Trying Buffer without an account (guest mode)

Did you know you can try a few things in Buffer before you create an account? Guest mode lets you write posts, save drafts, browse Templates, and preview Insights and Community. If you decide to sign up, your guest mode drafts come with you.

:::info Note: Guest mode is a preview of Buffer, not a plan. To schedule posts, publish through Buffer, or connect your social channels, you'll need an account. Looking for Buffer's free tools, like the Magic Resizer? Those are separate from guest mode. See Using Buffer's Magic Resizer for images. :::

What you can try in guest mode

You can open guest mode at publish.buffer.com/p. A banner at the top of the page shows you're browsing without an account.

Publish

• Write a post with text and emoji, choose which networks it's for, and see a preview for each one.
• Add and edit images, up to 10 per post. JPEG, PNG, and WebP files can be up to 10 MB, and GIFs can be up to 15 MB. Video isn't available in guest mode, but you can add it once you have an account.
• Add tags. You can use up to 3 different tags across all your drafts.
• Save up to 10 drafts, and choose a planned date for any of them. A draft with a planned date stays a draft, and nothing is scheduled or published.
• Use the calendar to see posting slots and start a draft from one.
• Select Share Now to see your options. You can create an account to have Buffer post it, or choose Share it manually, which doesn't need an account. Buffer walks you through it: open the social network in a new tab, then copy your caption and download your images, and post them there yourself.

Create

• Browse Templates and use one to fill in a new post.

Insights

• Explore a preview with sample data to see what Buffer's analytics look like. The sample data updates about once a day and isn't from your own channels.

Community

• Try a preview with example comments to see how replying, liking, and resolving work. These are sample comments, not real ones.

What you need an account for

These features ask you to sign up or log in first:

• Scheduling posts and publishing through Buffer
• Connecting your social channels
• Buffer's AI Assistant and AI alt text
• Tagging people in images
• Channel-specific options, such as First Comment, stickers, and Shop Grid Link. You'll see them in the composer, but they're locked until you have an account.
• Your own Insights and Community data

How guest mode saves your work

Your guest mode drafts are saved in the browser you're using, for up to 30 days. Another browser or device won't have them, and clearing your browsing data or closing a private or incognito window may remove them sooner.

Drafts saved in a Buffer account aren't affected by this limit. To keep your work longer, or open it on another device, create an account and your guest mode drafts will move over.

What happens to your guest mode drafts when you create an account

When you create an account or log in from guest mode, your guest mode drafts are carried over automatically.

1. In guest mode, select Sign up or Log in from the sidebar, or Create account or Log In from a prompt in the composer, Community, or Insights. The same prompt appears when you select Schedule.
2. Create your account, or log in to the one you already have. If you log in to an existing account, your guest mode drafts are added next to the drafts you already have.
3. Watch for a "Drafts importing" message, then a message saying "Your drafts are now in Buffer."
4. You land on the Drafts tab in Publish, where your guest mode drafts are. Drafts without a planned date appear under Unscheduled, and drafts with one appear on their date.

:::info Note: If you sign up from the Schedule prompt, the composer opens with the post you were working on. :::

If you log in to an existing Buffer account some other way later, such as from the regular login page in the same browser, a banner on the Drafts tab tells you how many drafts are saved in this browser and which account they'll be imported into. Select Import to bring them in.

What comes with you: the text of each draft, your images, your tags, and any planned dates.

What doesn't come with you yet: the networks you picked in guest mode. Your drafts arrive without a channel selected, so you'll choose one when you open each draft. To publish, you'll also need to connect a channel. See Connecting your channels to Buffer.

:::warning Note: Your guest mode drafts move into the account you sign up or log in with, and they're removed from guest mode once they do. If you have more than one Buffer account, log in to the one you want to keep them in. :::

FAQ

What happens to my guest mode drafts when I create an account?

They're carried over automatically. You'll see a message while they import, then one saying your drafts are now in Buffer. See the steps above for what comes with them.

I logged in to the wrong account after using guest mode. Can I get my guest mode drafts back?

Once guest mode drafts move into an account, they're removed from guest mode, so logging out won't bring them back. Email us at hello@buffer.com and tell us which account your drafts landed in. Our Advocacy team will help you sort it out.

How long are guest mode drafts saved?

Up to 30 days in the same browser. Drafts saved in a Buffer account aren't affected by this limit.

Is guest mode the same as the Free plan?

No. Guest mode is a way to try Buffer without an account. Once you sign up, you can see which plans are available in Buffer pricing and features.

More resources

• Saving and scheduling draft posts
• Using Templates in Buffer
• Connecting your channels to Buffer
• Getting started with Buffer's analytics features
• Using Buffer's Magic Resizer for images
• Buffer pricing and features

:::info Need help with guest mode? Send us an email at hello@buffer.com and our Advocacy team will be standing by to assist! :::