--- title: "Design an Album or Book" url: "https://craft-dev.whcc.com/help/studio-projects/design-an-album/" description: "Use the WHCC Album & Book Designer to start an album or book, choose a cover, build your spreads, and review your design before you order." updated: "2026-10-08T13:07:55-05:00" --- # Design an Album or Book Use the WHCC Album & Book Designer to start an album or book, choose a cover, build your spreads, and review your design before you order. 6 min read ![The Album & Book Designer open on an album cover.](https://whcc-com-dev-images0.imgix.net/images/26-whcc-album-designer-share.jpg?auto=format,compress&cs=srgb&fit=max&w=1000&q=75) New to the designer? See what the [Album & Book Designer](https://craft-dev.whcc.com/resources/album-book-designer.md) can do. ## Before you start You'll need: - A WHCC account to sign in to the designer. If you don't have an account yet, [become a WHCC client](https://craft-dev.whcc.com/create-account/). Signing up is free. - Your photos as JPEG or PNG files. The designer runs in your browser, so there's nothing to install. These steps work for Albums, Layflat Books, Hardcover Books and Softcover Books. Some options vary by product. ## Start an album or book ### From Studio Projects 1. Open an existing project, or click **New Project** to create one. 2. In the **Create a Product** sidebar, under **Albums & Books**, choose a product. The designer opens with the project's photos in your gallery. Your design is saved to the project. If you haven't used projects before, see [Creating a Project](https://craft-dev.whcc.com/help/studio-projects/creating-a-project.md). ![A project's Products tab, with Album, Hardcover Book, Layflat Book and Softcover Book listed under Albums & Books in the Create a Product sidebar.](https://whcc-com-dev-images0.imgix.net/images/26-whcc-projects-create-a-product-album-designer2.jpg?auto=format,compress&cs=srgb&fit=max&w=1000&q=75) ### From a product page Click **Order Now** on any album or book page, such as [Albums](https://craft-dev.whcc.com/products/albums.md). The designer opens with an empty gallery at the bottom. To use photos you've already uploaded, click one of your projects under **Recent Projects**. Its photos load into your gallery, and your design is saved to that project. If you upload new photos instead, your design is saved to the **Saved for Later** tab on your cart page. **Recent Projects:** Load a project's photos. Your design saves to it. ### Size and spreads If you haven't picked a size, your album starts at 10×10″ with the minimum number of spreads. To change the size, click the size at the top of the options panel. To add spreads, click **+** in the spread strip. ## Find your way around When you select something, its options open in the panel on the right. - **Spread strip.** Your cover, endleaf and every spread, in order. Click an item to work on it, or click **+** between two spreads to add a spread. - **Grid and Spread.** Switch between the whole album on one screen and a single spread. - **Canvas.** The spread you're working on. Use the arrows above it to move between spreads, and the toolbar below it to change the spread's layout and background. - **Gallery.** Your photos. Add images, filter and sort them, and drag them onto the canvas. - **Options panel.** The settings for whatever you've selected, with your running price at the top. - **Start presenting, Share Proof and Review.** Show your design to your client, send a proof, or check the design before you order. ![The Album & Book Designer open on an album cover, with the spread strip, canvas, gallery and options panel.](https://whcc-com-dev-images0.imgix.net/images/26-whcc-album-designer-cover-full.png?auto=format,compress&cs=srgb&fit=max&w=1000&q=75) **Spread strip:** Your cover, endleaf and spreads. Click one to edit it. **View switch:** See the whole album, or one spread at a time. **Canvas:** The spread you're working on. Its toolbar is below. **Gallery:** Your photos. Drag them onto the canvas. **Options Panel:** Settings for what's selected, plus your running price. **Present, share, review:** Show a client, send a proof, or check your design. ## Choose your cover and endleaf The designer opens on your cover, which is always the first item in the spread strip. You can come back to the cover and endleaf at any time. ### Cover The front, spine and back appear together. 