TL;DR: For most weddings, a link-only album plus a PIN is private enough. If you don’t want guests seeing each other’s uploads, switch the album to upload-only. If you want to approve photos before anyone sees them, turn on moderation. QR Moments includes all three on both plans.
“Private” means different things to different couples. For some, it just means the photos aren’t on Instagram. For others, it means nobody but the two of them sees anything until they’ve looked through it first. Both are reasonable, and the settings below cover the whole range.
The four privacy levels
| Setting | Who can upload | Who can see the album | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link only (default) | Anyone with the QR code or link | Anyone with the QR code or link | Most weddings |
| Link + PIN | People who know the PIN | People who know the PIN | Links that might get forwarded |
| Upload-only | Guests | Only you | Couples who want first look |
| Moderation on | Guests | Only approved photos are visible | Formal families, memorials, client events |
Which setting to choose
Link only is fine for most couples. The album isn’t published or listed anywhere; people find it only through your QR code or link. Guests seeing each other’s photos actually increases uploads, because it’s fun.
Add a PIN if the link is going in a group chat or a thank-you email that could get forwarded. Print the PIN on the table card next to the QR code. It adds one step for guests, so keep it short (four digits, or your wedding date).
Upload-only is for couples who want to see everything first and then share a curated set. Guests can still add photos, they just can’t browse.
Moderation holds each upload until you approve it. It’s useful at very formal weddings, memorials and anything with a live slideshow where you can’t risk one bad photo on the big screen. The trade-off is that someone has to approve photos, and during the reception that someone shouldn’t be you.
What happens to the photos behind the scenes
Worth asking any provider. For QR Moments: photos aren’t used for advertising, shared with third parties or published; the company states it is GDPR compliant with EU-based servers, and data can be deleted on request. Uploads are anonymous by default, and on Premium you can ask guests for their name so each photo is tagged in your dashboard. Only the album owner can delete uploads.
Compare that with the free options. Joy, for example, says its album must be public to allow guest uploads (see Joy vs QR Moments), and a Google Photos album sits inside your personal Google account (see Google Photos for weddings).
PIN protection, upload-only mode and moderation come with both QR Moments plans: Standard $49, Premium $99, one-time. The same settings suit memorial services and corporate events.
Create a private album → 30-day money-back guarantee.
FAQ
Can I password-protect a wedding photo album? Yes. With QR Moments you can add a PIN that guests enter before uploading or viewing, on both plans.
Can guests upload without seeing other people’s photos? Yes. You can turn off guest browsing so the album is upload-only.
Can I approve photos before they appear? Yes. Turn on moderation and uploads wait for your approval.
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