DB Labs
iPhone Photo Slideshow Options
iPhone offers two main ways to create photo slideshows. The built-in Slideshow (tap the three-dot menu from any album → Slideshow) plays photos with transitions and music on your screen — quick and easy but cannot be exported as a video. Memory Movies (created from the For You tab or any album's three-dot menu → Play Memory Movie) are more cinematic, fully customizable, and can be exported as .mov video files to share anywhere. Use Memory Movies when you want something shareable.
Creating a Quick Slideshow
The built-in slideshow is the fastest way to show photos to people in front of you:
- Open the Photos app and navigate to any album, or select specific photos using the Select button.
- Tap the three-dot menu (top right) and choose Slideshow. The slideshow starts immediately.
- While playing, tap the screen to reveal the Options button at the bottom.
- Tap Options to change the Theme (visual style and transitions), Music (built-in or Apple Music), Speed (slow, medium, fast), and Loop toggle.
Tapping the screen during playback also reveals a pause button and an AirPlay button to cast to your TV.
Creating a Memory Movie Slideshow
Memory Movies are more polished and shareable than the basic slideshow. To create one:
1 From an Album
Open any album in Photos, tap the three-dot menu, and choose Play Memory Movie. iOS generates a Memory Movie from the album's photos instantly.
2 From Selected Photos
Tap Select in any view, choose the photos you want, tap the Share button, and choose Add to Memory or Create Memory Movie. iOS assembles the selection into a Memory.
3 From the For You Tab
Go to the For You tab and tap any auto-generated Memory. These are already edited with themes and music — you can customize and share them as-is.
Adding Music to Your Slideshow
Both slideshows and Memory Movies support music. The approaches differ slightly:
Slideshows
While the slideshow plays, tap Options → Music. Choose from Apple's built-in themed soundtracks (organized by mood: Sentimental, Uplifting, Chill, etc.) or pick any song from your Apple Music library. The slideshow pacing is not synced to the music's beat — it plays at the speed you set.
Memory Movies
While a Memory Movie plays, tap the music note icon. The same options apply, but Memory Movies do sync their cuts and transitions to the beat of the chosen track — making the result feel much more cinematic and professional. Choosing a track with a strong, clear beat produces the best synchronized results.
AirPlay a Slideshow to Your TV
AirPlay is the easiest way to present photos on a large screen. You need an Apple TV, AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV (Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio and others), or a HomePod with a connected display:
- Start playing a slideshow or Memory Movie on your iPhone.
- Tap the screen to reveal controls, then tap the AirPlay icon (rectangle with triangle pointing up).
- Select your TV or Apple TV from the list. Playback transfers to the TV screen.
- Use your iPhone as a remote — pause, skip, and change settings on your phone while the slideshow plays on the TV.
If you do not have AirPlay, you can use a USB-C to HDMI adapter (for iPhone 15 and later) or a Lightning to HDMI adapter (iPhone 14 and earlier) to connect directly to any TV with an HDMI port.
Exporting a Slideshow as a Video
Only Memory Movies can be exported as video files. To export:
- Play the Memory Movie you want to share.
- Tap the three-dot menu while the Memory is displayed (not while it is playing — first tap the screen to pause, then tap the three dots).
- Tap Share.
- Choose to Save Video (exports to your photo library as a .mov file), send via Messages, share via AirDrop, or upload to any connected service.
The exported video resolution matches the quality of your source photos — typically 1080p or 4K depending on your iPhone model. File size varies by length and content: a 2-minute Memory Movie typically runs 100-300 MB.
Tips for Better Slideshows
- Curate first: A slideshow of 20 great photos is better than 200 mediocre ones. Delete duplicates and blurry shots before creating a slideshow for an event.
- Order matters: Arrange photos in the album chronologically or intentionally before playing — the slideshow uses the album order.
- Use landscape orientation: Photos fill the screen better when your iPhone is in landscape mode during playback, especially on smaller iPhones.
- Include videos: Memory Movies automatically include video clips alongside photos — the result is more dynamic than photos alone.
For more on creating automatic slideshow-style videos from your library, see our guide on Apple Photos Memories. For keeping your library clean enough that every slideshow looks great, see our guide on removing duplicate photos.