Getting Started
How do I join?
Click the “Join Now!!” link located on the right hand side of the screen on the Home page to create a new account with our service. You will then use your email address as your user name and create your own password. This will allow you to upload images to your account and give you exclusive access to your private images and albums.If the store uploads images for you from film or from a kiosk and you do not yet have an account, you will have 20 days to accept the terms and conditions in order to keep the images online.
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How long are my images stored on your site?
You can upload an unlimited number of images for editing, printing, and sharing. The images will be stored in your account as long as you have logged in within a six month period to let us know you are still using your online photo account. Should you forget to log in, you will receive an email stating your images are in danger of being deleted.
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What am I charged for opening an account?
Our basic service is free. You can upload an unlimited number of photos for editing, sharing, printing, and gift creation. The only charge is for products you order.
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How do I get my password if I forgot it?
If you have forgotten your password, you can click Here, or on the “I forgot my password” link located on the Log In page. If you do not receive the email within about 10 minutes, we recommend checking your Junk and Spam folders as it occasionally gets filtered by these automatic applications.
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I'm having trouble logging in
If you are receiving an Invalid Password message, please click the “I forgot my password” link to be reminded of your password.
If you type in the password and it clears the password field and returns you to the username field, please do the following:
1. Click on the "Tools" menu in Internet Explorer
2. Choose "Internet Options" from the list
3. Under the Privacy tab click Sites
4. Enter "www.lifepics.com" in the text field
5. Now please click "OK" to get back to the site
6. Log out of your account, using the logout link on the right
7. Close all browser windows to get the change to take effect
8. Open a new browser window and log back into your account.
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I'm having trouble logging in
If you are receiving an Invalid Password message, please click the “I forgot my password” link to be reminded of your password.
If you type in the password and it clears the password field and returns you to the username field, please do the following:
1. Click on the "Tools" menu in Internet Explorer
2. Choose "Internet Options" from the list
3. Under the Privacy tab click Sites
4. Enter "www.lifepics.com" in the text field
5. Now please click "OK" to get back to the site
6. Log out of your account, using the logout link on the right
7. Close all browser windows to get the change to take effect
8. Open a new browser window and log back into your account.
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How do I change my email address or password?
You can update your email address, change your password, or edit your home address at any time.
1. Click on the My Account located on the right hand side of the screen under the Welcome sign.
2. Click on the Update Your On-Line Account option
3. On this page you can update your email address, change your password, edit your home address, or choose to add or remove yourself from the Digi Pixel emails.
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Features
Do you have any tips on how to take better pictures?
Yes. View the photo tips offered by Digi Pixels at any time by clicking on the Photo Tips link in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Once you have created an account you can choose to receive emails, including new Photo Tips from Digi.
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Can I download my pictures back to my computer?
Yes. To download images to your computer, click on the “My Albums” link located on the right hand side of the screen above the My Cart text. Select the album where the image is saved and double click on the specific picture you want to download. The image will enlarge to a pop up overlaying the regular page.
At the top you will see a "Download:sm|L" option. The "sm" option is good if you want to email your images while the "L" option will download your image at the original resolution. Unfortunately, at this time, you can only download the images one at a time.
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Can I edit my images using your service?
We provide a basic photo editor that allows you to crop or rotate your images as well as apply special effects like black & white or sepia.
To get to our Edit Tools, click on the My Albums link located on the right hand side of the page above the My Cart text. Double click on the image you wish to edit, which will bring up a larger version of the image. Click on the Edit Tools button above the upper left hand corner of the image.
When you are done you can save a copy of the edited image in your album or save over the original image which you can then order from.
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Can I make a digital scrapbook?
We offer a product similar to scrapbooks that you create yourself.
Our Photo Books allow you to create a book of all your images, like a scrapbook or portfolio of your digital pictures. You can then choose to print it as a hardcover book to pass around or give to friends and family. With our new book engine, you can choose from our premade templates, or choose your own pictures to set as the background. Please visit the blue Build Photo Book tab to learn more or start your own book.
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Can I organize my pictures?
