CA that appears on the viewer’s C2PA Trust List. We are actively working toward CA‑verified credentials.

Bottom line: Your photos are cryptographically secure and Lens’s implementation matches the applicable parts of the C2PA Technical Specification 2.2. The “Unrecognized” warning affects how the signer is displayed, not the integrity of your data. (Implementation claim, not formal C2PA Conformance certification.)

When will Lens have a trusted certificate?

We are working toward providing CA‑verified credentials as part of our C2PA Conformance Phase. The integration code (ES256, Secure Enclave, JUMBF) is complete and ready.

Lens already implements the relevant C2PA Technical Specification 2.2 security controls, including hardware‑backed keys, OCSP revocation checking, and version tracking. The remaining step is formal CA certificate issuance from the trust list.

Which third‑party services provide the timestamps?

To maintain high security and cross‑platform trust, Lens uses specialized Timestamp Authorities (TSA) to issue cryptographically signed, RFC 3161‑compliant timestamps.

Lens uses:

DigiCert (timestamp.digicert.com) — Our only TSA, on the C2PA TSA Trust List. When unreachable, we sign without a timestamp.

These services verify the exact time of capture independently of your phone’s clock, making your Content Credentials resistant to date‑tampering.

What does the Green Shield mean?

A green shield (checkmark.shield.fill) indicates Verified Trust:

Your device time matches trusted network servers (Apple, Cloudflare, Google).
Photos are signed with verified Trusted Timestamps.
You’re ready to capture with full provenance.

What does the Orange Antenna (Offline) mean?

An orange antenna icon (antenna.radiowaves.left.and.right.slash) indicates that we cannot reach our trusted time servers (offline or behind a firewall). You must explicitly choose “Enable with Limited Trust” to sign photos. These captures are signed without a trusted timestamp; verification tools will show lower trust for the timestamp.

What does the Red Shield (Security Alert) mean?

A red shield (xmark.shield.fill) indicates Time Tampering. Your device clock differs significantly from the actual time. To protect the integrity of your Content Credentials, signing is blocked until you set your device time to “Set Automatically” in iOS Settings.

Does C2PA work with video?

Yes. Lens supports hardware‑backed signing for video files (.mov / .mp4). Enable it in Settings > Content Credentials. Signed videos are saved to the Photos app and as a Master Copy in the Files app. Video manifests include device info and optionally location; capture settings (ISO, aperture, exposure) are only available for photos.

Is my signing key safe?

Yes. Your private signing key is:

Generated inside the Apple Secure Enclave (hardware security module)
Never exported — it cannot be copied, backed up, or transferred
Device‑bound — if you get a new phone, a new key is generated
Protected by iOS — even a jailbroken device cannot extract it

How do I verify a signed photo?

Use any C2PA‑compliant verification tool, such as:

Web: contentcredentials.org/verify
Desktop: Adobe Photoshop (2023+), or Chrome with a C2PA extension

Upload your signed photo (from the Files app) and check the provenance panel.

Sources & Verification

Claim	Source	Status
Content Credentials as user-facing name, C2PA as underlying standard	C2PA UX Recommendations 2.0, terminology	✓ Verified
Use of trusted timestamps from TSA (e.g., DigiCert) under RFC 3161	C2PA Technical Specification 2.2, timestamp sections	✓ Verified
Self-signed certificate, “Unrecognized Signer” behavior, Master Copy storage paths	Lens implementation and product design	! Lens-specific
Statements about “C2PA v2.2 compliant”	Interpreted as implementation against Technical Specification 2.2, not formal C2PA Conformance program	! Lens-specific framing, clarified

Account & Support

Do I need an account?

No. Lens works entirely without accounts or sign‑in. All data stays on your device by default.

How do I contact support?

On your iPhone: Settings → Support → Send Feedback or Report Bug.

Send Feedback: For general suggestions, feature requests, or comments. You can attach up to 3 images to illustrate your feedback.
Report Bug: For issues, crashes, or problems. You can include screenshots, diagnostic logs, and up to 3 images to help us diagnose the issue.

Including your iOS version and device model helps us resolve issues faster.

How do I request a feature?

Use the Send Feedback option in Settings. Share as much context as you can (what you’re trying to do, how you work today, and why the feature would help). We review all requests.

Related Resources

Getting Started — First‑time setup guide
Privacy Policy — Data handling practices
Terms of Use — Usage terms