Frequently asked questions | YourCover
Home » Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Got any questions or issues? Below please find the most often-asked questions about how to make a
personalized fake magazine cover or how to place an order.

Order deadlines for prints, posters & frames:
Free Shipping (prints only) - order by 12/16

Standard Shipping (for orders that include a frame, poster or canvas print) - order by 12/12
FedEx 2Day - order by 12/19 (noon ET)
FedEx Overnight - order by 12/20 (noon ET)

REMEMBER: Photo file downloads are delivered instantly on the order confirmation (thank you) page and also instantly emailed to the email address in the account.

Orders for mugs, mouse pads & t-shirts cannot be expected to arrive prior to 12/25.

My photo won't upload & someone else's photo is appearing - why?

Make sure you photo has the extension .jpg or .jpeg and that it is not a .pdf, .png or .bmp file. Also, give your photo a really unique name. Occasionally, the system will pull an existing photo from within the database that has the same name. Just add a few numbers or letters to the name and try to upload again. In addition, if the photo is too large the system may have difficulty uploading it. If your photo is over 4000 pixels in width or height, reduce it by 75%.

Scan a photo - if you want to use an older photo from the pre-digital days; make sure you scan it at a minimum dpi of 300. (DPI means dots per inch and indicates how many dots of color are in each inch of the photo) Also, if you are only using a small portion of a 4x6 photo, scan it as a 5 x 7 or an 8 x10 so that when you crop into a small portion it is still at a high resolution. Some scanners will allow you to scan just a portion of your photo so you can crop the image you want to see on the magazine cover prior to uploading it. Always remember to scan only the photo, not the entire scanning bed. If you do not have the proper equipment, bring it to your local photo shop, or stores such as FedEx Office, Wal-Mart, Target or Staples that offer scanning services.

Uploading a photo to the design system is probably the hardest part of designing your magazine cover. For the web-savvy it is no big deal but if you're not all that familiar with digital photography it can be frustrating.

You need a photo with a high resolution - we recommend 1024 x 1280 and the minimum acceptable width is 600 pixels. Just because it looks good on your computer screen doesn't mean it will look good when printed at 8" x 10" (or on a poster at 16" x 24"). Photos from Facebook or that you download from a friend's online photo account won't be at a high enough resolution. Check your photo's resolution by right clicking on the photo and looking under properties (you can also open it in a photo application like Microsoft Office Picture Manager or Paint to see the properties/attributes).

A common problem users have is that there file type is being 'denied' by the system. The design system prefers jpg files - important - make sure the file extension name is ".jpg" in lower case not ".JPG" or “JPEG”. To change the file type name, just right click on the file, click 'rename' in the box that pops up and change it to lower case.

We cannot accept bitmap files (.bmp) or pdf files (.pdf). You can change your file to a jpg by saving it as one.

If you think it looks semi-blurry or you are absolutely positive that it is blurry, your best bet is to upload a different photo. If it looks blurry on your monitor, it will look blurry when printed. If you had cropped the photo significantly to zoom in on just one person, try to re-crop and add more of the image onto the front cover. However, please feel free to give us a call and we can view the image in our system and give you advice on proceeding.

If later on down the road you are not satisfied with your front cover photo, you can change it!

1. After logging in you will be on your My Covers page, click on the magazine cover in which you would like to upload a new photo and it will appear in the magazine cover generator.
2. Click on STEP 2: UPLOAD IMAGE
3. Upload the new image
*Photos cannot be changed after ordering. A new order will be required.*

Please follow the steps below to upload your photo into your magazine cover: 1. After you have chosen your magazine cover template, click on the SELECT MAIN PHOTO button under “Step #2: upload your photo” 2. A window will open to locate your photo file 3. Click on the file you would like to upload then click OPEN 4. Please wait while your photo uploads to your magazine cover Repeat to upload an inset photo. To change the main or inset photo, choose a different photo and upload, the first photo will be replaced with your new choice. To remove the inset photo, click 'select inset photo', choose the same photo as before, then click 'cancel' instead of 'open'. The photo will be removed.
We recommend a pixel size of 1024 x 1280 for your picture and a 600 pixel width is the minimum size for uploading. If you do not know how to locate the pixel size of your photo, follow these steps: In WINDOWS: 1. Right-click on the picture when viewing it in your photo program 2. Select Properties 3. Look under 'Summary' for the height & width [dimensions] in pixels. On MAC: 1. Click the picture and 'Get Info' (Command-I). 2. Click 'More info' and look under 'Dimensions' for the height & width in pixels.