Keep your images organized in your account by placing them in separate albums. Upload them by the date, the event, or just your favorites in the same album. For additional information, please visit the My Albums section.
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Do you offer anything besides cards, calendars, and books?
We offer several other template items. To explore these options, click on the yellow Create Cards & Calendars tab and click on the category that interests you.
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How do I share my pictures with friends and family?
Share your pictures with friends and family from around the world by email or you can also share images by embedding them into popular social networking, blog, and auction sites.
To share via email:
1. Click on the green Share & Organize tab
2. Choose to share via email
3. Choose the album you wish to share
4. You can either choose to share the whole album or only selected pictures
5. Enter the e-mail addresses of the people you wish to share the album with or select the e-mail addresses from your address book. Separate the email addresses with semi colons (;).
6. After you have entered or selected the e-mail addresses, you can include a personal greeting to be read by those who will be viewing the album.
Each person will receive an automated e-mail containing your greeting and a hotlink into your photofinisher's online imaging service. Once they click on the hotlink, they will be able to view this album within your account and order prints from your photofinisher as well.
To share by posting:
1. Click on the green Share & Organize tab
2. Choose Share Via Blog.
3. Choose the album you wish to share
4. You can either choose to share the whole album or only selected pictures
5. You will be given an HTML code to copy and paste into image hosting areas of other sites.
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What can I do with the calendars?
Personalized calendars with your own pictures, and all the dates you want to remember. Our calendar engine allows you to use a single image or multiple images for each month on a multipage calendar, then add special anniversaries, birthdays, or events and activities that you want to remember. You can also create a single calendar with all the months for the year for quick reference. To start your own calendar, please visit the yellow Create Cards & Calendars tab and choose the Calendars category.
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What is Spark?
Our newest feature, Spark, allows you to create a multimedia presentation that cascades your images down one main image. Set the presentation to music, add icons, or link to video.
1. Click on the green Share & Organize tab
2. Choose Share Via Spark
3. Click Create a Spark
4. Once your Spark is complete click the Share Now button
5. Choose which Spark to share
6. Enter the email addresses of the people you wish to share with.
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Can I remove red eye?
We recently updated our editing tools and do not have the red eye removal feature. We are looking to add this feature after the winter holidays.
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How do I create a Holiday or Greeting card?
To create a holiday or greeting card, follow these steps:
- Upload your photo(s) you want to use on the card by pressing "Add Photos" and following the upload instructions.
- Once the photos are uploaded, click the yellow "Card and Calendars" tab.
- Click "Cards." You may also have to choose between slimline and folding cards. Most traditional holiday cards are slimline.
- Choose one of the card categories (Holiday, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year, etc.) and browse the cards in that category until you find the card you want. Select it.
- Your albums will load on the left. Select the album, then drag the picture(s) from the left onto the card template.
- Click in the text box to enter and edit text. You can also click on the photo to zoom and move it.
- Press "Order Now" when you are finished. The card will be saved in your "My Cards" album and placed in your cart to order.
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Uploading Images
I have a coupon code that was given to me by Nelson Photo Photofinishing, how can I use this?
After adding images to your shopping cart and choosing the prints you would like to order, proceed to checkout and the resulting page is where you enter your billing and shipping information. At the bottom of this page is an area where you can enter the coupon code. Enter the code in this box and click Continue. The coupon value will be subtracted from the subtotal and the revised total will appear on the resulting page.
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What kind of files can I upload to your site?
We accept the following file types: .jpg .tiff .bmp .gif .pcx .png .tga. We do not accept PSD (Photoshop), PDF, Word Document, or RAW files.
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Can I upload images from my email or cell phone?
Yes. We offer the option of uploading images from your email or phone. To do this:
1. Please log into your account, and click on “My Account.”
2. Click on “Add photos via Email Settings”
3. Here you will need to setup a PIN and an email address for the device you want to upload from. (You can find the email address for your phone by sending a picture message to your normal email account. And then looking at the email address it came from.)
4a. If you are uploading from the same email address you used to set up your online account, it will already be listed. If you are uploading from a different email address add that account in the box on the “Add photos via Email Settings” and then click update.