1. In the options panel, choose a **Cover Type**. 2. Under **Cover Options**, choose your material. The panel shows only the options available for your product and size. To see and feel the materials first, order a [Sample Kit](https://craft-dev.whcc.com/resources/samples/#albums-books). 3. Optional: To deboss the cover, click **Debossing** and add text or a custom die. For typefaces and finishes, see [Debossing Guidelines](https://craft-dev.whcc.com/help/debossing/debossing-guidelines.md). For dies, see [Custom Debossing](https://craft-dev.whcc.com/help/debossing/custom-debossing.md). ![Cover Type and Cover Options in the designer's options panel.](https://whcc-com-dev-images0.imgix.net/images/26-whcc-album-designer-cover-options.png?auto=format,compress&cs=srgb&fit=max&w=1000&q=75) ### Endleaf Click **Endleaf**, after the cover in the spread strip, to choose your **Endleaf Style**. The endleaf panel also holds: - **Insert Boards** and **Rounded Corners** - **Endleaf Debossing**, to deboss a custom die, such as your studio logo, inside the cover - **Sample Album**, to order a sample for your studio at 25% off, with “Sample” foil stamped on the endleaf ![The endleaf options panel, with Endleaf Style, Insert Boards, Rounded Corners, Endleaf Debossing and Sample Album.](https://whcc-com-dev-images0.imgix.net/images/26-whcc-album-designer-endleaf-options.png?auto=format,compress&cs=srgb&fit=max&w=1000&q=75) ## Add your photos ### Upload photos Click **Add Images** in the gallery bar, or drag photos from your computer into the gallery. You can add up to 600 JPEG or PNG files at a time, each 40MB or less. To upload from another device, click **Add Images**, then **Upload from another device**. ### Sort and filter Click **Filter Images** (the three-line icon in the gallery bar, next to **Add Images**). - **Sort By.** Your gallery starts in upload order. Choose **Date Taken (oldest first)** to put your photos in the order they were taken. Autofill then builds your spreads in that order too. You can also sort by name, or by rating to put your client's favorites first. - **Unused Images.** Show only photos that aren't placed anywhere yet. The panel shows how many you've used. - **Orientation.** Show only vertical, horizontal or square photos. - **Rating.** Show photos by rating: **Yes**, **Maybe**, **No** or **Unrated**. Ratings come from your project's Image Gallery. - **Show Info.** Turn on **Filenames** to show each photo's file name under its thumbnail, for when a client asks for specific photos. Turn on **Ratings** to show each photo's rating as a colored dot. ![The Filter Images panel, with Sort By, Unused Images, Orientation, Rating and Show Info.](https://whcc-com-dev-images0.imgix.net/images/26-whcc-album-designer-filter-images.png?auto=format,compress&cs=srgb&fit=max&w=1000&q=75) ## Build your spreads ### Autofill Spreads **Autofill Spreads** lays out your photos across as many spreads as they need. 1. In the middle of any blank spread, click **Autofill Spreads**. 2. Drag the slider left for more photos on each spread, or right for fewer photos across more spreads. The dialog shows how many photos go on each spread and how many spreads your album will have. 3. Optional: Choose which photos to use. By default, Autofill uses your unused photos, sorted by date taken. To build the album from only the photos you and your client rated **Yes**, filter by rating. 4. Click **Fill Spreads**. The button shows how many spreads it will fill. ![The Autofill Spreads dialog, showing how many photos go on each spread and how many spreads will be filled.](https://whcc-com-dev-images0.imgix.net/images/26-whcc-album-designer-autofill-dialog.png?auto=format,compress&cs=srgb&fit=max&w=1000&q=75) **Photos per spread:** Left for more photos per spread, right for more spreads. ### Build a spread yourself 1. In the gallery, click each photo you want to use, or click **Select All**. Click a selected photo again to deselect it. 2. Drag any selected photo onto the spread, and the rest of your selection comes with it. Drop the photos on one page to fill that page, or in the middle to fill the whole spread. The designer arranges them in a layout. ### Choose a layout To try another layout, click **Shuffle** in the toolbar under the spread, or pick one from the options panel. The panel lists layouts for the number of photos on the