BeReal is a photo app where everyone in your time zone gets the same notification once a day and has two minutes to post one shot taken with the front and back cameras at once. BeReal says you can still post late, but your friends will see that you were late, and you can't see their posts until you've posted your own.
That's the app in two sentences. BeReal says its mission is to create a more authentic world and keep you connected with the people you really care about, and every rule below follows from that. Everything here comes from the BeReal Help Center, as of Nov 2026.
What a normal BeReal day looks like
- The notification arrives. BeReal says everyone in your time zone gets it at the same time, and that it doesn't know in advance when it'll be sent.
- You've got two minutes to open the app and take your BeReal.
- The app captures your surroundings with the front and back cameras together, not one photo from one side.
- You can retake it as many times as you like before posting. Just watch the timer.
- Before you post, you can show your location, share to the Friends of Friends feed, and leave Behind The Scenes on or off.
- Post it, add a caption if you want, and only then can you see your friends' BeReal and the Friends of Friends feed.
That last step is the hook. BeReal doesn't let you scroll first and post later. You share your moment, then you see everyone else's.
Late posts, deletions and the two-strike rule
Missing the two minutes isn't fatal. BeReal says you can post any time after the notification, but your friends will know you posted late. There's no hiding it.
Deleting has a hard limit that catches people out. To delete a BeReal you tap it, open the three-dot menu, choose Delete my BeReal, pick a reason and confirm. BeReal says that if you delete your BeReal two times, you can't take a new one until the next notification. Two strikes, then you wait for tomorrow.
Time zones cost you too. BeReal says changing your time zone means you won't get that day's notification, and you can only change it once every 24 hours. If you travel and switch, expect to skip a day.
BeReal features at a glance
| Feature | What it does | What BeReal says to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Late post | Lets you post after the two-minute window | Your friends will know you posted late |
| Behind The Scenes (BTS) | Shares the few seconds before your BeReal, recorded from the first camera you choose | On by default; once removed from a post it can't be turned back on for that post; without microphone access it's silent |
| Delete | Removes today's BeReal | Two deletions and you can't post again until the next notification |
| Memories | Your private archive of past BeReal posts | Deleting today's memory doesn't delete today's BeReal post |
| Pins | Up to 3 BeReal pinned to your profile from Memories | Only your BeReal friends can see them, and they aren't notified when you change them |
| Streaks | Counts the days in a row you've posted | If you don't see a restore option when you open the app, a lost streak can't come back |
| RealBrands | Lets notable brands post on BeReal, on time and without filters | By application only, and BeReal replies only to approved ones |
Memories, Pins and Streaks: who can see what
Memories are private. BeReal says no one but you can view them, not even your BeReal friends. They're on by default, they include RealMojis and comments, and you can share, download or delete any one of them.
Pins are the opposite: the one place your friends see your past posts. You can pin up to 3 BeReal from Memories to your profile, and they stay there until you remove or replace them.
Streaks count the days in a row you've posted after the notification. A flame icon and the number sit on your profile, and BeReal says friends can see your active streak. Past streaks are kept in your Memories calendar. If you lose one, open the app; if you're eligible, BeReal shows an option to restore it. If you don't see it, BeReal says the streak can't be restored, usually because too much time has passed.
BTS is worth a second look if you're privacy-minded. It records the last few seconds before you take your BeReal and is on by default. You can switch it off before you post, or remove it afterwards from the three-dot menu with Remove BTS. Once removed, it can't go back on for that post.
Privacy and safety settings
BeReal suggests friends from mutual friends and from contacts you've uploaded. You can hide a suggestion by tapping the X, then Hide. BeReal says phone numbers are never shared with other users. If you don't want to be found by number at all, go to your profile, then settings, then Privacy, and turn off Contact sync and Find me by my phone number. People can still find you through mutual friends or by searching your username.
- Report: report a BeReal, comment or RealMoji from the three-dot menu, or by long-pressing a comment. BeReal says reports are anonymous.
- Block: a blocked user can't send you friend invitations, see or react to your BeReal posts, see your reactions or view your profile. They aren't told, and blocking a friend also unfriends them.
- Leave: deleting your account schedules it for permanent deletion in 15 days, and logging back in during that time cancels it. The full steps are in how to delete a BeReal account.
Can a business use BeReal?
This is where business owners need the honest version. BeReal's route for brands is RealPeople and RealBrands, a feature that lets people add favourite celebrities and brands to their BeReal. Those accounts have to post on time like everyone else, with no filters. People who engage by tagging, reacting and sharing become RealFans, who can comment on their BeReal, see content shared only with RealFans and have a better chance of being reshared.
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Getting one isn't open to everyone. BeReal says you must be a notable person or brand with an existing BeReal account. You apply in the app: tap your profile photo, open the three-dot menu, choose Request RealPerson or RealBrand Account, pick RealBrand and complete the form. Then the catch: BeReal says that, because of the volume of requests, it only responds to approved applications. If you don't hear back, that's your answer.
BeReal also says that if you add no RealPeople or RealBrands, your experience stays exactly the same, because friends come first. A small business shouldn't plan a marketing push around a feature that's built to sit quietly behind people's friends. If you want a photo app you can market on, my roundup of Instagram alternatives is a better place to start.
My take on BeReal for business owners
I'd treat BeReal as a personal app with clear rules: post within two minutes, accept that late is visible, and remember you only get two deletions a day. Skip it as a marketing channel unless you're a notable brand that's applied for a RealBrand account and been approved. If you're weighing it against other photo and chat apps, my list of Snapchat alternatives covers the wider field.
If you're wondering whether BeReal has a place in your brand's social plan, that's the kind of call I help business owners make. I run AI training and workshops for teams, and help businesses with AI enablement and workflow automation, so the busywork runs itself and people get time back. Most of that work is with SaaS marketing teams and small businesses. Here's how we can work together.
Frequently asked questions
What time does the BeReal notification go off?
BeReal says everyone in your time zone gets it at the same time each day, and that it doesn't know in advance when it'll be sent.
What happens if I miss the two minutes on BeReal?
You can still post any time after the notification, but BeReal says your friends will know you posted late.
Can my friends see my BeReal Memories?
No. BeReal says no one but you can view your Memories, not even your BeReal friends. Pins, up to 3, are what friends can see.
Why can't I post another BeReal today?
If you've deleted your BeReal two times, BeReal says you can't take a new one until the next notification.
Can my business get an account on BeReal?
A notable brand with an existing BeReal account can apply for a RealBrand account in the app's settings. BeReal says it only responds to approved applications.