4b. Add your phone’s email address in the box on the “Add photos via Email Settings” and then click update.
5. In the subject box, put you PIN.
6. Send the picture message from your phone or email address with the pictures that you would like to be uploaded to add@lifepics.com.
7. You should be able to see your images on your account shortly.
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How do I add pictures to an existing album?
To upload to a specific folder that is already in your online account, click on the “click here” text in the step above where you select your images. Choose the album you wish to upload to from the list and click the Update button. The name of the album you are uploading to will then be listed in that step in red letters.
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How do I add pictures to my online account?
Click “add photos” on the right under the welcome sign.
If you are using Internet Explorer you will need to follow the instructions for installing the uploader. Please make sure that the pop-up blocker is off so that you can receive the pop-up for installing the active x controller.
If you are using Firefox or Safari, please make sure you have the most recent version of Java at www.java.com.
Once the Deluxe Uploader is open choose the folder that contains your pictures in the left hand box. Click the plus sign to open a folder and click on the folder with the images on it. In the right hand box your photos from that folder will be displayed. Select the photos by clicking on the check boxes of the images you want or click the Select All button to select every image within the folder. When all the images you want to upload have been selected click the “Send” button located above the thumbnail previews of the images.
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How do I change the name of the album I am uploading to?
To name the album you are uploading to click on the “click here” text in the step above where you select your images. Type the name of the new album you wish to create and upload the images to in the text field and click the Update button. The new name of the album you are uploading to will be listed in that step in red letters.
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How do I upload from iPhoto?
There are two ways to upload from iPhoto.
If you have created an album in iPhoto and are logged in to your online account:
1. Click Trust for a program from "LifePics" or "Aurigma"
2. Click "Trust" wait for the uploader applet to load.
3. Once the applet is loaded you will need to navigate to the “originals” folder.
4. Click on the year the images were taken and find the album where your photos are located
5. Use the checkboxes to select what photos you want to upload.
6. Click the “Send” button.
If you cannot find the Originals folder:
1. Go to the folder within iPhoto and choose to Export the images. We find it is easiest to Export the images to the desktop
2. Go to your online account and the Add Photos page.
3. Click on Desktop and your images will appear in the box to the right.
4. Use the checkboxes to select what photos you want to upload.
5. Click the “Send” button.
6. Once the images are uploaded you can delete the duplicates from the desktop.
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Order Process
What is resolution and how big can I print my pictures?
The resolution of your pictures is determined by your computer at the time your pictures are taken. The image can only be compressed or made smaller after this time.
If an image has been emailed, chances are good the email application compressed the image prior to sending it. This means the image will not turn out well if printed.
The Fast, or Fastest upload speeds offered on the online Add Photos page will compress your images. Fast allows 8x10, Fastest allows 4x6, and Regular allows whatever size the original image will allow.
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How do I crop the pictures in my order?
Three cropping options are available through the online site during the checkout process.
Option 1, Auto crop: This option automatically crops the images based on a formula. If the image is too wide, it crops 50% of the extra picture on the sides. If the image is too tall, it crops 1/3rd from the top of the picture and 2/3rds from the bottom of the picture. This formula means that if people’s heads are too close to the top, they will be cut off. Auto crop means that there is no technician that looks at the image.
Option 2, Add white space: This option shrinks the image so that the largest side fits on the paper. The empty spaces that are left by the smaller dimensions are then filled with white ink.
Option 3, Manual: This option allows customers to view the crops and to adjust it manually. This is the only option where the customer can preview the cropping before the images are submitted for printing.
Note: The Aspect Ratio is the width by the height of the image. The ratio tells a technician what sizes the image can be printed at without cropping. For example an image with an aspect ratio of 4x6 can be printed at 4x6, 8x12, 12x18, etc without any cropping.
Many digital point and shoot cameras now capture images in a 4.5x6 ratio. This means that most digital images taken with a point and shoot camera will need to be cropped by half an inch.
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When can I expect my order to be complete?
