Imagine a social media platform without filters and editing tools. An app that simply shows you totally “unfiltered” – spontaneously and authentically.

With this concept, the “BeReal” app reached over 8 million downloads in the last few months and is one of the top downloads in both – the App Store and the Google playstore charts.

The app is particularly popular amongst the younger generation. But what exactly makes the social media platform so special, and how does it differ from Instagram, Facebook and others? Read further to learn everything you need to know about the new app.

What exactly is BeReal?

BeReal is a simple photo-sharing app that mainly focuses on one thing: authenticity. As the app’s name suggests, it’s all about showing unedited glimpses of real life. 

Instead of using filters and endless ways to create the perfect image, BeReal users only have 2 minutes to capture their moment. By limiting the time, the app wants to allow users to experience the real life of their friends – as unadulterated as possible. 

“Your friends for real” – the promise of the new social media app

On many other social media platforms content plans, using the ideal posting time, and regular innovations in terms of filters and functions are very popular. The posts are usually carefully selected highlights of a user’s own life.  BeReal wants to change that by essentially only allowing users to share the sometimes not-so-spectacular moments in their everyday lives.

What makes BeReal different?

So what’s the difference between BeReal and platforms like Snapchat? People often show their candid lives there, too. The special thing about BeReal is the community. Knowing that all users around the world are being sent the “Time to BeReal” notification and get asked to share their current moment at the same time. A feature that no other app has done before. This is what so many users love about BeReal.

This is how the BeReal App works

The basic idea of the app is to send a picture of yourself and your surroundings to your friends every day at a randomly picked time. The front and rear cameras are used at the same time. This creates the authentic BeReal photo.

In order to see the content of their friends, users have to shoot a picture themselves. “Silent watchers” don’t have a chance here and are excluded from the app in a sense.

So BeReal is about an exchange between friends. There aren’t many functions and options here (yet) and everything is kept fairly simple. The functions that are currently available are listed below. 

1. Randomly picked picture request

Every day, the app picks a different, random time to notify users and ask them to share their BeReal shot. This creates a sense of companionship among friends.

2. Capture the moment within 2 minutes

From the moment BeReal users receive the notification for a picture to be taken, the clock starts running. Every user has exactly two minutes to capture what they are doing and where they are. 

If users miss the two-minute time limit, they can still take the BeReal photo. In this case, however, the photo is marked as “too late” and is supposed to indicate to friends that the picture was probably not quite as authentic as it should have been.

3. BeReal Discovery

On the Discovery page, you can view BeReals from strangers all over the world and also share your own shot. However, you can only see BeReals from others if you were active yourself and shared a BeReal shot. Otherwise, everything on the app remains blurred.

4. „RealMojis“ instead of Likes

 You can also react to the BeReals of others. You can do this on the platform with Realmojis. These are an adapted form of emojis where users can take a picture of themselves and send it as a reaction. If you prefer the old-school way, you can also use the comment section of the app. Likes and Views are not used here at all.

5. Memories

BeReal photos are only visible to the public for 24h. After that, the photo is automatically placed in “Memories”, where they remain visible only to yourself. Just like the Story Archive on Instagram.

6. Retakes

Once you are connected with 10 friends on BeReal, you can see how many times someone has retaken their picture. Just click on the three dots in the upper right corner of a post. This way you can also see who actually posted a snapshot or who took several tries. 

7. Adding friends

So how do you find friends and acquaintances in the app? The process is the same as on Instagram. You can simply add other users via suggestions, from your own contacts or via the username.

Registration BeReal App – step by step

BeReal is available for both Android and iOS users. Signing up for BeReal is similar to other social media apps. We will show you the easy steps to use the app.

Here’s how to sign up for a BeReal account:

1. To create a BeReal account, you first download the app on your smartphone.
2. You will be asked to enter your name, birthday, and phone number
3. Then you create a username
4. Then confirm your phone number by entering a confirmation code.
5. The BeReal account is ready!

Deleting the BeReal App 

If BeReal is not for you, you can delete the app, but you should close your account first.

Here’s how:

1. Open the BeReal app and tap on the profile picture in the upper right corner.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and go to the menu > Help > Contact us
3. Select “Delete my profile
4. Specify the reason for the request and confirm with “Yes, I am sure”.
5. The account will then be deactivated for 15 days. If you change your mind during this period, you can simply log back in with your login details. This cancels the process of deletion.
6. After the 15 days the account is permanently deleted.

Conclusion – who can benefit from the app?

BeReal is not an app with a long stay. It primarily focuses on instant impressions as well as friends and acquaintances. This fact is rather unfortunate for advertising companies. Due to the app’s limited functions, it will be difficult to maintain the hype in the long run. Whether the app will succeed in the long run or not, it cannot be predicted at the moment… We are curious and will keep you up to date!

YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS ANYTHING FROM US?

Feel free to follow us on our LinkedIn profile and subscribe to our Instagram channel.

Or visit the news section on our website to make sure you don’t miss anything.