Though you think it might be helpful, don't pre-crop your photo using your computer photo-editing software prior to uploading it to the YourCover design system. When you use a photo that has already been cropped, you may be limiting the way your headlines can appear, and possibly make your photo look blurry. Using a crisp and un-cropped photo is the way to go! (Remember, the best resolution is 1024 x 1280.)

After you have uploaded your photo in Step #2, you can edit your photo using the size, move, rotate, flip image, black & white & masthead options found the bottom and to the left while creating your magazine cover.

How do I determine if my photo is of good quality for the magazine cover?
We recommend a pixel size of 1024 x 1280 for your picture and an 800 pixel width is the minimum size for uploading. If you do not know how to locate the pixel size of your photo, follow these steps:

In WINDOWS:

Right-click on the picture when viewing it in your photo program
Select Properties
Look under 'Summary' for the height & width [dimensions] in pixels.
On MAC:

Click the picture and 'Get Info' (Command-I).
Click 'More info' and look under 'Dimensions' for the height & width in pixels.

To remove red eye, crop or edit your photo prior to uploading it to the YourCover design system, open your photo using Microsoft Picture Manager, Picasa, iPhoto or whatever your photo editing software might be.

Why are the "next step" options missing? I can't save my cover.

You must start with Step 1 and choose a template. If a template is not chosen, the saving options under "next steps" will not appear. There is a blank option to create your own title, this is the very last choice in the drop down menu in Step 1.

Why won't my cover save? It just keeps spinning and saying to wait.

Make sure your photo is not too large (should be under 4000 pixels in width/height). Also, the sytem cannot recognize non-English letters or symbols such as hearts from a mobile device keyboard. Do not use keyboard shortcuts to type in other alphabets (Cyrillic, Hebrew, Arabic) or to add accent marks not typical to the English alphabet. If you are using Safari, try using Chrome or Firefox.

White is not boring! Though you may think you are being 'uncreative' by choosing such a 'vanilla-flavored' color - think again - the color white really pops off most photo backgrounds. If you have a dark background or a busy background in your photo, white might be your best choice for being able to read your clever headlines.

If you are having a hard time trying to find the right font for your busy background, keep in mind of the basic rule of your magazine cover. You want a font that people can read! At this point it is not about how it looks because if your photo is busy, chances are your font and font color will blend in with the background. Choose a font that is bold and large to come through your busy background [Verdana, Comic Sans MS, & Century Gothic] and try them in bold as well. Also increasing the font size will help contrast your text against the busy background. Keep playing around with the suggested fonts, as well as the many colors (white often works well), and we'resure you will find the one that matches perfectly! Don’t worry though, we do review orders prior to printing and if your text is illegible, you will be contacted.

If your headlines are appearing over people’s faces, do as follows:

1. Choose the headline that is covering the person’s face & click and drag to a different location.
2. If that does not seem to help, you can also use the photo edits [size, move, rotate, masthead, etc] to adjust the photo to move it away from beneath the headlines.

YES! We do give text suggestions for your front cover headlines! It’s ok if you didn’t see it on the design page, it can be easily missed. It is located under the ‘Choose a Custom Color’ in the green box, called ‘Headline Ideas.’

To use this handy tool, click on any one of your headlines, then click on ‘Headlines Ideas.’ It will display new headlines! Just click on the one you want and the phrase will insert right into the text box. Personalize our text hint so it relates to your magazine cover and change the font style, size and color to match the remaining headlines.

Our individual cover prints are printed on 8" x 10" advanced glossy photo paper. Posters and canvas prints can be purchased as well and are sized at 16x20 and 24x30.

Your personalized magazine cover can be made into an invitation by including who, what, where, when and all other details within your magazine cover headlines! We do not offer any other size options other than the 8x10 jpg photo file download or photo print. If this size is too big for you, after purchasing the photo file download simply re-save your image files in a smaller size. You can also work with your local printing store [FedEx Office or Staple’s], to help you get it down to the appropriate size.

