Frequently Asked Questions

Olaf Wishlist is a free online gift list platform that simplifies organizing your events with four complementary services.

Create private wishlists, perfect for family or friends. Share your gift ideas discreetly and organize your lists by event: Christmas, birthdays, celebrations, or special occasions.

Prepare your wedding or baby registry online, publicly accessible. Your loved ones can reserve gift ideas without creating an account, directly from the web.

Use Memo lists to jot down your personal wishes in complete privacy. Convert them into a private or public list whenever you're ready.

Finally, simplify organizing your Secret Santa with automatic random drawing and exclusion management. Each participant receives a person to give a gift to, in complete secrecy.

Olaf is available on the web and as a mobile app (iOS and Android) so you can manage your lists wherever you are.

Yes! The Olaf Wishlist mobile app is available on iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play). It offers all the features of the web version: private lists, public lists, Memo lists, reservations, secret chat, contributions, notifications, and much more.

You can also add gift ideas by sharing a product link from your mobile browser directly to the Olaf app. And if you browse the site from your phone, a banner offers to open the page straight in the app.

Note: on the mobile app, an account is required for all actions, including reservations on public lists (unlike the web, where anonymous reservation is possible).

Yes, Olaf Wishlist is completely free, whether on the web or on mobile. No subscription, no ads, no hidden fees. Download the app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android) and enjoy all features without any limitations.

Open the "About" screen, either from the sign-in screen or from your profile: it shows the version of the app, along with a button to check whether an update is available.

On mobile, use the Share function in your browser or any app. When you find a product you like, tap Share and select Olaf Wishlist from the list of apps.

Olaf automatically retrieves the product information (title, image, price) and lets you choose the destination list (private, public, or memo). Review the details, adjust if needed, and confirm: the gift idea is added in one tap!

From the mobile app you can also pick a relative's list and announce the gift there: they will not see a thing, but the other group members will know you are taking care of it.

If the product is already in the list you picked, Olaf saves you the duplicate and offers to open the existing gift idea instead — for example to increase its quantity.

This feature works with most shopping websites and apps. On desktop, the browser extension offers more complete and precise product extraction thanks to its direct access to page content.

And in a shop, you can add a product by scanning its barcode with the mobile app (see the dedicated scan question).

A few online shops ask you to confirm you're a real person before showing their pages. When that happens, Olaf offers to open the page for you: once the check is done, it picks up the name, price and photo as usual.

It's never mandatory. You can always just add the link and fill in the details yourself.

From the mobile app, tap "Scan a QR code" on the group join screen. Allow camera access if prompted, then point your phone at the QR code displayed by the group organizer.

The QR code contains the 6-digit invitation code. Once scanned, Olaf lets you join the group instantly. It's the fastest way to join a group during a family gathering or get-together!

The QR code can be generated from the group settings, on both web and mobile.

The Olaf mobile app lets you scan a product's barcode while you're in a shop to add it in a few seconds to one of your lists (private, public or memo). Open the app, tap "Scan a product" and you have three ways to enter the code: point your camera at the barcode, import a photo of the barcode from your gallery (handy if you snapped it earlier), or type the number in manually (8 to 14 digits). Olaf automatically identifies the product, its title and image.

Perfect for not forgetting a gift idea you spotted in store, or for filling out your own list while shopping. If the barcode isn't recognised, you can also search for the product by name.

Once the product is identified, you pick the destination list — private, public or memo — and confirm with a single tap.

Scanning isn't only for adding: if the product you're scanning matches a gift on the wishlist of someone in one of your groups, Olaf also offers to reserve it directly for that person. Handy for avoiding duplicates when you're in store and planning to give a gift — the recipient's wishlist is searched in real time, and the reservation is made in a single tap, without spoiling the surprise.

And if you've bought a gift that isn't on your friend's wishlist, you can log it as an off-list gift on their list. The recipient sees nothing, but the other group members are notified — again, to stop anyone else buying the same thing.

Yes. On a list's screen, the “+” button at the bottom-right offers barcode scanning with that list already set as the destination. Olaf then only shows the actions available to you on that list, which makes adding faster when you want to scan several products in a row at the same place.

Often, yes! If there are still copies available, Olaf offers to reserve the rest, or to adjust your reservation if you'd already taken part of it. If a group gift is under way for that gift, it points you to the list so you can join in. And if everything is already reserved, it simply lets you know, without blocking the scan.

Olaf notices and saves you a duplicate: rather than adding the same product a second time, it offers to open the gift idea that already exists — for example to increase its quantity.

