Frequently Asked Questions

What is Memolio?

Memolio is a personalised book for grandparents. You share photos and memories; AI writes and illustrates a hardcover book featuring the real grandparent on every page. It's designed as a gift from grandchildren to grandparents — or for anyone who wants to preserve a parent's or grandparent's story.

How long does it take to make a Memolio book?

About two weeks total. The questionnaire takes around 20 minutes, AI generation takes 30 minutes to 2 hours, you review and request any changes (usually a day or two of back-and-forth), and then printing and shipping take 7–14 business days within the EU and UK.

What photos do I need to provide?

Minimum three clear photos of the grandparent: one from younger life (roughly twenties), one from mid-life (roughly fifties–seventies), and one recent. Optional photos of a partner or grandchildren. JPEGs and PNGs work best; mobile phone snaps are fine. More photos is always better — the AI picks up on more cues for likeness.

What if I don't have many photos?

We ask for three photos of the grandparent — one recent, one from young adulthood, and one from childhood. The first two are required; the childhood one is optional, because many grandparents don't have a good-quality photo from that far back and that's very common. If you skip the childhood photo the book still works — we digitally de-age the young-adult photo so a childhood self still appears in the illustrations. It won't be a perfect likeness of how they actually looked as a child, but that stage of life stays in the story.

The photo-or-description choice only applies to grandchildren. If you have parental permission you can upload a photo for the best likeness; if not, you can describe the grandchild in words and the AI will generate a matching character. For the grandparent themselves, we need photos — the whole book is built around drawing that specific person.

Do I need permission to upload photos of children?

Yes. If the book includes children — your own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews — always get parental permission before uploading their photos. The images of a child belong to the child's parents or guardians, not the person ordering the book. This is basic consent practice and it matters regardless of which service you use. For any adult in the book who doesn't know you're uploading photos of them, give them a heads-up too.

Is Memolio available in German?

Yes. Memolio is bilingual from the start. You pick English or German at the questionnaire stage and the full book is written natively in that language — it's not a translation of an English template. The German version is written by an LLM operating in German end-to-end.

Do you support other languages?

Not yet. English and German are live. French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese are on the roadmap — the architecture is designed to add languages, but we're prioritising quality over breadth.

Can I include my grandchildren in the story?

Yes. You can add up to three grandchildren. They appear on the front cover, at the start of the story, and at the end. You can also include the grandparent's partner.

If you have parental permission you can upload a photo so the likeness is correct. If you don't have permission, or don't feel comfortable uploading a photo of a child, you can describe the grandchild in words instead — appearance, approximate age, anything distinctive — and the AI will generate a character that matches the description. It's less accurate than a photo, but it means the book still works without uploading images of children you can't fully speak for.

Do I see the book before it's printed?

Always. After generation, you get a review page where you flick through every spread. If something's wrong — face, outfit, scene, typo — tap the page and tell us what to change. We re-render that specific page. Nothing prints until you approve the final book.

Is my data safe?

Yes. Memolio is GDPR-compliant. Your photos are deleted from our image host 90 days after book delivery. Every US or international AI processor we use (OpenAI, BytePlus, Cloudinary, AWS) operates under Standard Contractual Clauses. We never use your photos or stories to train AI models. Full details are in the privacy policy.

What occasions is Memolio for?

Most commonly: milestone birthdays (60, 70, 80, 90), Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day, retirement, and anniversaries. Also often ordered as a keepsake when a grandparent's memory is fading — the book captures their story while it's still theirs to tell.

What if I get the book and something's wrong?

Because you approve the book before it prints, this is rare — but if a printing defect slips through, we reprint and reship at no cost.

How much does Memolio cost?

€45 for a hardcover, including shipping within the EU and UK. There is no digital-only option — the book is designed as a physical keepsake.

Can I order more than one copy?

Yes. You can order multiple copies of the same book at a reduced per-unit price — useful when several siblings, children, or grandchildren want their own copy.

When will Memolio launch?

Memolio is currently in private testing. Join the waitlist to be notified when we open to new customers, and to follow the build along the way.