A before-and-after only works if the two frames are comparable. Same size, same framing, same scale — otherwise the eye reads the difference in the photography instead of the difference in the subject.
This is the whole job, whether you are showing a fitness transformation, a set of nails, a renovation, a haircut or a restored piece of furniture.
The fast way, from the Photos app
- In Photos, tap Select and choose the before photo first, then the after photo. The order you tap decides which side each one lands on.
- Tap Share and pick your collage app.
- Choose a two-cell layout — side by side for landscape shots, stacked for portrait ones.
- Reframe each photo inside its cell so the subject sits at the same scale and position in both. This is the step most people skip, and it is the one that makes the comparison convincing.
- Pick your aspect ratio and save at full resolution.
Doing it in Tilea
Select two photos in Photos, tap Share → Tilea, and a two-cell layout is already there. Drag the divider to give one side more room, pinch inside a cell to line the subject up, pick 1:1 for the feed or 9:16 for Stories, and save. No watermark, no ads, no subscription — and the export keeps the full resolution of both originals.
Get Tilea on the App Store →Free alternatives
Shortcuts (built into iOS)
Create a shortcut with Select Photos (Select Multiple on) and Combine Images set to Horizontal, then Save to Photo Album. Free, no watermark, full resolution.
Watch out: it places the photos as they are. If one is portrait and the other landscape, or the subject sits at a different scale in each, you cannot adjust it — the result is a comparison that looks off and you cannot fix it without reshooting or cropping first.
Notes plus a screenshot
Fine for a quick look, but a screenshot saves at screen resolution. For client work or a portfolio that is usually too soft — and you lose the original capture dates, which matter when you are documenting progress over time.
Getting the comparison right
| Where it goes | Aspect ratio | Layout |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram feed | 1:1 | Two cells side by side |
| Stories / Reels cover | 9:16 | Two cells stacked |
| Portfolio or print | 4:3 or 3:4 | Match the photos' own orientation |
- Shoot from the same spot. Same distance, same angle, same light if you can. Everything downstream gets easier.
- Keep both cells equal. An unequal split reads as a claim about which photo matters more.
- Match the scale inside the cells. If the subject fills 70% of the before frame, aim for 70% in the after frame too.
- Leave the decoration out. Arrows and glowing text make a comparison look like an ad. The change should carry itself.
Common questions
How do I make a before and after without a watermark?
Shortcuts never adds one. Among apps, watermarks come from free tiers of subscription editors — check before you export, because it is usually applied at save time. Tilea adds no watermark at any tier.
Should the photos be side by side or stacked?
Follow the photos. Landscape shots read better side by side; portrait shots — the usual case for fitness and beauty work — read better stacked, or side by side in a tall 9:16 frame for Stories.
Can I do three or more stages?
Yes, and progress series often work better than a pair. Three across is about the limit before each frame gets too small to read on a phone.
Will the comparison keep the original dates?
In most tools, no — the export is stamped with today. Tilea carries over the date, location and camera details from the source photos, which is useful when the timeline itself is the point.
Looking for more than two photos? See how to combine photos into one on iPhone.