Overlay Customization Issues

Overlays are the single biggest creative pain point for FMX users. They are also one of the highest-volume topics in support tickets -- well over 200 tickets in a typical quarter. Most issues come down to the same handful of mistakes: wrong dimensions, no transparency in the file, or the overlay layered behind the photo instead of in front of it. This article walks through what overlays are, how to set them up correctly, and how to fix the common problems.

Quick Diagnostics

If your overlay is misbehaving, check these first:

• File format is PNG with transparency (not JPG, not a flat PNG with a white background)
• File dimensions match your output dimensions: 1200 x 1800 (portrait) or 1800 x 1200 (landscape) at minimum
• The overlay file is uploaded to the correct workflow step (not just into your asset library)
• You are testing on the same workflow that will run at the event

What Overlays Are

An overlay is a graphic -- usually a frame, logo, branding strip, or decorative element -- that gets layered on top of the captured photo. Because it sits on top, the parts of the overlay that are not branding need to be transparent so the photo shows through.

Overlays are different from backgrounds. A background sits behind the subject (used with green screen or AI background removal); an overlay sits on top of the entire composed image. Most events use both.

Where Overlays Are Configured

Overlays live in three places, and customers often confuse them:

1. Asset library in the Cloud dashboard -- this is where you upload the raw PNG files. Uploading here does not yet apply the overlay anywhere.
2. Workflow step in the Workflow Builder -- this is where you tell FMX which overlay to use when. You add an overlay step to your workflow and pick the file from your assets.
3. Layout Builder (for print layouts) -- if you are designing a printed strip with multiple photos and branding, the layout builder controls how the overlay sits on the print, separately from the on-screen overlay.

File Requirements

For best results:

• Format: PNG (with alpha transparency)
• Size (single capture, photo strip cell): 1200 x 1800 pixels for portrait, 1800 x 1200 for landscape
• Size (printed photo strip layout): match the layout dimensions exactly (usually 1200 x 1800 for a 4x6, or 600 x 1800 for a 2x6 strip)
• Color mode: RGB
• Background: transparent in every area where the photo should show through

If you are designing in Canva, Photoshop, or PhotoPea, watch out for exporting a PNG with a white background. The file looks fine in your gallery but covers the photo entirely when applied. Always export with transparency turned on.

Common Issues

Overlay Doesn't Show Up at All

Problem: You added an overlay to the workflow, but nothing appears on top of the photo when you test on the booth.

Cause: Most often the workflow change was made in the Cloud after the booth already synced. FMX is still running the older version of the workflow without the overlay step.

Solution:

1. Save the workflow in the Cloud and confirm it is assigned to your event.
2. On the booth, tap Sync in FMX to pull the updated workflow.
3. Restart the workflow on the booth and try again.
4. If the overlay still does not appear, open the workflow in the Cloud editor and confirm the overlay step is enabled (not toggled off) and that the file is selected from your assets.

Overlay Covers the Photo (Photo Is Hidden)

Problem: The overlay shows up, but it blocks the photo entirely. You see only the overlay artwork, not the subject.

Cause: The overlay PNG does not have transparency. The middle area where the photo should appear is opaque white, which paints over the photo.

Solution:

1. Open the overlay file in your editor.
2. Confirm the area where the photo should show through is transparent (a checkerboard pattern in Photoshop, Photopea, or Canva).
3. Re-export as PNG with transparency. In Photoshop, File > Export > Export As > PNG with Transparency checked. In Canva, choose PNG and toggle Transparent background.
4. Re-upload the corrected file in the Cloud assets and reassign it in the workflow.

Overlay Is Too Small / Too Big / Off Center

Problem: The overlay shows up but is shrunk into a corner, or it is huge and overflows the screen, or its branding is misaligned with the photo.

Cause: The overlay dimensions do not match the workflow's output size. FMX tries to fit the overlay to the photo, and a wrong aspect ratio gets either stretched, letterboxed, or cropped.

Solution:

1. Check the workflow's output dimensions in the Cloud editor.
2. Re-create the overlay in your design tool at the matching dimensions: 1200 x 1800 for portrait, 1800 x 1200 for landscape.
3. Make sure the design respects the safe zones -- branding placed too close to the edges may get cropped on print.
4. Re-upload and test.

Aspect Ratio Mismatch

Problem: Your overlay was designed for a photo strip (tall, narrow) but you applied it to a single landscape photo, or vice versa. Everything looks distorted.

Solution: Overlays are not interchangeable across aspect ratios. Build a separate overlay for each output format you use. If you run a workflow that produces both a single 4x6 print and a 2x6 strip, you need an overlay file for each one.

Overlay Appears Behind the Photo

Problem: Your branding is barely visible -- you can see ghosts of it behind the subject, but the photo is on top.

Cause: Layer order in the workflow is reversed. The overlay is being treated as a background, not a foreground.

Solution: In the workflow editor, confirm the overlay step is positioned after the camera capture in the workflow sequence. If the workflow uses a layout builder, drag the overlay layer above the photo layer in the layer panel.

Overlay Looks Right in the Editor but Wrong on the Booth

Problem: The Cloud preview looks perfect, but on the booth the overlay is the wrong color, has hard edges, or shows banding.

Cause: Color profile or compression differences between the PNG file and the booth display.

Solution:

1. Re-save the PNG in sRGB color space (not Adobe RGB or ProPhoto).
2. Avoid heavy gradients and very light alpha (semi-transparent) areas -- they often look fine on a desktop monitor but render harshly on a booth screen.
3. Always do a final test on the actual booth hardware before the event, not just in the Cloud preview.

Testing Overlays Before an Event

Always test the overlay end-to-end before the live event:

1. Sync the workflow to your booth.
2. Run the workflow with a real capture (point the camera at anything).
3. Check the on-screen output, the printed output, and any digital share output (email, SMS, gallery upload). Each output uses the overlay differently and any one of them can have a problem the others don't.
4. If the overlay looks wrong in print but right on screen, the issue is usually layout dimensions or DPI. Re-check the layout builder.

Related Articles

• Layout Builder
• Workflow Builder Overview
• Workflow Step Types Reference
• Adding Assets to Cloud
• Event Not Syncing to FMX
• Final Photo
• Common Issues & Solutions