Yes. In the mobile app, from any of your lists (private, public, or memo), the floating button at the bottom-right offers a third option — "Take a photo" — alongside manual add and barcode scan.

This is useful when barcode scanning doesn't work: torn label, no EAN code, a foreign-language book that isn't referenced, an artisan piece, or something you spotted in a window. Tap "Take a photo", choose the source (camera to snap it right now, or gallery to use a photo you took earlier), and the usual gift-idea form opens with the image already loaded. Enter the title (at minimum) and save.

Adding by photo doesn't identify the product automatically — you fill in the title, price, and other fields yourself. It only adds the item to the list you chose; it doesn't offer to reserve or declare an off-list gift from a photo, unlike barcode scanning.

Yes, in the mobile app! When you add a product by taking a photo, Olaf analyzes the image and automatically suggests a title, description, price and currency. All you have to do is check these suggestions — marked with a ✨ icon — and tweak them if needed before saving. A tip from Olaf, shown the first time (and available afterwards via the « ? » icon), helps you frame a clear photo with the price tag for better results.

It's a helping hand, not a requirement: if nothing is found or you'd rather, you fill in the fields by hand as usual. To produce these suggestions, your photo is sent to an analysis service (Google) for the duration of the processing only, and is not kept afterwards.

The mobile app can alert you right on your phone — new member, new list, reservation, chat message, event reminder — even when the app is closed. These notifications are off to begin with: you switch them on from the notifications section of your profile.

Two things have to line up, and this is usually where people get stuck. First, your phone must allow Olaf to notify you: the app asks on first launch, and if you declined, you can fix it in your phone's settings (Settings > Olaf Wishlist > Notifications). Second, mobile notifications must be enabled in your Olaf profile — saying yes to the phone's prompt is not enough on its own.

Once the channel is on, the same screen lets you choose which types of notifications you want.

To create your first private list, log in to your account and head to your dashboard. First create a group (for example "Family" or "Friends"), then create a list within that group by choosing a descriptive name (like "Christmas 2026" or "My Birthday"), the event date, and the expiration date.

You can then add gift ideas manually, use our browser extension to capture products from your favorite online stores, or add them from the mobile app.

You can also create a public list (for a wedding or baby shower) or a Memo list (personal notepad) directly from your dashboard.

Each private list has two important dates:

Event date: the date of the occasion (birthday, Christmas...). Before this date, you can freely edit your list. After this date, no changes or reservations are possible for anyone.

Expiration date: determines when you'll finally be able to see who reserved what and any notes left by your loved ones. After this date, the list is no longer visible to other group members.

The expiration date must always be later than the event date.

Unlike private lists which have two dates, public lists only have one: the event date.

On the day of the event, the list remains active and accessible. The following day, the public page is no longer accessible to visitors.

After the event date, the list owner can view all reservations: names, emails, quantities, and notes left by those who reserved. Before that date, the owner sees no information about reservations: no names, no reserved quantities, no details at all. The surprise remains total.

Public lists are designed for open events like weddings, baby showers, or other celebrations. They work very differently from private lists:

No account required to reserve (on the web): your guests don't need to create an Olaf account. They fill out a form with their name and email, then confirm their reservation via a link sent by email. If they're logged in to an Olaf account, the reservation is instant.

The owner sees no reservations before the event date. No names, no reserved quantities, no counter — they don't know if anyone has reserved or not. Even if they access their own list via the public link while logged in, they cannot reserve and see no reservation information.

Easy cancellation: each person who reserves receives an email with a cancellation link valid for 30 days. Logged-in users can also cancel from their account.

Customizable cover image: add a cover photo to give your list a personal touch (couple photo, ultrasound, decorations...). It appears as a banner at the top of the public page.

One date only: the event date. The day after, the public page is no longer accessible. The owner then discovers all reservation details.

Olaf offers several ways to share your public list:

Copy share link: use the "Copy share link" button from your admin dashboard. Do not copy the URL from your browser's address bar — that is your personal admin link. The copy button generates a special link that anyone can access without logging in. Share it by message, email, or social media.

Sharing email: send yourself an email containing the share link and list details (name, date, location), ready to forward to your guests. Olaf does not collect or store your guests' email addresses — your address book stays private.

Public search: if you enable the "Searchable" option in your list settings, your guests can find it via the Olaf search engine by entering the date, event type, and a name or location.

Private mode: if you disable the "Searchable" option, your list will only be accessible via the direct link. Handy if you want to control exactly who has access.

Only if you've allowed it! By default, the "Searchable" option is configurable in your public list settings.

