Card Studio is PhotoSpring's free online greeting card maker. Put 1 to 3 of your own photos on a birthday, Christmas, Hanukkah, wedding or thank-you design, add a message, and email it now or schedule it up to 60 days ahead. You can also send it by text message or to a PhotoSpring frame. You don't need an account, an app or a frame to make a card or send it by email or link. Only sending to a frame needs a PhotoSpring sign-in.
What Card Studio does
- Free for everyone. No account, no app and no frame needed to make a card and send it by email or link.
- Your photos, your words. Each design holds 1 to 3 photos, a title of up to 40 characters and a message of 100 to 150 characters, depending on the design.
- A design for every occasion. Christmas, New Year, Hanukkah, birthdays, thank-yous, weddings, Save the Date and full-photo cards, each in several colors.
- Photos look their best. Zoom, move and rotate each photo, try a filter, and check the Sharpness rating before you send.
- Send it on the right day. Schedule an email up to 60 days ahead. We email you when it goes.
- Three ways to send. Email up to 20 people at once, send a link by text message, or put the card on a PhotoSpring frame.
- Easy for them. One tap opens the card, with no app and no sign-in. An emailed card greets them by name, and they can reply straight to you.
- Change your mind. Until a scheduled card goes, you can change the time, the people or your note, or stop it.
How to make a free photo greeting card
1. Open Card Studio
Go to Free Greeting Cards and tap Make my free card.
2. Pick a design
Tap a tab to pick the occasion: Christmas, New Year, Wedding, Save the Date, Hanukkah, Birthday, Thank you, Full photo or All. Holiday tabs show how many days are left. Each design says how many photos it holds. Tap the design you like.
3. Add your photos
Tap Add photo on each spot and choose a photo from your phone or computer. Tap a colored dot at the top to change the card's colors.
4. Adjust each photo
After you add a photo, pinch or drag it into place, zoom or rotate it. Choose a filter: None, B&W, Sepia, Warm, Cool, Vivid or Faded. The Sharpness rating tells you if the photo will look clear on the card. You can also swap two photos or remove one. Tap Done when it looks right. To change a photo later, tap it on the card.
5. Write your title and message
Tap the words on the card to change them, then tap Done. A counter shows how much fits: up to 40 characters for the title, and 100 to 150 for the message, depending on the design.
6. Save and check your card
Tap Next. We ask for a card name so you can find it again. The name is optional (tap Cancel to keep the design's name), and only you see it. Your card is saved on that phone or computer for 90 days after your last save. Tap Open a saved card to get back to it.
The Check your card screen shows the card exactly as it will look. Tap Edit card to change something, or Next to send it.
How to send or schedule your card
7. Enter your own email
The first time, we ask for your own email (not the person you're sending to). We email you a button that opens your card, ready to send. After that you stay signed in on that phone or computer.
8. Choose when it arrives
Pick Now, or Pick a date up to 60 days ahead and the time you'd like it to arrive. Shortcuts such as Thanksgiving or Christmas fill in the date for you.
9. Choose how to send it
Pick one: Email, To a frame or Get a link. Use a link to send the card by text message. Otherwise we recommend email: it's a better experience for the people you send it to, because the card greets each person by name and they can reply to you. Get a link is only for cards you send Now.
10. By email: add the people
Type your first name (the card says it's from you), then each person's email. Their name is optional; it adds a greeting like "Dear Grandma". Tap + Add another for up to 20 people.
Add a short note if you like, and tap Email me a preview to see the email first. Then tap Send now, or Schedule for and your date if you picked one.
A scheduled card shows its day and time, with "We'll email you when it goes."
11. By text message: get a link
Type your name, then tap Send by text or another app, or tap Copy link and paste it into a text message. Anyone with the link can see your card, so share it only with people you want to see it. If you'd rather we send it by email, tap Email it for me.
12. To a PhotoSpring frame
Tap To a frame, then Sign in to continue with your PhotoSpring account. Choose your frame, or a loved one's frame connected to your account. The card goes into the frame's My Cards album and joins its slideshow, so it may take a while to appear.
What does the person I send it to see?
One tap opens your card in their web browser, with no app and no sign-in. The page says "A card from" and your name; an emailed card starts with "Hi" and their name.
An emailed card has a Reply to button with your name on it, and replying to the email also reaches you. To keep the card, they press and hold it on a phone, or right-click it on a computer, and save the picture. The card's page works for 60 days.
How do I change or stop a scheduled card?
Open the email we sent you, or go to Your cards, and tap the card. Until it goes, you can change the time, the people or your note, get a link, or tap Stop the scheduled email.
A card that has already gone can't be changed. Tap Make a copy of this card to send a new version.
Common questions
Is Card Studio free?
Yes. Making a card and sending it by email or link is free, with no account, app or PhotoSpring frame needed. Sending a card to a frame needs a PhotoSpring sign-in.
Can I schedule a greeting card email?
Yes. Choose Pick a date, up to 60 days ahead, and a time. We email you when the card goes. Until then you can change it or stop it.
Does the person I send it to need an app or an account?
No. One tap opens the card in their web browser.
Can they save the card?
Yes. There's no download button. They press and hold the card on a phone, or right-click it on a computer, and save the picture.
How long does a card stay online?
The card's page works for 60 days. The cards you make are saved on the phone or computer you made them on for 90 days after your last save.
If something goes wrong
- "We couldn't get your card ready": please contact us and tell us what you were doing and which device you used. Attach a screenshot of the message if you can.
- The email with the button didn't come: check your spam or junk folder, and make sure you typed your own email correctly. The button works for 24 hours; after that, ask for a new one.
- The card isn't on the frame yet: check that the frame is online and connected to the account you signed in with. Cards join the frame's slideshow, so give it some time.
- The link stopped working: a card's page works for 60 days.
- Something else: send us a request with what you were doing, which device you used, a screenshot and the card link if you have them. We'll help.