Retro Lens Support

Need Help?

If Retro Lens is not working as expected, please contact support with your device model, iOS version, the era you selected, and a short description of the issue.

Quick Checks

• Make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. Transforms run on our server and take one to three minutes.
• Check that Photos permission is enabled if saving a result fails.
• If the paywall opens when you tap the transform button, your free transforms are used up and you need credits.
• Not happy with the result? Try a different era, lower the intensity in Options, or use another photo. Clear, well-lit photos of people and places work best.

About Retro Lens

Retro Lens re-creates any photo as an authentic photograph from a chosen era: 70s film, 80s data-back 35mm, 90s disposable camera, Polaroid instant film, or an early-2000s digital camera. Pick a photo from your library or take one with the camera, choose an era, adjust the options, and compare before and after. Faces and identities stay the same.

• Before the transform: choose whether clothing & hair change, whether surroundings change, the film look (color, faded, or black & white) and the intensity (subtle, normal, strong).
• After the transform: toggle and edit the burnt-in date stamp, add a print frame (white border, Polaroid, rounded 70s print), share as a single photo or a before/after card, or send the same photo to another era.
• Gallery: every transform is kept with its original, tagged by era, with favorites, filters, and before/after comparison.
• Your first 3 transforms are free. After that, each transform uses 1 credit. Credits come in packs of 10, 50, and 100.
• Retro Lens runs natively on iPhone and iPad and is available in 13 languages.

FAQ

Why did the app change its name?

Retro 80's became Retro Lens in version 1.1 when it grew from one decade to five eras. It is the same app from the same developer; your Gallery and credits carry over with the update.

How do credits work?

Each transform uses 1 credit once your 3 free transforms are used, whichever era you pick. Credits never expire. If a transform fails on our side, the credit is refunded automatically. You can see your balance under Settings > Credits.

Do I need an account?

No. Retro Lens signs you in anonymously in the background. There is no email, password, or profile. Your credits are tied to this installation of the app, so deleting and reinstalling the app starts a fresh balance.

Which era should I pick?

Each era has its own look. 70s gives warm Kodachrome tones and rounded prints, 80s adds an orange data-back date stamp, 90s looks like a flash snapshot from a disposable camera, Polaroid gives a square instant print with a white frame, and Y2K mimics an early 3-megapixel digital compact. You can send the same photo to another era from the result screen.

Can I keep my clothes or my surroundings as they are?

Yes. Open Options (the slider icon next to the era picker) before transforming and turn off "Clothing & hair" or "Surroundings". Lowering the intensity to "Subtle" also keeps the photo closer to the original.

Where are my photos saved?

Every transform is stored in the Gallery inside the app together with the original. From the result screen or the Gallery you can save the result to the iOS Photos app or share it, on its own or as a before/after card.

Are my photos uploaded?

Yes, for processing only. The photo is downscaled on your device, sent over an encrypted connection to our server, transformed by an AI image provider, and returned. We do not keep a copy on our servers. See the Privacy Policy for details.

Why did my transform fail?

Transforms can fail because of network problems, a temporary issue with the AI provider, or an image the provider declines to process. If a credit was used it is refunded. Try again with a stable connection, or with a different photo.

The result does not look like the era I picked.

The AI does its best with each photo, and results vary. Photos with a clear subject, natural light, and few text overlays give the most convincing results. Screenshots, heavily edited images, and very dark photos are harder. Raising the intensity to "Strong" makes the era cues more pronounced.

Can I change the app language?

Yes. Open Settings, choose Language, and select System Default or any of the 13 supported languages. The change applies immediately.

How do I delete my data?

Delete items from the Gallery to remove them from your device. Deleting the app removes the whole Gallery and your settings. To have the server-side records tied to your anonymous account removed, email support from the device the app is installed on and we will help locate and delete them.

Privacy

Retro Lens uses Firebase for anonymous sign-in, credit balances, analytics, and crash reporting, and OpenAI for the image transformation itself. Photos are used only to perform the requested transform and are not stored on our servers. Results stay in your local Gallery unless you delete them.

The app shows no ads and does not track you across other apps. See the Privacy Policy for details.

Purchases

Credit packs are one-time purchases handled by Apple In-App Purchase. Credits are added to your balance as soon as our server has verified the purchase with Apple, usually within a few seconds. If a purchase does not appear, open the credits screen and use Restore Purchases.

For billing, refund, or payment method issues, please use Apple Support because purchases are processed by Apple.

Contact

For support requests, feature suggestions, or bug reports, email us and include screenshots if they help explain the issue.