If enabled, your guests can find your list via the Olaf search engine by combining: the exact event date, the type (wedding, baby shower, or other), and a name or location.

If disabled, your list will not appear in any search results and will only be accessible via the direct link you share yourself.

On the web: no. Any visitor can reserve without creating an account. They enter their name and email, then confirm their reservation via a link sent by email (valid for 48 hours). Once confirmed, they receive an email with a cancellation link (valid for 30 days).

If the visitor is logged in to an Olaf account, the reservation is instant: no email confirmation needed. They can also cancel directly from their account.

On the mobile app: yes. An account is required to make a reservation from the mobile app. The reservation is then instant, just like for a logged-in user on the web.

Memo lists are personal notepads that are strictly private. They are only visible to you and have no event date or expiration date.

They are ideal for: — jotting down your wishes as they come, without worrying about a specific occasion; — privately preparing the content of a future private or public list; — keeping gift ideas for yourself.

You can fill a Memo whichever way suits you: type the idea in by hand, scan a product's barcode in a shop from the mobile app, or share a product page from your browser or any other app — your Memos appear among the destinations offered, just like your private and public lists.

There are no reservations, sharing, or notifications on Memo lists. You can create, edit, and delete your gift ideas at any time, without any restrictions.

When you're ready to share your ideas, you can convert your Memo list into a private list (within a group) or a public list (wedding, baby shower, other).

The conversion automatically creates the new list with all your gift ideas. You can choose to keep the original memo or delete it.

You can also copy gift ideas one by one from a memo to any other list (private, public, or another memo). This is handy for distributing your ideas across multiple lists.

Yes! For each gift idea, you can indicate an estimated price and choose from several currencies (Dollar, Euro, Pound, etc.). This information helps your loved ones choose a gift that fits their budget. The price is optional: if you don't fill it in, the gift idea will appear without a price indication.

Absolutely! Olaf offers the "Managed Persons" feature to create lists on behalf of your children, parents, or anyone without an account. Create a profile for that person from your dashboard, then manage their wishlists.

Because the list is kept on someone else's behalf, you'll see the reservations made by the other members right away, which is handy for coordinating gifts. You can also reserve ideas on it yourself, since the gifts are meant for the person you look after, not for you.

That list can also be looked after by several people, each with their own account: everyone who manages it sees the same reservations and can place reservations of their own.

Yes. A list kept on someone else's behalf can be managed by several people, each with their own account: you add and edit the ideas together.

Each of them sees the reservations the family has already made, and can place their own. That is what lets two parents coordinate without buying the same present twice.

After the expiration date, your list is no longer visible to other group members. Only you can still view it and finally discover who reserved what, along with any notes left by those who chose to treat you.

It's time to uncover the surprises and possibly carry over gift ideas to a new list for those that weren't gifted.

Yes! Two options are available:

Recreate the whole list in one click: from an expired private list, the "Recreate this list" button instantly creates a new list that automatically carries over every unreserved gift idea. You just enter the new name, new event date and new expiration date. Perfect for recurring lists (birthday, Christmas, etc.) — next year, you start again from the ideas that weren't gifted, without having to retype everything. The original date each idea was added is preserved, so the age of each wish is kept.

Copy ideas one at a time: the "Copy" button on each gift idea of an expired list lets you target a specific destination (another active private list, a public list, or a Memo list). Useful when you want to dispatch ideas across multiple lists.

The list creator or a group editor can recreate an expired list. Ideas already gifted or in an active group contribution stay on the original list.

Each private list lives in one or more groups. To share it, invite your loved ones to join the group concerned. Olaf offers four ways to invite:

By email: enter the person's email address in the group settings. They'll receive an email with a link valid for 7 days. If they already have an Olaf account, a notification will also be waiting for them in the app.

By 6-digit code: generate a temporary code from the group settings and share it verbally or by message. The invited person enters this code on Olaf to instantly join the group. Perfect for family gatherings!

By QR code: generate a QR code from the group settings. The person scans it with their phone and joins the group directly. Ideal for face-to-face sharing.

By link on mobile: share the invitation link via WhatsApp, SMS, or any app through your phone's share menu. The most convenient way to invite people remotely.

Once they're group members, your loved ones will automatically see all shared lists and can reserve gifts.

Yes. In the list settings, under “Sharing”, you can make it visible in up to ten groups at once — handy when the same birthday involves both your friends and your in-laws. Bear in mind that members of all those groups will see the same reservations and the same messages, even if they don't know each other.

