# Déjà Vu Photos — Time travel made easy

> Augmented reality app for comparing historical city photos with current views. (iPhone/iPad app by E.J. Kalafarski.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deja-vu-photos/id756236885 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [E.J. Kalafarski](https://appshunter.io/developer/756236888)
- Category: Travel, Reference
- Price: Free (on sale, was $1.99)
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 10 App Store ratings · 12 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 26.0 · 258 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2013-11-22
- Data updated: 2026-06-01
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deja-vu-photos/id756236885/reviews.md

## What is Déjà Vu Photos?

Déjà Vu is the time travel app for your iPhone. Hold up your phone to see into the past of the city around you.

Déjà Vu is a collection of individually-curated vintage photographs that show the city around you as it used to be. Peer into these "wormholes" at a specific place in time and space to see back into another era. Hold up a photograph taken in the spot you’re standing to compare today with the same view in the past.

Déjà Vu uses the fusion of your iPhone's sensors to create an augmented reality experience: your phone’s GPS lets you "home in" the spot the photographer stood, and your phone’s gyroscope and compass spin the photo to the angle it was taken, letting you compare the vintage photograph to what stands in its spot today. Use a side-by-side view camera to take a "before and after" photo comparing yesterday and today.

Explore cities around the globe, including New York City, Boston, Washington, London, Paris, Jerusalem, New Orleans, Paris, Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.

Let Déjà Vu carry you from one historical site to another in your own city, or travel to cities throughout the world. Whether you're touring New York City, walking to work in Paris, or doing archaeology in Jerusalem, Déjà Vu lets you explore the past around you. Tour the original Penn Station, see the Capitol Dome under construction, or watch Union troops march through Faneuil Hall. Immerse yourself in an expanding collection of vintage photographs across the city.

Additional features:

• Compass: Each photo has a specialized compass to guide you to the exact spot the photo was taken so many years ago.

• Gyroscope: Déjà Vu shows you exactly which direction to face to recreate the shot. Tap the gyroscope and the photo will spin to face the correct direction. All you have to do is point in the same direction and tilt your phone until it matches up.

• Camera: Once you're pointing in the right spot, use a side-by-side camera view to recreate the shot and take your own "then and now" photo to share and post to social media.

• Point of view: See what's close around you with a "point of view" on the landscape of your city. Point your iPhone in any direction and explore.

• Time periods: Time travel to different eras in city history using the Calendar menu, and choose other locations around the world from the City menu to become a master of space and time.

• Buildings: Simply zoom in to see the year of construction for every building in cities including NYC, DC, or SF, and begin to learn the age of every single building you walk by.

• Historical maps: Maps overlay your location and photos in each city, transporting you to medieval Paris, French colonial New Orleans, post-consolidation New York City, and many more.

Become a traveler of both time and space with Déjà Vu. You'll connect with the past and future like you never have before.

## Key features

- Augmented reality historical photo overlays
- Side-by-side 'then and now' camera view
- GPS and compass for accurate photo alignment
- Explore cities worldwide
- View building construction years
- Historical map overlays

## Recent user reviews (10 of 12)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deja-vu-photos/id756236885/reviews.md

### 1/5 — App is crashing when I take a picture!

*2018-04-30, version 3.3*

The app crashes when I try and save my picture.

### 5/5 — Beautiful Pictures

*2017-01-10, version 3.1*

It's amazing to see pictures of the streets I walk down from a hundred years ago. So much has changed, but the cities are still so familiar. To get the most of this app you need to walk through the streets of one of the app's photographed cities.

### 5/5 — Old world NYC in the palm of your hand

*2017-01-09, version 3.1*

As a lifelong New Yorker this is a real treat! I love being able to peel back the layers of time and see what NYC looked like in different eras.

### 5/5 — Amazing app

*2017-01-06, version 3.1*

Love the app, especially with the addition of some of the newer cities. It's great for making my trips more interesting, or even my home town more fun!

### 5/5 — Very fun and interactive.

*2016-12-20, version 3.1*

Wow! Such a fun app. Love using this while I'm walking through NYC to take a step back in time and see how the urban landscape has transformed.

