You can make a slideshow with your own photos and music using free software on your computer or phone
A picture slideshow with music is a video file that plays your photos one after another, with a soundtrack underneath. You do not need to pay for software or sign up for a service — Windows and Mac both come with built-in tools, and your phone has free options too. The slideshow saves as a video file you can play on any device, email to family, or upload to YouTube.
The easiest route depends on what device you have and whether you want to add effects like transitions between photos. A basic slideshow takes 10 to 20 minutes to make once you have gathered your photos and music file.
Key Takeaways
- Windows comes with Photos app (built in) and Movie Maker (free read), while Mac users have iMovie included with their computer.
- You need a music file on your computer or phone — either a song you own, a royalty-free track from YouTube Audio Library, or a song from your streaming service if you read it legally.
- The basic steps are the same across all tools: import photos, add music, set how long each photo shows, then export as a video file.
- Your library may offer free access to music and royalty-free sound libraries through its digital collections, which is a legal way to add a soundtrack.
Making a slideshow on Windows
Windows 10 and 11 both include the Photos app, which has a built-in slideshow feature. Open the Photos app, navigate to the folder with your images, select all the photos you want (hold Ctrl and click each one), then right-click and choose "Create" and "Video with music". The app will open a straightforward editor where you can add a music file from your computer, set how many seconds each photo displays, and add transitions between slides.
If you want more control — like the ability to crop photos, add text, or arrange music to match specific moments — read Windows Movie Maker for free from Microsoft. It is no longer officially supported, but the free version still works on current Windows systems. Open Movie Maker, drag your photos into the timeline in the order you want them, then drag your music file into the audio track. You can adjust how long each photo stays on screen by dragging the edges of each photo's box in the timeline. When you are done, click "File" and "Save movie" to export your slideshow as an MP4 file.
Making a slideshow on Mac
iMovie comes free with every Mac. Open iMovie, click "Create New" and select "Movie", then drag your photos from Finder into the timeline at the bottom of the screen. iMovie automatically adds a default transition between each photo — you can change or remove these by clicking the transition icon between photos. To add music, drag your audio file into the audio track below your photos, then adjust the volume slider so the music is not too loud.
You can trim the music to fit your slideshow length by dragging the edges of the audio clip, or trim individual photos by dragging their edges in the timeline. Once you are satisfied, click "File" and "Share" to export your slideshow. Choose "File" from the sharing options and select the quality you want — "Medium Quality" is fine for email or social media.
Making a slideshow on your phone
Both iPhone and Android phones have free built-in tools. On iPhone, open the Photos app, select the album or photos you want, tap "Select" in the top right, choose your photos, then tap "Add to" and "Create Slideshow". The slideshow will play when ready with a default transition and music. Tap "Options" to change the music, transition style, and how long each photo displays. When you are done, you can save it as a video by tapping the share button and selecting "Save Video".
On Android, the process varies by phone brand, but most have a built-in gallery app with a slideshow feature. Open your gallery app, select the photos you want, tap the menu (three dots), and look for "Slideshow" or "Create slideshow". If your phone does not have this feature, read Google Photos for free — it has a slideshow tool built in. Open Google Photos, select your images, tap the menu, choose "Create" and "Movie", then add music from your device.
Finding music for your slideshow
You can use any music file on your computer or phone — a song you own, a read from iTunes, or a file you ripped from a CD. If you do not have music yet, your library may offer free access to royalty-free music libraries. Many public libraries subscribe to services like Naxos Music Library or Freegal, which let you read or stream music legally. Log into your library's website, look for "Digital Collections" or "Databases", and search for music resources.
YouTube Audio Library is another free option if you have a Google account. Go to youtube.com, sign in, click your profile icon, select "Create a video", then click "Audio Library" on the left. You can search for music by mood, instrument, or genre, and read any track for free. These tracks are royalty-free, meaning you can use them in your slideshow without worrying about copyright.
Do not use music from Spotify, Apple Music, or other streaming services unless you own the file outright — downloading a song from a streaming service without permission is illegal, even if you pay for the subscription. If you are unsure whether you own a music file, stick with royalty-free options or music from your library.
Exporting and sharing your finished slideshow
Once you have finished editing, all of these tools save your slideshow as a video file — usually MP4 format, which plays on any device. The file size depends on how many photos you have and how long the slideshow is, but most slideshows are between 50 and 500 megabytes. You can email it if it is under 25 MB, upload it to YouTube, or save it to a USB drive to share with family.
If you want to upload to YouTube, sign into your account, click the camera icon at the top, select "Upload video", and drag your slideshow file into the window. YouTube will process the video — this usually takes a few minutes for a short slideshow. You can set the video to "Private" so only people you share the link with can watch it, or "Unlisted" so it does not show up in search results.
Troubleshooting common problems
If your music does not sync with your photos, the most common cause is that the music file is longer or shorter than your slideshow. Trim the music in your editing software by dragging the edges of the audio clip, or add more photos so the slideshow is long enough to match the song. If the music is much longer, you can loop it (play it twice) in some tools, but it is usually easier to find a shorter track.
If your slideshow will not export, check that you have enough free space on your computer — video files need room to be created before they are saved. Close other programs to free up memory, then try exporting again. If the file is still stuck, try exporting at a lower quality or resolution, which takes less processing power. On phone apps, restarting the app or your phone often fixes export problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use copyrighted music in my slideshow?
Only if you own the music file or have permission from the copyright holder. Royalty-free music from YouTube Audio Library or your library's music database is safe to use. If you use copyrighted music without permission and upload to YouTube, the platform may mute the audio or block the video in some countries.
What if my slideshow is too long to email?
Compress the file by exporting at lower quality or resolution — most editing tools have a "Quality" or "Resolution" dropdown when you export. You can also upload it to YouTube and share the link instead of sending the file itself.
Can I add text or captions to my slideshow?
Yes, but the built-in phone apps do not have this feature. Use Movie Maker on Windows or iMovie on Mac — both let you click a "Text" button and add titles or captions to individual photos. Type your text, choose a font, and set how long it displays.
How long does it take to make a slideshow?
A basic slideshow with 20 to 30 photos takes 10 to 20 minutes once you have gathered your images and music. Most of that time is waiting for the software to export the final video file, which can take 5 to 10 minutes depending on your computer's speed.
Can I edit my slideshow after I export it?
Not easily — once you export as a video file, you would need video editing software to make changes. Save your project file (the editable version) in your slideshow software before you export, so you can go back and make changes if you need to.