A little help.
A clearer view.

Download Sphere from the App Store for iPhone or iPad. It is free, and no account is required. Your library starts empty; add your own photos and videos to begin.

1. Tap Import and choose Photos or Files.
2. Select the items, then review the import. Choose Save a copy to store the file inside Sphere, or Use original, where offered, to keep a reference to the original source.
3. Open the item in Library. Use the viewing options to adjust the image layout when necessary.

Linking still images to Photos may require limited or full Photos permission. Videos from Photos are copied into Sphere. You can also use Open In from a compatible app.

If an original is stored in iCloud or another file provider, the provider may need a network connection to download it. A copy already stored inside Sphere can be viewed offline.

Sphere supports regular photos and panoramas in JPEG, HEIC/HEIF, PNG and TIFF, and regular or stitched 360° video in MP4, MOV or M4V with H.264 or HEVC. Playback also depends on the device, resolution, frame rate and encoding.

SDR WebM with VP8/VP9 is available on supported devices from iOS 17.4. AV1 and ProRes have more limited compatibility; some files take longer to seek or may not play smoothly. HDR WebM is not supported by the current WebKit viewing path.

For GoPro MAX and Insta360, export a stitched equirectangular MP4 using the camera’s software. GoPro .360 and Insta360 INSV/INSP originals are not supported directly. A flat Reframe export contains only the selected view.

See Settings → Help & Tips → Supported Formats for details. A file opening successfully does not guarantee smooth playback at every resolution.

A wide image is not always a full 360° panorama. Open View options → Adjust image to choose the appropriate layout. Flat Overview shows a photo without wrapping it around you; Standard view shows the whole frame of an ordinary video.

These viewing choices do not rewrite your original file.

Check that the file still exists in Photos or Files and that its provider is available. Restore Photos access in iOS Settings if it was revoked, or choose the source file again when Sphere offers that option. If needed, import a new copy.

Removing a linked item from Sphere does not delete its source in Photos or Files. A Sphere-managed copy is different: permanently deleting that item also removes the copy stored inside Sphere.

First try Try Again. If storage is low, free some space and retry. Report a Problem prepares an editable message containing a safe error code and app/system versions.

Create New Library is a separate choice that requires confirmation. It saves the current catalog and app-managed originals on the same device, then starts with an empty library and default Sphere preferences. Linked originals in Photos and Files remain untouched.

Open Recovery Copies on the error screen or in Settings → Storage & Data to export the saved folder to Files. It can contain private photos, videos and catalog information: choose the destination carefully. A saved copy is not automatically sent to support, and saving it does not repair a damaged catalog.

Export saved libraries before deleting Sphere. Recovery copies are stored inside the app and are removed when the app is deleted. They do not replace your own backups. iOS permissions are managed in system Settings and are not reset by creating a new library.

Importing a copy requires free space for the original and generated previews. Cancel an import if necessary, free space, and try again. Creating a new library keeps the previous files, so it is not a way to free storage.

Items in Recently Deleted can be restored until you permanently delete them. Keep separate backups of media you need.

Open Settings → Storage & Data for two separate actions. Clear Storage deletes all library contents and app-managed files, including Recently Deleted and recovery copies, while keeping your preferences and the existing database. Reset Sphere also deletes the database and app preferences, then opens Welcome with a fresh library.

Both actions require confirmation and cannot be undone. Originals in Photos and external Files folders remain where they are. iOS permissions, external exports and system backups remain unchanged. If deletion is interrupted, Sphere finishes it before reopening the library.