Members of both groups see the list — and they see each other too: everyone finds out which gifts have been reserved, what is being said in the chats and which off-list gifts the members of the other circle have announced, even if the two circles have never met.

That is precisely what keeps a friend and a brother-in-law from buying the same present, but it is worth knowing before you share. The person the list is meant for, on the other hand, still sees nothing.

A group can have three types of members:

The owner: the group creator, who can manage everything: edit the group, remove members (including editors), transfer ownership to another member, or delete the group. The owner cannot leave the group: they must transfer ownership or delete the group.

Editors (Admins): they can create and edit lists, manage regular members, promote or demote other editors, and cancel reservations. The owner can promote any member to editor.

Regular members: they can create their own wishlists in the group, invite other people to join the group, view the group's lists, reserve gifts, contribute to group contributions, and use the secret chat. They can leave the group at any time.

Worth noting: creating a list and inviting new members are available to every member of the group, not only the owner or the editors.

If a list is shared with several groups, being an editor in one of them is enough to have editing rights on that list.

Important note: an editor who creates their own list loses their editor rights on that specific list, to preserve the secrecy of reservations.

If you're the group owner and want to hand it over, go to the group settings and choose "Transfer ownership". Select the new owner from existing members.

This action is irreversible: you'll become a regular member and the new owner will have full control over the group.

No, that's the magic of Olaf! When you reserve a gift on someone's list, that information stays secret from them. The other members of the groups the list is shared with see the reservations, which prevents duplicates.

One exception: when a list is kept on someone else's behalf — a child's list, for instance — the person who manages it does see the reservations, since the gifts are not for them. That is exactly what lets them coordinate the whole family's ideas.

The list creator won't discover who reserved what until after the expiration date (for private lists) or after the event date (for public lists). The surprise stays intact!

Good to know: in a shop, you can also reserve a gift from a loved one's list by scanning its barcode with the mobile app — the surprise stays just as well kept.

And if you would rather stay discreet with the other members too, an option in your profile hides your name: they only see that the gift is taken.

Yes. An option in your profile stops showing your name to the other participants: they see that a gift is taken, without knowing who took it. It also covers the gifts you announce outside the list.

The person the list is for will still see your name and your message when the list is revealed — and so will whoever manages a loved one's list.

Good to know: shared pots between members stay under real names, and messages already sent before you switch the option keep your name.

On a private list: you can cancel your reservation as long as the event date hasn't passed. Go to the gift idea and click "Cancel my reservation". A group editor can also cancel another member's reservation.

On a public list: use the cancellation link received by email (valid for 30 days), or cancel directly from your account if you were logged in when you reserved. Cancellation is possible as long as the event date hasn't passed.

Tip: if you re-scan a gift in a shop that you'd already partly reserved, the mobile app offers directly to adjust your reserved quantity.

Olaf centralises all your reservations on a dedicated "My reservations" page, accessible from your dashboard.

At a glance you will find: — all the gifts you have reserved, regardless of the list or group; — the quantities reserved for each gift idea; — your reservations on public wishlists, with a direct link to each list; — the contributions you have started or joined, along with the amount of your contribution; — the gifts you have announced outside the lists, grouped by list and editable until the event date has passed; — the notes you have left for the recipient.

It is the perfect place to check your commitments before the holidays and make sure you have not forgotten anything!

Yes! If the list creator has indicated a quantity greater than 1 for a gift idea (for example "6 wine glasses"), you can reserve only part of it.

Simply indicate how many units you'd like to give. Other members will see the remaining quantity and can complete it. Perfect for gifts in multiple copies or collections!

For more expensive gifts, Olaf lets you chip in together! When reserving a gift idea on a private list, you can choose to start a group contribution instead of a simple reservation.

Enter your contribution amount, and other group members will see that a collection is in progress. They can add their share too. You can track the progress and participants in real time. Once the target is reached, coordinate the purchase via the gift idea's secret chat!

Note: contributions are only available on private lists.

Olaf offers a built-in discussion space on each gift idea in private lists. Group members can exchange messages directly on a gift: coordinate for a group contribution, ask for details about the recipient's preferences, or simply discuss the surprise being planned.

This chat is completely invisible to the list creator. Only the other members have access — and if the list is shared with several groups, the members of all those circles read the same conversation. It becomes read-only after the event date or if the gift idea is reserved.

Note: the chat is not available on public lists or Memo lists.

On a private list, you can announce an off-list gift to the other group members: an idea you plan to offer that isn't on the recipient's official wishlist. The announcement appears in a dedicated section, collapsed at the bottom of the wishlist, kept apart from the regular gift ideas.

