Follow this comprehensive guide to install and configure PhotoFlow Gallery on your Joomla site in minutes.
Make sure your server meets these requirements before installation
Joomla 4.0+, 5.x, or 6.x
PHP 8.0 or higher
MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+
GD or Imagick for image processing
128MB minimum (256MB recommended)
16MB minimum (64MB recommended)
PhotoFlow Gallery is built natively for Joomla 4+. No legacy compatibility plugin required! The extension uses modern Joomla architecture with namespaced classes and follows all current best practices.
Get your PhotoFlow Gallery package
Your purchase includes the component (com_photoflow), module (mod_photoflow), and plugin (plg_photoflow) in a single installable package. One-time payment of 20 EUR with lifetime updates.
Navigate to the PhotoFlow Gallery purchase page and click the "Buy Now - 20 EUR" button.
Follow the checkout process to complete your purchase. You will receive a confirmation email with your download link.
Use the download link from your confirmation email to download the com_photoflow_X.X.X.zip file. Save it to your computer - you'll need it for the next step.
Store your download link and license information securely. You'll need it for future updates and support requests. The download link includes your license key for automatic update notifications.
Install PhotoFlow Gallery through Joomla's Extension Manager
Access your Joomla backend by navigating to yoursite.com/administrator and logging in with your administrator credentials.
In the top menu, go to System → Install → Extensions (or System → Extensions → Install in some Joomla versions).
On the "Upload Package File" tab (should be selected by default), click "Browse" or drag and drop the com_photoflow_X.X.X.zip file you downloaded.
Click "Upload & Install" button. Joomla will process the package and install all three extensions (component, module, and plugin) automatically.
You should see a success message confirming that PhotoFlow Gallery has been installed. If you see any errors, check the troubleshooting section below.
Screenshot: System → Install → Extensions
After successful installation, PhotoFlow Gallery is ready to configure. You'll find a new "PhotoFlow Gallery" menu item in the Components menu in your Joomla administrator panel.
Configure essential settings for optimal performance
Navigate to Components → PhotoFlow Gallery → Options (button in top-right toolbar).
In the "Gallery Display" tab, set your preferred display mode (Grid, List, Masonry, or Carousel), number of columns, and image aspect ratio. These are global defaults that can be overridden per menu item.
In the "Upload" tab, configure maximum file size and allowed image formats (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, AVIF). Recommended: 10MB max file size for originals.
Enable automatic WebP/AVIF conversion for better performance. Set thumbnail size (recommended: 400x400) and detail image size (recommended: 1920x1080).
In the "Performance" tab, enable query caching and virtual scroll for large galleries. Set cache lifetime (recommended: 3600 seconds).
In the "Security" tab, set default password protection settings, lockout limits, and access control preferences if needed.
Click "Save & Close" to apply your settings.
Display Mode: Grid
Columns: 4 (desktop), 2 (tablet), 1 (mobile)
Aspect Ratio: 1:1 (square)
Thumbnail Size: 400x400
Detail Size: 1920x1080
WebP Conversion: Enabled
Virtual Scroll: Enabled
Cache Lifetime: 3600 seconds
These settings are global defaults and can be overridden on individual menu items. Start with these recommended settings and adjust based on your specific needs and server capabilities.
Upload images and create a menu item to display them
Go to Components → PhotoFlow Gallery → Images in the Joomla administrator menu.
Use the "New" button in the toolbar to upload images one by one, or use the bulk upload feature for multiple images.
Add a title, description, and select a category (optional). The system will automatically generate thumbnails and detail images based on your configuration.
Click "Save & Close" to process and publish your image. Repeat for additional images or use bulk import for existing image folders.
Navigate to Menus → Main Menu (or your preferred menu).
Click "New" and give your menu item a title (e.g., "Photo Gallery").
Click "Select" next to Menu Item Type, then choose PhotoFlow Gallery → Gallery View.
Optionally override global settings: display mode, columns, filtering options, and pagination settings.
Choose who can view this gallery (Public, Registered, Special, etc.).
Click "Save & Close", then visit your site to see your new gallery in action!
Your first PhotoFlow Gallery is now live! Images will load with smooth animations, automatic lazy loading, and responsive layouts. Try different display modes to find the perfect presentation for your content.
Explore bulk import for existing images, create categories and albums for organization, enable password protection for specific images, and use the module to display galleries in any module position on your site.
Solutions to frequently encountered problems
This usually indicates a corrupt ZIP file. Re-download the package from your download link and try again. Make sure to download the complete file without interruption. If the problem persists, check your server's tmp directory permissions (should be writable).
Check that the images/photoflow directory exists and has proper permissions (755 for directories, 644 for files). Verify that GD or Imagick extension is enabled in PHP. Clear Joomla cache and browser cache. If using CloudFlare or CDN, purge the CDN cache as well.
Your server's upload limits are too low. Contact your hosting provider to increase upload_max_filesize and post_max_size in php.ini (recommended: 64MB minimum). Alternatively, use FTP to upload large images to images/photoflow/originals/ and then use the bulk import feature.
Check browser console for JavaScript errors. Ensure that jQuery is loaded (Joomla 4+ loads it by default). Verify that the JSON API is accessible by visiting: yoursite.com/index.php?option=com_photoflow&view=gallery&format=json. If you see "403 Forbidden", check your .htaccess rules for conflicts.
Check if GD library supports WebP/AVIF (PHP 8.1+ required for AVIF). Run phpinfo() to verify. If not supported, switch to Imagick or disable automatic conversion and use a third-party tool to convert images before upload. Most modern hosting providers support WebP.
Enable virtual scrolling in Performance settings (should be on by default). Increase query cache lifetime. Consider using categories to split large galleries into smaller sections. Enable Joomla's page caching. Optimize your database tables regularly via phpMyAdmin or Akeeba Admin Tools.
Go to System → Extensions → Manage, search for "PhotoFlow", and ensure the component status is "Enabled". Clear Joomla cache (System → Clear Cache). If still not visible, check your user permissions - you need Super User or administrator access to see components.
Ensure URL rewriting is enabled in Joomla Global Configuration. Verify .htaccess file exists in Joomla root (copy from htaccess.txt if missing). Check that mod_rewrite is enabled on your Apache server. For NGINX, ensure proper rewrite rules are configured.
If you continue to experience problems after trying these solutions, please contact support with detailed information: Joomla version, PHP version, exact error messages, and steps to reproduce the issue. Include your server error logs if possible.
Start showcasing your images professionally with PhotoFlow Gallery