How to Create Before and After Photos - Step by Step Tutorial

Which Layout Should I Use?

Interactive Slider suits photographs of the same scene taken from a fixed position: a kitchen before and after renovation, for example. Visitors can inspect the boundary between matching features. A downloaded PNG only captures the divider at one position; use the hosted Embed Slider if people need to drag it on your website.

Side by Side keeps both photographs visible in full panels. Start here for progress photos, product comparisons, or pictures taken from slightly different angles. Match the size of the main subject rather than assuming equal file dimensions will make the comparison fair.

Split View puts part of each photograph into one frame. It is useful for a compact comparison of aligned images, such as two versions of the same screenshot. Move the split away from the detail you want to explain, and check that the boundary does not hide it.

Overlay blends one photograph over the other. Use it to inspect alignment or small changes in an otherwise unchanged scene. Misaligned edges create ghosting, so this layout is less forgiving of a different camera position or focal length.

Vertical Stack places one image above the other. It often gives wide room photographs more space on a narrow phone screen. Keep the earlier image first and use dates when the order is not obvious.

Templates add decorative frames and typography around the comparison. Choose one for an announcement, portfolio card, or social post when presentation matters alongside the evidence. Check the crop in each frame; decorative shapes can conceal useful corners.

PNG, GIF, or Video?

Choose PNG when a still picture does the job: a quote document, a website gallery, a presentation slide, or a social post containing one image. Both sides stay visible without waiting for playback. Start with original files and inspect the saved image at its intended size; a larger export cannot restore detail missing from a small upload.

Choose GIF for a short, repeating reveal on a page or in a message that supports animation. Keep the sequence brief and leave enough time to see each state. GIF has a limited color palette, so skies, shadows, and smooth gradients can show banding. Duration, frame rate, and image dimensions all affect file size. Test the actual destination because some services display a still frame instead.

Choose video when color quality and file size matter more than embedding a looping image. MP4 is a useful starting point when your browser offers it; WebM availability and playback depend on the browser and destination. Preview the finished file before posting. GIF and video exports require sign-in, with one of each per day on the free plan. PNG has two free daily exports without an account. A draggable website slider requires embed code rather than any of these downloaded formats.

Troubleshooting

The photos do not align. Open Crop & zoom and adjust Zoom, Horizontal, and Vertical separately for each image. Use a fixed feature such as a door frame as your reference. These controls change framing; they cannot correct a different viewpoint. If the edges still disagree, choose Side by Side instead of a slider.

The export looks blurry. Replace screenshots or chat thumbnails with the original photographs. Check each source at normal viewing size before enlarging it. Reduce unnecessary zoom, and share the downloaded PNG rather than a screenshot of the preview. Only one blurry panel usually points to that source file.

The colors look different. Check whether one photo was taken under warm indoor light and the other by a window. Remove one-sided filters before combining them, or apply the same neutral correction in an image editor. Before After Photo Maker - BAGen does not automatically match white balance. Keep genuine changes visible rather than editing them away.

The file is too large. For GIFs, shorten the duration and reduce frames per second, then export again. Consider video for a longer animation. For a static picture, resize a copy in an image editor to the dimensions actually needed by the destination. Keep your original file separately.

The label covers the subject. Shorten the text and change its position or size in the label controls. Put it over a quiet area such as a wall, not the hair, face, or repaired detail. Recheck at phone size: a label that looks small on desktop can still cover the most important part.