The time in which your order will be ready depends on the product ordered and the store location. Some stores can create prints and some gifts on site and this allows them to offer 1 hour pick up for prints or next day service for gifts. Other stores do not have the printing technology to print in store and these print orders are generally available within 3-5 business days. Gift orders generally take longer to process and are only available as ship to home items. The processing time is listed for the individual gift through the orange Gifts tab.
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How do I find a store in my area?
For pick up locations in your area please click Here, or visit the blue Store Locations link located in the upper right hand corner of the site.
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How can I pay for my order?
Accepted payment types vary by store and location. Almost all stores accept online payment via a major credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express). Several stores accept In Store Payment, however they generally set a limit on the maximum amount of the order, such as $20 or $40. A few of our locations are beginning to accept payment via Pay Pal, but this option is not widely offered at this time.
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Can I order just a CD of my pictures?
Cds of your pictures are available for the images you order, at the time of the order. At this time, you cannot order just a CD of images in your account. You can only order a CD of images you are also ordering as prints.
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How much does shipping cost?
The cost of shipping your order generally depends on the shipping method you choose and the cost of your order. Some shipping methods, such as certain FedEX options do have a flat fee. You will be apprised of the cost of shipping during the checkout process.
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Can I use a credit and a promotion code on the same order?
When placing an order, enter the coupon in the coupon code box and the shopping cart will automatically total the remaining balance, if any, from the combination of the credit on your account and the coupon. Please note, if you are combining free prints, dollars off and a coupon on the same order, the free prints are applied first, the coupon value is applied second (coupons consist of either dollars off or a percentage discount), and the dollars off credit is deducted from the sub-total.
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Can I use multiple promotions on the same order?
Unfortunately, you can only use one promotion code per order. If the codes apply to different print sizes or products, you can split your order into multiple orders and use the separate codes on the separate orders.
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How do I place an order?
When you select images to be printed, they are placed in the cart in a well to choose from. You can then select a single image, or several images you want in the same finish/quantities. Apply the size, finish, quantity, and border information you want for the selected image(s) and click Add to Cart.
To add different quantities for the images you want to order, please do the following:
Select the images in Step 1 that you want in a particular quantity or size you wish to order.
Specify the size, quantity, border information, and finish you want in Step 2 and click Add to Cart.
Click Deselect All in Step 1, and select the next set of images you want.
Specify the size, quantity, border information, and finish you want in Step 2 and click Add to Cart.
Please note, at this time, you cannot remove a single item from a size/finish field, you will remove all the images under that size/finish.
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My Albums
Can I rename or delete my albums?
To rename or delete an album:
1. Go to My Albums
2. Click on the album you wish to rename
3. Click Rename Folder or Delete Folder under the Options for Folder Details.
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How do I create a New Album?
To create a new album, click on “My Albums” link on the right hand side of the screen above the My Cart text, then under the Folder Options choose “Create a New Folder”
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How do I copy or move pictures to a different album?
To move or copy your pictures from one album to another, you will need to have already created the album you want to move the pictures to. (To create a new album, click on “My Albums,” then under the Photo Library options choose “New Folder”).
1. Click “My Albums”
2. Select the album where the photos you would like to move are located.
3. Mark the check boxes of the images you would like to move.
4. Click the "Show Advanced Options" menu tab
5. Click on the "Copy/Move" button. Which will bring up a pop up window listing the available albums in your account.
6. Choose the album were you want to move the images as well as whether you want them moved or copied. The images will be transferred or copied to the new album per your specifications.
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How do I specifiy the order of my images within an album?
You can sort your images in alphabetical order, reverse alphabetical order, by date newest to oldest, and by date oldest to newest. If you need your images in a specific order, you will need to name then with numbers in front of the name.
For example, to get photos named Icons, Images, Photographs, Pictures, Previews, and Thumbnails in a specific order, you would need to name them 001Previews, 002Images, 003Icons, 004Thumbnails, 005Photographs, and 006Pictures. This numbering system would allow you to organize up to 999 images. If you need more, add another 0 to your numbering scheme.
Our system currently does not recognize numbers without a place holder, ie 1 would be set under 1, 11, 12 and 2 would be between 19 and 20.
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How do I view my pictures?