The section stays completely invisible to the recipient: they see neither the announced gifts nor the names of the announcers. The surprise is preserved, exactly as with reservations.

The announced gift is locked to you: no reservation by others, no contribution, no chat. You remain the only one who can edit or delete it as long as the event date hasn't passed. Group editors can, however, remove an announcement if it's problematic (moderation).

With every new announcement, the other group members receive an in-app notification to keep them in the loop — except the recipient, never notified.

You can announce an off-list gift from the list itself, but also without reopening it: by scanning its barcode in a shop, by sharing the product page from your phone's browser to the app, or from the browser extension on your computer.

And if the list is shared with several groups, the coordination works from one circle to the next: your friends see the reservations and the announcements made by your in-laws, and vice versa. Two separate lists could never do that.

If a member chose to stay discreet, the announcement shows without their name — but it plays exactly the same role: everyone else knows that gift is already taken.

Yes, Olaf synchronizes all actions instantly — an Olaf Wishlist exclusive! As soon as a group member reserves a gift idea, adds to a contribution, or sends a message in the chat, everyone else sees the update immediately, without needing to refresh the page.

No more duplicate reservations! If two people are viewing the same list at the same time, they see each other's actions in real time. This is especially handy during holiday seasons when everyone is making reservations at once.

This real-time synchronization works on private lists and public lists.

A browser extension is a small add-on that you install in your web browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge) on your computer. It adds an Olaf button directly to your browser's toolbar. The extension is available only on desktop (PC or Mac), not on mobile.

Installation: go to your browser's extension store (Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons, or Microsoft Edge Add-ons), search for "Olaf Wishlist", and click "Add". You can also click the installation button on the Olaf homepage, which automatically detects your browser.

Usage: browse your favourite shopping sites. When you find a product you like, click the Olaf icon in the toolbar: the extension automatically captures the title, description, price, and image of the product. Select the target list (private, public, or memo) and the gift is added with one click. No more copy-pasting!

Note: on mobile, you can use your browser's Share function to send a product link directly to the Olaf app.

Absolutely. The extension uses a personal, secure API key generated when you log in. It doesn't collect any browsing data and only extracts product information from the displayed page when you click the Olaf icon. You can revoke the key at any time from your account settings.

Yes! The Olaf extension isn't just for adding gift ideas. When browsing a retail website, the extension can detect if a similar product already exists in your loved ones' lists.

If a match is found, you can reserve the gift directly from the extension, without leaving the site where you plan to make the purchase. Olaf excels at finding matches between products — an Olaf Wishlist exclusive!

Heads up: detection only works from the product page itself — the detailed page for a specific item. From your cart, a category page, or search results, the extension can't identify the targeted product. Make sure to open the product page before clicking the Olaf icon.

Olaf keeps you posted on everything happening in your groups: new member, new list created, gift idea added or reserved. In-app notifications are always on — the bell at the top of the page on web, the notifications tab on mobile.

Emails and notifications on your phone, however, are off to begin with. Turn them on whenever you like from the notifications section of your profile: a single switch brings back a whole channel, and you can fine-tune by category afterwards.

That's expected at first: emails and phone notifications stay off until you turn them on. Head to your profile, notifications section, and switch on whichever channel you want.

On mobile, also check that your phone allows Olaf to notify you — both conditions are needed. In-app notifications, on the other hand, work from day one, as does the email that verifies your account.

Olaf adapts to many situations:

Family Christmas: create a "Family" group, each member adds their list. Reservations stay secret, and the chat helps coordinate.

Birthday: a private list with an event date. Your friends reserve in secret and can chip in for expensive gifts.

Wedding or baby shower: a public list shareable by link, accessible to everyone without signing up. Your guests can find your list by search or direct link.

Personal wishes: a Memo list to jot down your gift ideas over time. When an occasion comes up, convert your memo into a private or public list.

Children: use "Managed Persons" to create lists on behalf of your kids. As the guardian, you can see reservations to coordinate.

Secret Santa: automatic random drawing, max budget, exclusions, and anonymous chat between participants.

Yes! On a public list (wedding, baby shower or other), you can enable a cash gift pool. Your guests contribute by card and the funds land directly in your bank account — Olaf takes no commission, only the payment provider's usual banking fees apply.

Like the gifts, you can see the total collected at any time, but the details of each contribution (names, messages) are revealed after the event, to keep the surprise.

Good to know: a cash gift given between loved ones for an occasion is generally treated as a customary gift and is not taxable. If you have any doubt about a large amount, check with the relevant authorities.