# How It Works
> From group chat to living archive: how a ShareLocket circle works, from the first invite to an archive that grows with what you share.

Starting a circle takes a minute. Here's every step, from the first invite to a transformative archive that evolves with your content.

## Step 1 — Create a circle

It's free. Sign up with your email or phone, or with your Apple or Google account. Give the circle a name, and it's ready with its own destination email address and phone number.

- Sign up with your email or phone, or use your Apple or Google account.
- From your home page, choose **Create a circle**.
- Give it a name — "The Ellis family", "Chicago Besties", "Book Nook".

**Good to know:** a circle is private from the first minute. Only the people you invite can see it, and you can change the name at any time.

## Step 2 — Add people

Invite by email or SMS. Each person gets a unique link, taps it once, adds a password, and they're in. No app to download, no complicated setup, no learning curve.

- A small group on a free circle, more with the subscription.
- Administrators decide who is invited. Anyone can leave whenever they like.
- Everyone can post, not only the person who started a circle.

Sarah, Dad, Aunt Rosa, and two others are in.

## Step 3 — Post from anywhere

Use email, SMS, phone call, or the website to instantly add photos, videos, stories, files, and voice notes. We meet people where they are already most comfortable.

- **Email** — Send a photo or a note to the circle's own email address. It is posted the moment it arrives.
- **Text** — Text photos, videos, or just a message to the circle's phone number.
- **Phone call** — Call your number and talk. Your voice note is recorded, posted for everyone, and includes a transcript.
- **Website** — Photos, videos, files, stories, and voice notes, with comments and reactions on every post.

We know a post is yours by the email address or phone number it comes from, so send from the ones registered to your account.

## Step 4 — Keep up your way

Everyone picks their own pace. Stay up to the minute or wait for the summary, and reply to anything to add a comment. Tame your notifications.

- **As it happens** — A notification for every post, by email.
- **Once a day** — Everything from today in one summary, by text or email.
- **Once a week** — The whole week in one summary, with the photos. Choose text or email for delivery.

## Step 5 — Watch the archive grow

We analyze what you post and instantly build ways to display it. With no extra effort, you build a smart, interactive archive that gets more useful the longer the circle runs.

- **People, places, and dates** — Explore who is in the photos, where they were taken, and when. The simple way to build a family album.
- **Collections that organize themselves** — A recipe collection, a family tree, a library with book reviews, a travel map with photos — your circle constantly adapts to what you use it for.
- **Ask natural questions** — "What did grandma hint about for her birthday?" Everything is searchable, with automatic transcriptions and text recognition in photos.
- **Digital picture frames** — A subscription adds support for digital picture frames! The latest posted photos of grandchildren can show up on your digital picture frame automatically.

## Step 6 — Add the subscription

One subscription per circle, and only one person pays. Any member can add it from Circle settings, on day one or years later.

**Without the subscription**

- A small group of people
- Recent posts are visible

**With the subscription**

- More people
- Every post, back to the first one
- Custom albums to share outside the circle for special occasions
- Digital picture frame support

## Ready to begin?

Create a circle today. It's free, and there is no app to install.

[Create a circle — free](/register) · See [pricing](/pricing) or read the [FAQ](/faq).