Your collection on Dead Format works a little differently than other places you might be used to - you have full control over how it's organized and displayed. Group records into any categories you want, add your own photos, track conditions and variants, and keep private notes.
Collection and want list
Your Collection tab holds two lists: your collection and your want list. Tap the title at the top of the screen to switch between My collection and My want list. Each has its own categories, and everything below works the same in both.
Categories
Records are grouped into categories - most collectors go with things like 7", 12", LPs, but you can name them however you want. To manage them, open the Collection menu and tap Manage categories. From there you can add new categories, rename them, drag them into the order you want, or delete them.
Adding items
Tap the + button on your Collection tab and choose Scan barcode or Search releases.
Scan barcode opens the camera. Point it at the barcode on the sleeve and you'll see the versions in our database that match it. If you want to get the exact pressing right, tap Show runouts to compare the etchings in the runout groove, or tap a version to see everything we know about it. Tap the + on the version you're holding and it's in your collection with the cover art and release details filled in.
If you'd rather search, or the record doesn't have a barcode, tap Search releases and enter the artist, title, or catalog number (or a barcode, if you don't want to use the camera). Open an album and you'll see all the different versions, with filter and sort options to narrow it down. Not sure what version you have? Tap Add to your collection at the top of the album to add the record now and pick the specific version later - the record's page will remind you.
Before the record is added you can pick a category, and if your Discogs account is connected there's an Add to Discogs collection option that handles the update in both places. Tap the heart in the corner of that sheet to add the record to your want list instead.
Each item can track as much or as little as you like: artist, title, label, catalog number, format, color variant, pressing, copy number, edition size and tags, condition grades for media and sleeve, your rating, date purchased, where you bought it, and more.
Adding photos
Add a photo from an item's page, or let us find cover art for you - tap Search for cover art and we'll look through online databases for a match. Free accounts can upload 1 photo per item; with Dead Format Pro you can upload up to 10 and really show off your copies.
Missing artwork across your collection? Open the Collection menu and tap Find missing cover art to search for everything at once - it runs in the background while you keep browsing.
Editing and moving items
Long-press any item (or tap the ... menu on its page) to see your options: Edit item, Move to new category, cover art actions, Sell on Marketplace, and Delete. Need to change a bunch at once? Choose Bulk edit from the Collection menu to select multiple items and move or delete them together.
Records you added from a scan or search, or imported from Discogs, can be upgraded to the exact pressing: tap Change version in the same menu, choose the pressing you own, and the release details fill in while your condition, rating and notes stay exactly as they are. If you added the record without picking a version, its page shows Pick your version instead. With your Discogs account connected, the menu also has Add to Discogs for a record that isn't in your Discogs collection yet.
Private notes
Every item can hold a private note - perfect for what you paid, where you found it, or anything else you'd like to keep to yourself. Only you can see it. There's also a separate Additional details field for info you want visible to everyone.
Searching, sorting, and filtering
Use the search field above your list to find anything in your collection, and the sort button to order by artist, title, label, category, or date added. The filter button lets you narrow things down by artist, label, format, edition, or category - handy once your collection gets big.
More to explore
A few extras worth knowing about, all in the Collection menu:
- Record randomizer - can't decide what to play? Shake your phone on the Collection tab (or tap the dice icon) and we'll pick a record for you.
- Collection stats - a full breakdown of your collection: most collected artists and labels, formats, genres, and your collection by decade.
- Photo gallery - every photo in your collection in one browsable grid.
- Spin history - your listening diary. See Logging spins and scrobbling to Last.fm.
And your collection isn't just for you - other collectors can browse it from your profile, add things they spot to their own want lists, and you can browse theirs the same way.
Privacy
Collections are public by default so other collectors can browse them. If you'd rather keep yours to yourself, turn on Make collection private in Collection settings.