spread, such as **2 Image Layouts**. Click **More Layouts** at the bottom of the list to see more. To narrow the list, click **Filter** next to the layouts heading: - **Image Ratios** limits the layouts to frames of a particular shape. It's set to **No preference** by default. - **Margin Options** sets the inner and outer margins around your photos. ## Adjust layouts and crops You can change any layout or crop the designer suggests. ### Photos and frames - To resize a frame, drag its edge. Groups of photos keep their symmetry as you resize, and edges snap to the bleed. - To swap two photos, drag one onto the other. - To replace a photo, drag a new one from the gallery onto it. - To pan and zoom, click a photo once to open its toolbar. Drag the photo to reposition it in its frame, and use the slider or **+** and **–** to zoom. The rest of the photo shows faintly outside the frame, so you can see what's being cropped. Click the check mark when you're done. - To remove a photo, open its toolbar the same way. Click **×** to clear the photo and keep its empty frame, or click the trash can to delete the frame too. Pressing **Delete** on your keyboard while the toolbar is open also clears the photo and keeps its frame. When a photo has to crop to fit its frame, **Face Aware Cropping** keeps the faces it finds inside the frame. You can adjust any crop yourself afterward. ### The spread toolbar The toolbar under each spread has **Shuffle**, **Flip** and **Background**, followed by three buttons that clear, duplicate or delete the spread you're on. **Flip** mirrors the layout left to right. ![A finished spread with the toolbar below it: Shuffle, Flip, Background, and clear, duplicate and delete.](https://whcc-com-dev-images0.imgix.net/images/26-whcc-album-designer-spread-toolbar__h380c252e.png?auto=format,compress&cs=srgb&fit=max&w=1000&q=75) **Clear, Duplicate, Delete:** The three icons, left to right. ### Backgrounds 1. Click **Background** in the toolbar or in the options panel. 2. Under **Apply Background To**, choose **Left**, **Right** or **Both** pages. 3. Choose white, black, or one of the **Colors From This Spread**, which come from the photos on the spread. 4. Optional: Click **Apply to All** to use the same background on every spread. ## Arrange your spreads in Grid view Click **Grid** at the top of the designer to see the whole album on one screen. In Grid view: - Drag spreads to reorder them. - Click **+** to add a spread between two others or at the end. - Duplicate a spread to use as a starting point. - Clear a spread and start it again. Click **Spread** to go back. ![Grid view, with a spread being dragged to a new place in the album.](https://whcc-com-dev-images0.imgix.net/images/26-whcc-album-designer-grid-drag.jpg?auto=format,compress&cs=srgb&fit=max&w=1000&q=75) ## Review and order 1. To check your design before you order, click **Review** at the top right. The review page lists your size, cover, endleaves and spread count. 2. Use the arrows under the album to page through the cover and every spread. 3. Choose your **Paper**. You can also change your **Insert Boards**, **Rounded Corners** and **Sample Album** choice here. The price updates as you go. 4. Click **Add to Cart**. To make more changes instead, click **Back to Edit**. ![The review page, with the album preview, its options and the running total.](https://whcc-com-dev-images0.imgix.net/images/26-whcc-album-designer-review-page.jpg?auto=format,compress&cs=srgb&fit=max&w=1000&q=75) **Page through your album:** Check every spread before you order. **Paper:** Choose your paper here. ## When your design is ready - To show your design live, click **Start presenting**. A second window opens showing whatever you select in the designer, without the editing tools. It updates as you work. Share that window with your client on a call or a studio display. See [Presentation Mode](https://craft-dev.whcc.com/help/studio-projects/presentation-mode.md). - To send your client a proof, see [Sharing Product Proofs](https://craft-dev.whcc.com/help/studio-projects/sharing-product-proofs.md). - To let your client pay you directly, see [Payment Links](https://craft-dev.whcc.com/help/ecommerce-tools/payment-links.md). - For what's changed in Studio Projects, see [Changes to Studio Project Features](https://craft-dev.whcc.com/help/studio-projects/studio-project-changes-2025.md).