How to Use Binly · 4 min read
How to use Quick Add, AI photos, and Inbox in Binly
Use Quick Add Basic to capture photos into Inbox when you want to decide where they belong later. Choose Advanced when you know the destination place and want to create items immediately. Select an available AI option or name items yourself, then confirm that processing finished and the records saved.
This guide is for people who would rather take a useful photo than fill out a long form. You will learn which capture path fits your situation and how to turn pending photos into retrievable records.
When should I use Basic, Advanced, or a place photo?
Use Basic when taking the picture is the task you can finish now; use Advanced when you can also choose its destination. A place photo works well when you mainly need to recognize a drawer's contents together.
- Basic: capture a handful of photos while packing, then handle them in Inbox.
- Advanced: photograph items already sitting in a known place and create their records.
- Place photo: keep a visual overview without creating a separate record for every visible object.
A place photo alone does not give every object its own searchable item name. Create named items for belongings you expect to look up individually.
How do I capture and finish a batch of photos?
Open the top-navigation Add button, capture or select photos, and complete the appropriate save path. Check the resulting record before treating a photo as finished.
- Choose Basic to send photos to Inbox, or Advanced to select a destination and processing option.
- In Inbox, open a photo's Edit action. Assign it as the photo of an inventory, place, or item, or use the available creation flow.
- For several photos, select them and choose Edit. Choose an existing or new place and the processing options for the batch.
- Keep the browser open while local photos upload. Check Quick Add Queue for progress, errors, and Retry.
- Open a saved result, correct its name if needed, and confirm its place.
Pending Inbox photos stay in this browser on this device. They do not sync as saved items across devices. Keep your originals until processing succeeds, and finish pending work before clearing browser data.
Which AI option should I choose?
Choose the option that matches the record you want, rather than always choosing the most detailed result. Available modes and usage depend on your plan and AI allowance.
| Option | Result to expect | Good fit |
|---|---|---|
| None | One item per image, named by you | A precise name you already know |
| Identify Main Item | A suggested name for the main object | One clearly visible belonging |
| Identify all Items | One listing describing visible contents together | A group you keep together |
| Separate Items | Separate listings for detected objects | Several belongings you will search individually |
AI suggestions need checking. Hidden objects, similar parts, and unreadable packaging can produce missing or incorrect descriptions; a close photo or manual name can be more useful.
Why use Quick Add instead of keeping photos in an album?
Quick Add connects a photo to a saved location and, when you create an item, a searchable name. A photo album may be enough for a one-time visual record, but it does not by itself maintain an item's current Binly place.
In a worked example, photograph a cord and paint roller in Blue Bin. Use Separate Items if you want to search for each, or one combined listing if you always use them as a kit. After saving, search for the cord and follow Home → Garage → Shelf 3 → Blue Bin.
The benefit comes from completing that link between photo and location, not from collecting the largest number of photos. Follow the search guide to test a result.
Why is my photo missing from search or on another device?
A pending Inbox image is not yet a searchable saved item. Check Inbox and Quick Add Queue in the browser where you captured it before uploading another copy.
- Still pending: assign or process the image and wait for completion.
- Failed processing: inspect the error and use Retry when available.
- Only a place image: search the place name or create an individually named item.
- Unexpected contents: assigning a photo to a place changes that photo; it does not move item records into the place.
What are the most common questions?
These answers cover the practical choices you can make before expanding your setup.
Can I use Quick Add without AI?
Yes, choose None to create one item per image. Add a useful name yourself so keyword searches can find it.
Does Separate Items identify everything perfectly?
No, detection depends on what the photo shows and can miss or misidentify objects. Review the created records and correct names or add missing belongings yourself.
Can I clear completed queue entries?
Yes, removing completed entries clears the queue display. It does not delete the saved items those entries created.
Can I finish pending Inbox work on another phone?
Pending photos do not sync across devices. Finish them in the original browser, then use the saved records from your other device.
Where do I check AI availability?
Check Billing in the app for your current plan and allowance. The public Pricing page also explains the available plans without requiring you to guess from an older tutorial.
For current plans and limits, see Binly pricing.
What should I do next?
Capture one clear photo, choose the simplest useful processing option, and open the saved record to verify its name and place.
Start with one placeKeep reading: How to search Binly and find your belongings.