Year in Review Photo Book: The ultimate guide to creating your 2025 yearbook

Why you should create a 'Year in Review' Photo Book

Creating a Year in Review book is more than a fun project; it’s a beautiful year-end ritual. It's your chance to pause, reflect, and transform a fleeting year into a tangible treasure. 

Here are just some of the most magical things about Year in Review Photo Books:

• Celebrate your milestones: From promotions to new family members, you can document the moments that defined your year.
• Remember the little things: It’s often the small, everyday memories that mean the most. A Photo Book gives them a permanent home.
• See how far you've come: Flipping through your yearbook Photo Book is a powerful reminder of your growth, adventures, and resilience.
• Share your story with loved ones: It's a great way to reflect on the past year with friends and family.

How to create your yearly Photo Book in 3 easy steps

If the thought of sorting through a year’s worth of photos sounds overwhelming, we have the perfect solution. 

We created our yearly Photo Book app to do the hard work for you. Think of Journi as your personal, on-demand designer.

Here’s how it works:

1. Gather your memories 🖼

Simply select your favorite photos from the past year. Pull them directly from your phone's camera roll, Google Photos, or even pool memories with friends and family using a shared album. You can choose up to 1,200 photos at once. 

2. Watch AI work its magic 🪄

This is where the magic happens. In seconds, Journi's AI instantly sorts your photos by date and location, and designs a beautiful, chronological first draft of your book.

3. Perfect your story 💖

Now for the fun part. Refine the layouts, add heartfelt captions or funny quotes, and choose from over 40 designer themes to give your book the perfect feel. When it’s just right, your masterpiece is ready to print.

5 Ideas for your 'Year in Review' Photo Book

Your book should be as unique as your year. 

Not sure where to start? Here are some Year in Review Photo Book ideas to spark your creativity:

1. Themed chapters: Organize your book by seasons (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall), holidays, or big events.
2. A-Z of our year: Assign a memory or highlight to each letter of the alphabet. "A is for our trip to Austin, B is for Bob's birthday..."
3. Top 10 moments: Dedicate a spread to each of your top ten memories from the year, complete with a little story for each.
4. Focus on gratitude: Pair your favorite photos with captions about what you were grateful for in that moment.
5. Just the highlights: Pick out your best photos from each month to create a beautiful summary of your year.

Designing the best yearbook Photo Book

Once you have your photos and theme, it's time to bring your yearbook style Photo Book to life with some design flair.

• Pick a cover that shines: Your cover sets the tone for the whole book. Choose a great action shot or a smiling group photo, and add the year in your favorite font. A Hardcover Photo Book gives it that classic, durable yearbook feel.
• Use maps to show your journey: If you traveled this year, use Journi’s smart map feature to create a beautiful visual of your adventures.
• Mix up your layouts: Combine full-page photos with collage-style pages to keep things interesting and dynamic.
• Add captions & quotes: Jot down funny things the kids said, inside jokes, or your key takeaways from the year to make your book even more personal.
• Choose the perfect theme: We have over 40 designer themes for you to choose from. Themes like ‘Smart Pastel’ and ‘Playful Rainbow’ add a pop of color, while ‘Colorful Geometrics’ and ‘Classic Hills’ add a modern touch to your book. Select one that reflects your year the best.

A tradition that lasts a lifetime

Your Year in Review book is destined to become one of your most treasured possessions. 

Our commitment to quality means your memories will look just as vibrant for decades to come.

• Premium paper: We use thick, premium, sustainably sourced paper with a semi-gloss finish to prevent fading and make your photos pop.
• Durable, lasting binding: Each Photo Book is expertly bound to withstand years of loving use, ensuring it can be passed down as a family keepsake.

With this level of quality, your story is safe for a lifetime.

Yearbook Photo Book FAQs

Do I need to sort through all my photos before I start?

Not at all! This is where the magic of Journi comes in. You can select a whole year's worth of photos at once. Our AI will automatically sort them chronologically, detect and remove blurry shots or duplicates, and lay them out into a beautiful first draft. 

Can I add photos from my computer or from family and friends?

Absolutely. Your story is rarely in just one place. You can start on the Journi app with your phone's camera roll, add photos from your computer using our desktop website, and even ask friends and family to contribute their pictures via a shared album. It's the perfect way to get a complete picture of your year.

When is the best time to make a Year in Review book?

While many people love creating their book in January as a New Year's tradition, there's no wrong time. Some people make it in the summer when they have more downtime, or even create one for the previous year if they missed it. The best time to start is whenever you feel inspired to relive your memories.

How many pages should be in a yearbook?

A Journi Photo Book can have anywhere from 25 to 349 pages. How many you need depends on how many stories you want to tell. Our AI will suggest the perfect length based on the number of photos you select.

What Photo Book is the best for a Year in Review?

The best Photo Book maker for a Year in Review is one that makes the process easy. An AI-powered app like Journi saves you hours of work so you can focus on enjoying your memories. For a true yearbook feel, we recommend a Hardcover Photo Book.

How is this different from a traditional yearbook photo?

If you’re thinking of a traditional school yearbook, this just refers to a collection of posed photos from a single day. But a Year in Review Photo Book is the complete story of your year, filled with hundreds of your own photos, candid moments, and personal memories, all designed by you.