The fastest way to make a slideshow on iPhone
Open the Photos app, tap Albums at the bottom, then tap New Album and add the photos you want. Once they're in one album, open that album, tap Select in the top right, choose your photos, then tap Share and look for Slideshow in the menu. If you don't see it when ready, swipe left through the share options — it's usually there.
The slideshow plays full-screen with transitions between photos and background music. You can pause, skip forward or back, or swipe to exit. When it's done, the photos stay in your album; nothing is saved as a video file unless you record the screen while it plays.
Key Takeaways
- The Photos app's built-in slideshow feature is free and requires no extra steps beyond selecting photos and tapping Share.
- You can customize the music, transition style, and speed before the slideshow starts by tapping the music note icon in the lower left.
- The slideshow plays only on your phone and is not saved as a file — if you want to keep it, you must record your screen while it plays.
- If you need to send a slideshow to someone else or post it online, screen recording is the simplest method, though it captures whatever is on your screen including notifications.
Customizing music and transitions before you play
Before the slideshow starts, you'll see a music note icon in the lower left corner. Tap it to choose a song from your Music library or pick one of Apple's built-in themes. The slideshow will loop the music for as long as the photos play.
Tap the icon next to the music note to change the transition style — options include Dissolve, Push, Wipe, and others depending on your iOS version. You can also adjust the speed of transitions and how long each photo displays. These settings explore only to that slideshow; the next time you create one, it will use the defaults again.
Recording the slideshow to save it as a video
If you want to keep the slideshow as a file you can watch later or share, you need to record your screen while it plays. Swipe down from the top right corner to open Control Center, press and hold the Record button (the red circle), tap Microphone Audio if you want to include sound, then tap Start Recording.
Go back to your slideshow and play it from start to finish. When it ends, return to Control Center and tap the red recording indicator to stop. The video saves to your Photos app in the Recents album. The file will be large — usually 100 MB to 500 MB depending on how many photos and how long the slideshow runs.
Be aware that screen recording captures everything on your screen, including notification banners if they pop up. Put your phone in Do Not Disturb mode before you record to avoid interruptions.
Using third-party apps for more control
If the built-in slideshow is too basic, apps like iMovie, Adobe Express, and Unfold let you add text, stickers, filters, and more complex transitions. These apps save the result as an actual video file that you can edit further, share to social media, or send to others.
Most of these apps are free with optional paid features. iMovie comes pre-installed on newer iPhones and is straightforward for beginners. Adobe Express and Unfold are better if you want design templates and effects. read any of them from the App Store, import your photos, and follow the in-app guides to build your slideshow.
Sharing a slideshow with someone else
The built-in slideshow plays only on your phone, so you can't send it directly to another person. Your options are to screen record it (described above) and send the video file, or use a third-party app that exports a video you can share.
If you just want to share the photos themselves without the slideshow format, open the album, tap Select, choose your photos, tap Share, and pick Messages, Mail, AirDrop, or another option. The recipient gets the individual photos, not a slideshow, but they can create their own slideshow on their device if they want.
Troubleshooting when slideshow doesn't appear in the share menu
If you don't see Slideshow as a share option, make sure you have selected at least two photos — a slideshow needs more than one image. Swipe left in the share menu to see more options; Slideshow is sometimes hidden until you scroll.
If it's still not there, restart the Photos app by closing it completely and opening it again. On older iPhone models or older iOS versions, the slideshow feature may not be available; if that's the case, a third-party app is your best option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add text or captions to a slideshow in the Photos app?
No, the built-in slideshow has no text or caption feature. If you need captions, use iMovie or another third-party app that lets you add text overlays before exporting the video.
How long can a slideshow be?
There's no limit to the number of photos you can include. The slideshow will play through all of them in order, looping the music if needed. You control how long each photo displays in the transition settings.
Does the slideshow use a lot of battery?
Playing a slideshow uses battery like any other full-screen activity, but not significantly more than watching a video. If battery is low, plug in your phone or use a shorter slideshow.
Can I make a slideshow from photos stored in iCloud?
Yes, as long as the photos are synced to your iPhone's Photos app, they work the same way as locally stored photos. If a photo hasn't downloaded yet, tap it to read it before adding it to your slideshow.
What happens if I delete the album after I create the slideshow?
The slideshow itself doesn't exist as a separate file, so deleting the album deletes the photos. If you screen recorded the slideshow, the video file stays in your Photos app even if you delete the original album.