When you first login to your account, click on the "My Albums" link. This link is located on the right-hand side of the screen under the Welcome sign. Once there, simply click on the album you wish to open and view. You can view a larger version by double clicking on the image, then double clicking on the image again.
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Order Status
Can I change or cancel my order?
Due to the high speed at which the orders are fulfilled, we cannot catch an order to cancel it once it has been placed. The orders are digitally sent as uneditable JPG file package to the lab that produces them, and thus cannot be changed once the order has been placed.
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How do I check the status of my order?
You can check the status of your order at any time by clicking on the My Account link located under the Welcome sign on the right hand side of the screen, then choosing Order Status/History. Click Details for the order you wish to check on.
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How do I get a refund?
If you are unhappy with the quality of your order, please let us know. All Pay In Store orders should be addressed to the local location where you picked up the order. Orders paid for by credit card can be addressed by the Live Help team via chat or email. The Live Help technicians can directly you to the appropriate contact.
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How long does it take for an order to be shipped to my home?
Print orders that are being shipped to your home generally take 1-3 days to process, plus the shipping time for the shipping method you chose during the checkout process. Gift orders depend on the gift that was ordered. The processing time is listed for the gift when you look under the orange Gifts tab, click on the category, then click on the gift. That time plus the shipping time is how long it will take for your gift to arrive at your home.
Unfortunately, we cannot track orders that are mailed via ground shipping. If it has been more than the 7-10 business days since you received the email that your order was shipped, please contact our Live Help technicians, so we can check on your order and reship if necessary.
For FedEx, DHL, or USPS shipping, one of our Live Help technicians can look up the tracking number for you. Depending on the order, the technicians may not have direct access to the tracking number. However, if you give the technician your order number and the store you ordered from, they can look it up and get back to you.
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Trouble Shooting
I'm having trouble accessing the uploader on my Mac
If you have clicked Do Not Trust:
1. Go into your hard drive and go to “applications” and then into “utilities”.
2. Once in your computer’s utilities folder, click on “Keychain Access”. In this window you should see a list of web addresses come up
3. Find the web address for your online account site. For example it may say www.lifepics.com along with the e-mail you use to log in with next to it in parenthesis.
4. Delete the entry by right clicking on it and selecting delete or hitting the Control key or the Apple key in conjunction with the mouse click and choose delete that way.
5. Once this is deleted you should be able to go back to the upload page and the site should ask you to trust or not trust again.
We have been informed by apple that this will not affect security for any other site but the one that you choose trust for and will not compromise the security of your computer when online.
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I'm having trouble adding images with Firefox or Safari
The uploader for Firefox and Safari runs on Java. Please make sure you have the most recent version of Java at www.java.com.
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I'm having trouble getting the Uploader with Internet Explorer
If the information bar does not come up:
Please make sure that the pop-up blocker is off so that you can receive the pop-up for installing the active x controller. To check if the Pop up blocker is on go to the Tools menu -> Pop up blocker -> off. If there is no off option it is already off.
You may also need to check any Google or Yahoo add-on tool bars you have installed. These generally appear as an icon on the tool bar that has a red circle with a diagonal slash through it, and can be changed by clicking on the icon.
If the Deluxe uploader does not install, but you were able to click on the information bar:
This is usually caused by the firewall settings on your computer and internet connection. You will need to work with your administrator to adjust these settings to allow you to load the Deluxe uploader. If you are on a work computer, you will need to speak with your IT department.
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I'm having trouble uploading from iPhoto
iPhoto adds an element of confusion to uploading. The high resolution, original images are only stored in the Originals folder of the iPhoto Library. If the image is uploaded from a folder created by the user, it will only send a thumbnail version of the image. Thumbnails only display properly at a 1 inch by 1 inch size on a computer. For directions on how to upload from iPhoto, please see our Uploading from iPhoto FAQ.
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I'm having trouble with the Template Engine
All the templates require that you have the latest versions of Java and Adobe Flash Adobe Flash to function properly. You can check to verify you have the most recent version by clicking on the application name.
The templates also require images uploaded to the account. Please make sure you have images in My Albums before attempting to use the templates.
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