AlbumDrop
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Mobile app guide

The practical guide to using the Albumdrop + Mixdrop mobile app.

This guide covers discovery, playback, supporter paths, and the new native creator workflow from onboarding to publish.

Open app overview Open support pageBrowse albums

Step 1

Open discovery

Start with Discover or Mixes to browse albums, mixes, creator pages, and active support surfaces.

Step 2

Play something

Tap play from a card or detail page. The mini player stays available as you move through the app and the active track is highlighted in album tracklists.

Step 3

Choose mode

Pick Creator or Supporter/Listener at first entry. One account can switch modes any time from profile/settings.

Step 4

Create or support

Creators can now create and edit albums/mixes natively. Supporters can use library, vault, and direct support flows.

1. Discovering music

  • Use Discover for albums and Mixes for DJ sets and stream-first listening.
  • Search is built into both discovery tabs, so you do not need to rely on manual filtering only.
  • Creator names link into public creator profile pages where available.
  • Discovery cards can show trusted and explicit context to help you scan faster.

2. Playing audio

  • Tap play from an album, mix, or discovery surface to start playback.
  • The mini player remains visible while you move between tabs.
  • Open now playing to access transport controls and the full playback surface.
  • Queue-aware next and previous controls work when playback starts from a list or queue context.
  • Tapping now playing artwork returns you to the active album or mix page.

3. Saving items

  • Tap the save icon on album and mix cards to add them to Library.
  • The app confirms save and remove actions with a message so state changes are explicit.
  • Use Profile and saved-item surfaces to reopen what matters quickly instead of searching again from scratch.

4. Supporting creators

  • Album and mix pages can offer direct support flows depending on the release configuration.
  • For album download unlocks on mobile, delivery is email-only for compliance.
  • Mobile album unlock modes are Support and Subscribe (v1).
  • Use support options when you want to contribute directly rather than only stream.
  • If support is not available on a specific page, the item may not currently have a live support flow configured.

5. Creator mode and onboarding

  • Creator mode uses a guided path: register/sign-in, verify email, select package, complete profile, then create drops.
  • Creator and supporter use one identity. You can switch modes without creating a second account.
  • Deep links can open specific content, then return you to your prior mode context.
  • If creator setup is incomplete, the app routes you to the next required step automatically.

6. Creating and editing drops (native)

  • Creator Overview actions now open native screens for Edit Profile, New Album, and New Mix.
  • Album flow includes details, media, review, save draft, and publish.
  • Mix flow includes details, media, review, save draft, and publish.
  • Both flows support explicit and AI-generated indicators.
  • Publish requires accepting Terms in the review step, with an in-app link to view Terms on the web.

7. Media, gallery, and sponsorship placement

  • Gallery and sponsorship are managed inside create/edit flows (not the bottom navigation).
  • Album editor includes album gallery upload/manage for that release context.
  • Mix editor includes mix gallery management and sponsor slot management for mix campaigns.
  • Event creation supports poster selection in create mode and poster upload in edit mode.
  • Cover/profile images use native camera/photos/file-picker style flows instead of raw URL entry.

8. Limits and package behavior (Starter, Pro, Studio)

  • Plan limits are enforced by backend and surfaced in mobile UI so users see limits before failing actions.
  • Examples include mix count limits, gallery item limits, sponsor slot limits, and video availability by plan.
  • If a limit is reached, mobile blocks the action with a clear message and keeps draft-safe behavior intact.
  • Upgrade prompts can be added to these same gates later when paid creator checkout is fully enabled in-app.

9. Account, profile, and supporter access

  • Use the Profile tab for account-level access and supporter session flows.
  • In supporter mode, the `Switch to Creator` action is placed directly under the supporter session notice for faster mode switching.
  • In creator settings, `Switch to Supporter` is visually emphasized for quick return to listener surfaces.
  • Supporter-authenticated areas can include library, vault, community, and support history surfaces.
  • If the app build includes reviewer or QA supporter access, Profile and blocked Library can expose a `Use test supporter access` shortcut.
  • If you sign in and a creator or profile route is unavailable, the app should return you cleanly instead of trapping you in a dead-end page.

10. Library and supporter unlocks

  • Library is designed around supporter unlocks, vault content, and community access.
  • If you do not have an active supporter session yet, Library should route you toward Profile instead of leaving you stuck.
  • Unlocked album context can determine which vault and community surfaces appear.

11. Search and discovery tips

  • Search works best with creator names, album titles, mix titles, and shorter terms.
  • If a search shows no results, try reducing the query to one or two distinctive words.
  • Use discovery tags like genre, explicit, and trusted context as quick scan signals rather than primary filters.

12. Notifications and follow states

  • Follow and save states help the app keep your creator relationships and library actions visible.
  • Push notification scaffolding exists in the app, but the exact live notification experience can depend on current release setup and account state.

13. Troubleshooting basics

  • If the app asks for an update on open, use the update action and relaunch after installing the latest version.
  • If playback feels stuck, pause, return to the active item, and restart from the current detail page or discovery card.
  • If you are in an album tracklist, verify the highlighted track matches the current playing item.
  • If a page loads but support does not appear, the release may not currently expose support options.
  • If you are missing saved content, confirm you are signed into the intended supporter account.
  • If Library is blocked, use Profile to request access or use the preloaded test supporter shortcut when it is present in a review or QA build.
  • If a creator route does not resolve, retry from discovery or search rather than staying on a broken path.