You can purchase your magazine cover as a photo file download for self-printing. Or we can print it for you. 8"x10" photo prints are available as well as 5 frame choices. Poster, canvas prints, mugs, mouse pads and t-shirts can also be personalized with your magazine cover. See our Gift Ideas page for details.

With YourCover personalized magazine covers, you create your own personalized magazine cover using our magazine cover generator. Everything is done online; you upload your own photo, personalize your headlines according to the person you are making it for and then place your order when you are finished!

Start by clicking the orange CREATE YOURCOVER NOW button on the homepage and follow our easy steps, and get creative! We have default headlines for each occasion, so you don’t have to think of your own from scratch!

No, we do not offer inside pages to our magazine cover. Our magazine cover is printed on a single piece of 8" x 10" high quality, glossy photo paper.

Are you seeing a message that you cannot open the file, that the file is not recognized or that you need to choose a program to open the file? The problem is that there is a semicolon ( ; ) after the file extension name ".jpg;" - rename the file by deleting the semicolon and accept the file - you should be able to open it like any other photo file.

The photo file download comes as an 8 x 10 JPG photo file.

Yes! When you have purchased your download, your personalized magazine is yours and you can print off as many copies as you need.

If you would like more copies of your personalized magazine cover, you can order them at the same time receive 50% off each additional print within the same order. This applies to multiple prints of the same cover or two or more different covers. You can also re-order later by duplicating your cover and re-ordering. If you are looking to place a bulk order [ie 30 or more], please inquire at support@yourcover.com.

Please follow these instructions to re-order your personalized magazine cover:

1. Sign In (the link can be found at the very top right of every page on the site).
2. Click ‘Purchase History’
3. Click ‘Re-Order’ underneath your order number to order the necessary items

No, YourCover does not accept checks or PayPal. We accept payment through our secure shopping cart via Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

YourCover has encrypted communication using an SSL certificates from GoDaddy® which is the ultimate online security and trust solution delivering both 256-bit encryption. In addition YourCover utilizes the True Site trust mark providing third-party website identity validation. Sites secured with GoDaddy's SSL certificates are utilizing the highest level of encryption or security possible. This means you can rest assured that communications (e.g. credit card numbers) between your browser and this site's web servers are private and secure when the SSL session is activated during the ordering process.

Well, there is no official answer for this question! It all depends on how much time you would like to spend designing your magazine cover. You can be super quick and design your magazine cover in as little as 10 minutes by making minimal changes to the default headlines, colors and fonts that automatically appear on your magazine cover. But if you want to get super creative it can take more time as you gather photos, play with the font and colors, and re-write the headlines on your magazine cover. So it really depends on your creative style and how much time you would like to spend. (If you are interested in delivery times, see the previous question.)

Your personalized magazine covers will be professionally printed on advanced glossy photo paper within 2 business days of order placement. Our FedEx Ground and United States Postal Service shipment service delivers your personalized magazine covers within another 1-5 days. However, when shipping by 1st Class USPS there is no guarantee your package will arrive within a set amount of time. To ensure timely delivery, place your order at least 10 days before your event. 2-day and overnight shipping is available as well as Priority Mail.

Your personalized magazine covers will be professionally printed on advanced glossy photo paper within 2-3 business days of order placement. Our FedEx Ground and free shipment service delivers your personalized magazine covers within another 1-7 days. However, no shipment dates are guaranteed. To ensure timely delivery, place your order at least 10 days before your event. 2-day and overnight shipping is available as well but delivery dates do not include order processing time.

Almost all our directions, tips and hints are placed in pop-ups. If you do not turn it off or add www.YourCover.com to your allowable-sites list, you will not be able to use the text-guidance system or view any hints and tips. You may have more than one type of pop-up blocker. Check your virus protection software, your operating system software and your internet software (i.e., if you use toolbars from Google, AOL or Yahoo, check for their pop-up blockers).

This is a unique way to identify your account and enable you to log in and out of our site with ease. You won’t be bombarded by emails; but we may contact you to remind you to finish an incomplete project. We do not sell or give customers’ email addresses to third parties for any commercial purpose.

