How-To Video Library

Learn everything you need to create your life story with our step-by-step video tutorials

Master LifeHistoryApp

Watch these helpful tutorials to get the most out of your LifeHistoryApp experience

Video 2

LifeHistoryApp Quick Start Guide

Get started in 8 simple steps:

1. GATHER

Begin by gathering the photos, videos, audios and stories of your life.

2. DIGITIZE

DIGITIZE all your content; scan your photos, convert your analog videos and audio recordings to digital files and transcribe your audio interviews and recordings.

3. NAME

NAME all your digital content according to standardized date-oriented format: YEAR-MONTH-DAY-PERSON-PLACE/ACTIVITY. By dating all your digital content as you save it on your personal computer it will automatically appear in chronological order.

4. UPLOAD & LABEL

UPLOAD all your content to LifeHistoryApp.com. As you upload your items, give each item a TITLE and a TIMELINE DATE. This will automatically place your content in the proper order in the timeline of your life.

5. ADD EXTERNAL LINKS

You can insert external links to your life story in the ADD CONTENT section of your private workspace. You can also add hyperlinks to YouTube or Vimeo videos or other related websites.

6. RECORD

You can record your own videos or audio clips by clicking on these menu options.

7. ADD MEMORIES

Use the MEMORIES section to remind you of times in your life that you want to comment on and include photos, videos and audio files to enrich the story of your life.

8. REVIEW & EDIT

Review your life history content in the FILE EXPLORER and TIMELINES (both horizontal and vertical) to verify that everything is as you want it to be.

Video 3

Adding Content to Your Life Story

UPLOAD all your photos, videos, stories, and audios to LifeHistoryApp.com using the ADD CONTENT option. As you upload your items, give each item a TITLE and a TIMELINE DATE. This will automatically place your content in the proper order in the timeline of your life.

You can click on the CHOOSE button to display the files on your local computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. On a Mac this will present Finder. On Windows this will present Windows Explorer. On your tablet or smartphone this will typically display the PHOTOS folder.

Alternatively, you can use drag-and-drop from another screen to copy a file from your local device to the CHOOSE button, which will queue it to upload when you click on the SAVE button.

After you have identified the file that you want to upload, you can give it a TITLE. Think of this as a chapter or paragraph heading for this element of your story. Enter the corresponding date in the DATE field and then enter your story in the COMMENTS area, either by typing it or using cut & paste to copy your story or commentary from another document.

Clicking the SAVE button will save your content and other associated information to the LifeHistoryApp system in your personal secure workspace.

Video 4

Adding Videos to Your Life History

There are two ways to add video to your history:

Method 1: Upload Videos Directly

Upload your MP4 videos directly into LifeHistoryApp by using the CHOOSE button. Note that the only type of video that is playable in the LifeHistoryApp application is .MP4. If you upload any other type of video file, it will upload into the system but your video will not appear in your timeline and you will need to download the video to view it.

We recommend that you convert your videos to MP4 format before you upload them. This is a very efficient compression format and will display properly in your timelines. Handbrake is a great free video converter. Wondershare is another free converter that you can download for both Mac and Windows.

Method 2: Link to YouTube or Vimeo

Click on "Do you want to specify an external link" which will enable you to provide a link to either a YouTube or Vimeo video.

For YouTube: Click on the SHARE button below and to the right of the video. Simply COPY the link provided and PASTE it into the field provided in LifeHistoryApp.

For Vimeo: Click on the SHARE LINK in the upper right corner of the screen. COPY the link presented and PASTE it into the SPECIFY EXTERNAL LINK field provided in LifeHistoryApp.

After entering the video link, remember to add a TITLE, DATE, and COMMENTS or NOTES for the video. Then click the SAVE button.

Video 6

How to Scan Photos & Documents

Getting Organized

Step 1: Gather Everything
The first step in scanning your printed, physical photos is to get them all together in one place. This may seem overwhelming, but trust me—you will be glad you didn't forget this step. This will help you eliminate duplicates and let you know the scope of your scanning project.

Step 2: Sort by Person or Theme
Sort your photos by person or by theme. At this point, don't worry about organizing them by date.

Step 3: Organize into Three Categories

  • Your Favorites: Think of these as the images that you would be most interested in seeing or sharing if it were to appear in a magazine ten years from now. Include certificates, report cards, favorite objects, newspaper articles—these historical documents will add interest to your story.
  • Your Discard Pile: Place all duplicates, blurry, out of focus, or images of things that simply don't matter to you or anyone else.
  • Undecided: This pile may deserve a second look in the future or come in handy if you want to add interest or variety to your story later on.

Dating Your Photos

As you put a photo into your favorites pile, lightly jot down the DATE TAKEN on the back of each image in pencil. Use this format: YEAR-MONTH-DAY, like "2021-03-20". Make sure to add zeros to single digit numbers (02, 03, 04 instead of 2, 3 or 4).

When you scan and name the scanned images you can begin your file names with this date. This will cause your computer to automatically sort them by YEAR-MONTH-DATE order when you save them on your computer.

Scanning Settings

For Photos:

  • File Type: JPG
  • Resolution: 300 dpi (dots per inch)
  • Compression: Low

For Documents and Certificates:

  • Resolution: 200 dpi

Important Tips

Create a (USED) Folder: Create a folder called "(USED)" inside each person's folder. Move all images here as you upload them to LifeHistoryApp. This leaves only the un-uploaded files in your main folder, so you'll know when everything has been uploaded.

Ideal Image Dimensions: The optimal image width for display and printing is between 900 and 1,000 pixels wide. All images will be displayed proportionately, regardless of their native width or height.

Questions? Call us at 801.369.2225 or email support@lifehistoryapp.com

Copyright lifehistoryapp.com 2019 - All Rights Reserved Worldwide