Arrange photos on a real-scale wall
Enter your wall’s width and height in mm, and that wall appears on screen at real scale. Drag photos into place, then align and space them evenly in a click. The graph-paper-and-tape mockup, right on the screen.
Real-scale layout planner
Kakeru
Plan your photo exhibition before you hang it.
In Japanese, kakeru (掛ける) means both “to hang” — as in a photo on a wall — and “to put your heart into” something.
For your first solo show, or your wall in a group exhibition. Build your exhibition walls at real scale (mm), and try placement, framing, and hanging heights on screen — before you hang. Everything stays in your browser; your images and exhibition data are never sent to a server.
Works on PC and tablets (iPad, landscape) — tablet support is in beta. Your screen is small; we recommend a PC or an iPad in landscape.
Start planningFree
What you can do with Kakeru
Pick a frame, and the outer size follows
Choose a print size (A4, Hansetsu, and so on) and a frame (profile × opening), and the mat width (the border around the photo) and the outer size in mm your wall needs are derived automatically. Panel finishes, standard frames, and multi-window framing (several photos in one frame) all work the same way.
Hanging heights and spacing, at a glance
Center height, spacing between works, height from the floor, even picture-rail and nail positions — the numbers you would measure out with a tape appear right on screen. On installation day, just hang to the numbers.
Check the view at human height
Overlay a person silhouette of a given height on your wall, and check whether the height really reads well — at eye level, before you install. Switch to Look around to sweep across adjacent walls, closer to how it feels standing in the venue.
Compare layout ideas, then decide
Create several layouts for the same wall — different arrangements, different framing — and switch between them to compare. Choose the selected layout per wall, and your installation documents follow it. Export the layouts together to talk them over with your group.
Export, save, and restore
Export placement images as PNG and the installation list (outer sizes, hanging heights, hang points) as CSV. For shows with many walls, export an installation kit (ZIP) covering every wall at once. Save and restore the whole exhibition as a .kakeru file. Everything, images included, stays in your browser — nothing is sent to a server.
Every feature shown here is covered step by step, with screenshots, in the User guide (Japanese)(opens in a new tab).
How it works
- 01Enter the wall’s width and height (mm) to build a real-scale wall
- 02Import photos and drag them onto the wall
- 03Adjust framing and spacing, and decide hanging heights
- 04Check how it reads, then compare layouts and choose
- 05Export as PNG / CSV / installation kit (ZIP) as an installation reference
Start planningFree, no sign-up
Frequently asked questions
- How high should photos be hung from the floor?
- Many galleries hang works so their center sits around 140–150 cm from the floor — standing eye level. In Kakeru you can set the center height numerically, and overlay a person silhouette of a given height to check whether it reads well before you hang.
- Can I use it without knowing about framing and mats?
- Yes. Pick a print size and a standard frame, and the mat width (the mount border around the photo) and the frame’s outer dimensions are calculated automatically. Wooden panel finishes without a frame are supported too.
- In a group show, can I plan just the wall assigned to me?
- Yes. Enter the wall’s width and height in mm to reproduce your section at real scale. You can mark areas that can’t be used for display, such as pillars, and create and compare multiple layouts. Export the layouts together to discuss with your group.
- How do I decide spacing and arrangement between works?
- A common approach is to align heights and space works evenly, then adjust from there. Kakeru has align, distribute, and numeric-spacing tools, and the dimension view shows gaps between works in mm, so you can judge too-tight or too-loose before installation.
- What should I prepare for installation day?
- You can export a placement image (PNG) and a per-work list of dimensions, hanging heights, and hang points (CSV). For multi-wall shows, an installation kit (ZIP) bundles the placement images and the list for every wall. On the day, measure and hang to the numbers on the list.
- Can I view the whole exhibition space in 3D?
- There is no walk-through 3D of the whole room. Look around lets you sweep across adjacent walls, but Kakeru focuses on 2D, real-scale simulation of each wall seen head-on — dialing in dimensions wall by wall and producing numbers you can install with.
- How is this different from making a layout in Photoshop, Illustrator, or Canva?
- Mocking up a wall in design software means doing scale conversion and dimension notes by hand every time. Kakeru treats walls and works at real scale (mm) from the start, so hanging heights, spacing, and hang points come out ready to use on site — no scale math, and no design-software skills needed. Note that Kakeru has no photo editing or retouching features.
- Does it cost anything? Is it safe to import my photos?
- It is free, with no sign-up. Imported images and exhibition data are never sent to a server — everything is stored inside your browser. You can export the exhibition as a .kakeru file for backup or for moving to another PC.
- What does “Kakeru” mean?
- Kakeru (掛ける) is Japanese for “to hang” — the verb you’d use for hanging a photo on a wall. The same word appears in omoi o kakeru (想いを掛ける), “to put your heart into something”. The name holds both: the photos you hang, and the feelings you hang with them. Kakeru is made in Japan, which is also why Japanese print and frame sizes (Mutsugiri, Hansetsu, and so on) are built in.
For other questions and screen-by-screen instructions, see the User guide (Japanese)(opens in a new tab).
Free + optional support
Kakeru is free to use. If it helps you, you can optionally support future development. Support goes toward improvements, maintenance, and keeping the app available. There are no individual rewards, extra features, or priority support in return. If you find it useful, telling your friends helps too.