VSCO Problems & Issues

VSCO's January 2026 AI Labs update introducing prompt-based editing has angered its core user base. Reddit users are furious that the app is pushing AI features when VSCO's identity was about being the opposite of Photoshop. Many feel the company is abandoning authentic photography in favor of commercialization.

Users have been requesting an archive feature like Instagram for over 7 years. Instead of being able to hide photos temporarily, users must permanently delete them when updating their feed. VSCO has ignored this widely-requested feature for years.

Users report struggling with ambiguous icons and non-apparent button functions. Many need to repeatedly press buttons to understand what they do. The new app layout after recent updates has been described as 'HORRIBLE' and not user-friendly.

Users report that photos don't save to the camera roll even after pressing save, requiring them to start editing over. Some users have lost their Journals entirely after app updates. Black squares and glitches appear covering parts of photos during editing.

VSCO cannot restore any images lost if the app is deleted without backing up first. If users delete the VSCO app without backing up to cloud or computer, all photos are permanently lost. This critical limitation is not prominently communicated.

Monitoring data shows VSCO has approximately 73% uptime with response times varying from 0ms to over 30 seconds. Video uploads and edits experience frequent issues, and images sometimes fail to post entirely.

When VSCO introduced its subscription model in 2016-2017, presets that users had already purchased individually suddenly went gray and were locked behind the new paywall. Users were forced to pay again for filters they had already bought, with many feeling betrayed by this bait-and-switch tactic.

Multiple users report that VSCO falsely advertises a 7-day free trial but charges immediately upon signup. When users contact support about these unauthorized charges, they receive dismissive responses or no response at all.

VSCO does not allow users to cancel memberships or turn off auto-renewal from within the app itself. Users must navigate to their device settings or the Stripe billing platform, and VSCO support explicitly states they cannot cancel subscriptions for users.

VSCO states it cannot refund Plus or Pro memberships; App Store and Google Play buyers must request refunds from Apple or Google. Only the new VSCO One plan has a one-time 30-day refund window, and downloading its Film Presets voids it.

VSCO One launched in June 2026 at $499.99/year, billed annually only, bundling Pro editing with the Workspace CRM. Coverage noted backlash from users who thought the mobile editor itself now cost $500, and criticism that desktop editing and RAW support were still listed as coming soon.

Users report submitting emails, tweets, and App Store comments to VSCO support with zero replies. Support tickets are automatically closed after 30 days without any meaningful response. There is no phone support available, making resolution of billing issues nearly impossible.

Users cannot delete their account directly from the VSCO app. They must go to the website and verify their email before deletion. One Hacker News user called this 'poor design practice' that makes it unnecessarily difficult to leave the platform.

Users report that VSCO takes ages to load pictures when importing, the homepage is slow, and edits take a significant amount of time to apply. VSCO has acknowledged that app performance is not up to their standards and claims improvement is their top priority.

VSCO's plans page lists Pro and VSCO One as iOS and desktop only, and the help center confirms RAW support, split focus/exposure, white balance lock and advanced camera controls are missing on Android. Android users repeatedly report iOS getting new features and fixes first.