### 5/5 — A history lover's dream

*2016-12-12, version 3.1*

Very cool app. I have seen a lot of history apps but I like that you can use the calendar to adjust by years. It also shows a lot of places I haven't seen or heard of before. Def recommend.

### 3/5 — Deja vu

*2016-05-06, version 2.2.3*

One photo checked for the Singer building dated as 1893 shows cars possibly 1993. Bring to developer's attention. Otherwise interesting concept.

### 1/5 — Only 3 Cities are on this app!

*2015-05-16, version 2.2*

I feel taken advantage of this app. I guess if you don't live in New York, Boston or DC and don't visit them often, then don't get this app. Also, I thought they would have more pictures in their database than just the few hundred (maybe not even that many) that were loaded. I am not impressed. They should give people the opportunity to post old pics of their cities and pinpoint the locations and then it may flourish... Needs work.

### 4/5 — Beautiful, clever idea; hope it grows

*2014-06-11, version 1.0.3*

What a great idea! Finding old photos that correspond to your location is lots of fun - the only drawback is that currently there aren't very many photos in the app's database (and virtually none from the boroughs). Hopefully the designer will continue to add more. Kudos also on the elegant interface (for one thing, it's nice to see a departure from the candy color schemes used in most apps).

### 5/5 — Awesome App

*2014-01-03, version 1.0.1*

Works very well and easy to use. Thanks for giving us a glimpse of what old NYC used to look like.

## Frequently asked questions about Déjà Vu Photos

### What is Déjà Vu Photos?

Déjà Vu Photos is an augmented reality application that allows you to see historical photographs of cities overlaid onto your current surroundings. It uses your iPhone's sensors to align vintage images with the present-day view, enabling comparisons of past and present.

### How does Déjà Vu Photos work?

The app utilizes your iPhone's GPS to guide you to the exact location where a historical photo was taken. Its gyroscope and compass then help you orient your phone to match the original photo's angle, creating an immersive AR experience.

### Can I take photos with Déjà Vu Photos?

Yes, Déjà Vu Photos features a side-by-side camera view that lets you capture 'then and now' photos. You can then share these comparisons on social media.

### Which cities are available on Déjà Vu Photos?

The app features curated vintage photographs for numerous cities worldwide, including New York City, Boston, Washington, London, Paris, Jerusalem, New Orleans, Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.

### Is Déjà Vu Photos free to use?

Yes, Déjà Vu Photos is available for free. There are no in-app purchases or subscription fees required to access its features.

### Does Déjà Vu Photos have ads?

No, Déjà Vu Photos is ad-free. You can explore historical city views without any advertisements interrupting your experience.

### What is the age rating for Déjà Vu Photos?

Déjà Vu Photos has an age rating of 12+. This indicates it is suitable for users aged 12 and older.

### How often is Déjà Vu Photos updated?

The app was last updated on September 15, 2025, with version 4.0. This suggests regular updates to expand content and improve functionality.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.0 — 2025-09-15

Déjà Vu has been totally rewritten for iOS 26 to take full advantage of Liquid Glass. An elegant new interface keeps the focus on beautiful historic photos that run from edge-to-edge of your iPhone screen, immerses you in historic maps, and lets notations and information sit on top of this content without obscuring any of it. The app icon has also been updated to fit into the new Home Screen, including the clear icon look.

### 3.5.8 — 2025-07-08

New maps transport you to medieval Paris, French colonial New Orleans, and post-consolidation New York City.

### 3.5.7 — 2025-06-15

Updated for iOS 18, including Dark Mode icon.

### 3.5.6 — 2024-02-18

Updated for iOS 17.3.

### 3.5.5 — 2022-11-07

Updated for iOS 16.

## Apps similar to Déjà Vu Photos

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## More apps by E.J. Kalafarski

- [Gustave - Smart Dining Picks](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gustave-smart-dining-picks/id6755127887)

All apps by E.J. Kalafarski: https://appshunter.io/developer/756236888

## Related topics

[deja vu app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/deja-vu-app) · [dejavu](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/dejavu)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-01.*