Yes. Just be sure to click “save yourcover for later” under “next steps” in the orange box to be able to save your magazine cover to edit at a later date. You will need to open an account with your email address and a password.

International shipping is currently not supported. If your outside of the US, please order a photo file download for self-printing.

Shipping is free when you purchase a photo print (within the US only). If you also order a frame or any accessories, additional shipping fees will apply depending on your location within the US. Shipping rates are calculated in the shopping cart.

For those orders that need to get to you faster, we offer two-day and overnight shipping. (Shipment days do not include the day you order. Processing time can take 1-5 days after order placement. Saturday delivery is not available or included in 2-day or overnight.) Orders placed over the weekend will be added to our production queue on Monday.

YourCover’s normal business hours are Monday-Friday between 9-5 ET. Orders placed on Friday may ship out until Monday or Tuesday.

No, there is no guarantee that orders can be delivered on Saturday.

Your personalized magazine covers will be professionally printed on advanced glossy photo paper within 2 business days of order placement. Our FedEx Ground and United States Postal Service shipment service delivers your personalized magazine covers within another 1-5 days. However, when shipping by 1st Class USPS there is no guarantee your package will arrive within a set amount of time. To ensure timely delivery, place your order at least 10 days before your event. 2-day and overnight shipping is available as well as Priority Mail.

Photo file downloads are delivered instantly on the order confirmation page and are also instantly emailed to the address on the account (check your spam folder). USPS First Class Mail is free when only prints are ordered. There is no estimate on delivery time for 1st Class Mail. Standard Shipping for prints, frames, canvas prints and posters typically takes 3-5 business days after the 24-48 hour order processing time. Overnight and 2-day shipping are also available.

Please contact us at info@yourcover.com or by phone at 877-972-6837 or 203-563-9288.

Email YourCover at support@yourcover.com, or call us at 877-YR-COVER (877-972-6837) or 203-563-9288. (Our business hours are M-F 9-5 ET)

Your issue is printed on 8" x 10" advanced glossy photo paper. Posters, canvas prints and other products are also available.

Available in 2 sizes 16"x20" and 24"x30". Can be purchased unmounted or in an elegant silver frame. A special matte-finish professional-grade paper so your large-format prints will resist wear and glare.

11 oz, Start your morning right! Quality materials and vibrant colors will make this a treasured gift or keepsake. Microwave and top shelf dishwasher safe.

Standard-size (7 3/4" x 9 1/4") mouse pads keep memories close at hand during the workday and at home. Constructed of high-density rubber, stands up to wear and tear.

Create a unique T-shirt featuring your magazine cover to commemorate your event. Our T-shirts literally fit any occasion. Hanes Heavyweight White 50/50 cotton/polyester blend offers the best image quality. Sizes available are: Small, Medium, Large, and XLarge.

No, this is not a magazine wrap. Your magazine cover is printed on an 8 x 10 sheet of advanced glossy photo paper which does not stick or adhere to a magazine. Each magazine cover is a single print which you can hand out as a gift, memento, keepsake or party favor. We highly recommend framing your magazine cover for the best presentation. Frames are available at checkout.

No, we are not a part of Things Remembered. You can personalize your own magazine cover at our website, www.yourcover.com.

No, we do not have a store. You create and purchase your personalized magazine cover online through our system by opening an account using an email and password.

If you are trying to place your order online, but are receiving errors while doing so, please call our Customer Service line and one of our representatives will be happy to assist you. 877-YR-COVER (877-972-6837) or (203) 563-9288 or email us at support@yourcover.com.

If your package arrived damaged or is not what you ordered or if anything else is out of the ordinary, please call our Customer Service line and one of our representatives will be happy to assist you. 877-YR-COVER (877-972-6837) or (203) 563-9233.

Log In to your account and click on Purchase History. All the information about your order can be seen here. If you have any further questions, please feel free to email us at support@yourcover.com or give us a call at 877-972-6837 or 203-563-9288.

Log In to your account and click on Purchase History. All the information about your order can be seen here. If you have any further questions, please feel free to email us at support@yourcover.com or give us a call at 877-972-6837 or 203-563-9288.