Support
Beam moves files between two phones as an animated code on one screen, read by the other's camera. Most issues come down to aiming, light, and patience — all fixable in seconds.
Contact us: email goreste90@gmail.com. Include your iPhone model, iOS version, and whether you were sending or receiving.
Getting started
How do I send a file?
- Tap Send and pick your photos or videos.
- Choose a quality. Beam shows the estimated transfer time for each option before you commit.
- Tap start — your screen plays an animated code. Keep it playing until the receiver confirms.
How do I receive a file?
- Tap Receive and allow camera access.
- Point your camera at the sender's screen until the reticle locks on.
- Hold steady while the progress fills. When it completes, the file saves straight to your photo library.
Frequently asked questions
Does Beam need internet, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi?
No. Beam transfers the file as light from one screen to one camera. It works in airplane mode, underground, and abroad with no SIM. That's the entire point of the app.
Why is Beam slow?
A camera can only read so many frames per second, so throughput is measured in KB/s, not MB/s. A small photo takes about 17 seconds at the Fast profile; a full-quality original photo a few minutes. Beam always shows you the time before you start, and the Optimized quality preset is often 5–10× faster than Original.
Do I have to catch the transfer from the very beginning?
No. The sender streams in a loop until you stop it, and every frame is equally useful. The receiver can join mid-stream — missed frames simply come around again.
The receiver won't lock on. What should I do?
Fill the frame with the sender's screen, hold both phones steady, and avoid glare from overhead lights. Turn the sender's screen brightness up. If the room is very bright, shade the screen with your hand.
The transfer stalled partway through. Is it lost?
Nothing is lost — progress is cumulative. Re-aim at the screen and the transfer resumes from wherever it stopped. Missing frames cost time, never correctness.
Which quality should I pick?
Optimized looks identical on a phone screen and transfers many times faster. Original is for archival quality when you have the time. Beam shows the estimated time for each option so you can decide with full information.
Why does Beam need camera access?
The camera is how the receiver reads the code. Nothing is recorded and no image ever leaves your phone — frames are decoded in memory and discarded.
Why does Beam need photo library access?
Add-only, to save the files you receive. Beam never reads your existing library.
How do I restore a purchase?
Open the purchase screen in the app and tap Restore Purchases. Make sure you're signed into the same Apple ID used for the original purchase.
Still stuck?
Email goreste90@gmail.com and we'll get you unblocked.
If you'd rather understand why the app behaves the way it does, how optical file transfer works explains the protocol, the speed limits and the encryption in plain terms.