How participation works
A QR code is an entry point, not the camera or the reveal rule. Sealed supports local capsules and shared capsules joined by code or invitation, where participants can contribute from their own phones. Confirm the app and account steps before the event. Photos stay sealed until the deadline and opening. Do not assume a code means browser-only participation or an immediately visible gallery.
Start with how guests actually participate
Decide whether the group will pass one phone around or contribute from several phones. Sealed supports a local photo ritual and shared capsules. Those are different participation paths, not competing definitions of a disposable-camera experience.
For a shared capsule, send a short instruction before the event: which app to install, how to join and when the capsule will open. A QR code can point to an invitation, but its presence alone proves neither camera access nor participation without an app.
Test the invitation on a second phone
Create a small rehearsal capsule with a consenting participant. Open the invitation on a different phone and follow the real install, account and join steps. Check what happens if the person has not installed the app or is temporarily offline.
Use an example photo agreed by the participants. This rehearsal tests the route to the capsule. It is not a reason to expose a real sealed photo before its deadline and opening.
Separate storage from visibility
A server-backed shared capsule can still delay photo visibility. Local storage does not by itself provide a shared reveal across devices. Evaluate where a photo is stored separately from who can view it and when.
In Sealed, the seal controls the reveal. Reaching the deadline makes opening possible. The app must still open the capsule before showing its photos. Shared copies also have a retention policy, so plan the export after opening rather than assuming permanent server storage.
Choose the group size and the consent rule
The current shared-capsule service allows up to 30 members and 500 photos per capsule. Members are participants, not necessarily 30 guests in addition to the host. Check the current product limits before relying on them for a larger event.
Tell people where photos will go, who will join and when they will become visible. Give anyone who does not want to participate a simple way to opt out. Joining a capsule does not automatically authorize posting its photos on public social networks.
Compare the reveal experience, then the invitation format
Use the wedding comparison guide linked below to decide between physical disposable cameras, guest photo services and Sealed. If you meant the separate app named Reveal, verify that product’s own listing and terms. Sealed and Reveal are different products.
Before the event, agree on an opening time and on who will export the memories after opening. The useful outcome is a participation path your group understands. This is a proposed checklist, not a claim that we tested a wedding or measured guest participation. Reviewed 8 September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Does a QR code mean guests need no app?
No. A QR code is a link or code carrier. Check the actual installation, account and join flow for the chosen service.
Can Sealed participants use different phones?
Yes, shared capsules let members contribute from their own phones. Sealed also supports a local capsule on one phone.
Can shared photos be seen before the seal opens?
The Sealed experience keeps photos hidden until the deadline and opening. Server storage is not permission to preview a sealed photo.
Sources and further reading
These resources provide the wider reference frame. Product statements on this page are limited to the public information provided by Sealed.