How to Make a Slideshow With Music on iPhone Easily

The iPhone Photos app offers two related workflows: a standard slideshow that automatically formats selected photos and sets them to music, and an editable Memory Movie. Choose the second workflow when you need to change the song, length, look, or photo order.

#How Do You Create a Slideshow in the Photos App?

The fastest way to make a slideshow is through Apple’s built-in Photos app. No downloads needed.

Open Photos and tap Select, choose the photos and videos you want, tap the More button, then tap Play as Slideshow. According to Apple’s current slideshow guide, the result is automatically formatted and set to music.

Apple now points users who want to change the music, theme, and other details to the Memory Movie controls. That is a separate, more editable workflow; don’t assume an old Options menu or theme list appears on every current iPhone.

#Using Memory Movies for Automatic Slideshows

The Photos app also creates Memory Movies from memories, collections, and albums.

Open Photos, tap Collections, then choose a memory. You can also open an existing collection or album and tap its Play button to watch it as a Memory Movie.

According to Apple’s Memory Movie guide, Memory Mixes provide looks, song selection, photo management, reordering, and short, medium, or long length options. Apple Music subscribers can search the Apple Music catalog from the music picker. Apple does not describe a user-facing beat-sync guarantee, so choose the result by previewing it.

#Adding Your Own Music to a Slideshow

Use a Memory Movie—not the standard slideshow steps above—when you want Apple’s documented music picker.

Play the Memory Movie, tap the screen, tap Memory Mixes, then tap the Music button. Choose a suggested song or soundtrack and tap Done. Apple Music subscribers can use Search to find a song in the Apple Music library.

Apple documents short, medium, and long movie lengths; it does not document a current Fit to Music switch or using a speed slider to trim audio. Spotify is not part of Apple’s documented picker, and screen-recording commercial streaming audio can produce muted output or create reuse restrictions. For non-Apple music, use audio you have permission to use in an editor that supports importing it.

#Best Third-Party Apps for iPhone Slideshows

Third-party editors help with text, custom transitions, and precise timing.

#Filmora

Filmora offers picture-in-picture, color tools, audio controls, and additional effects. Its plans and free-export limits change, so check the current product page before choosing it for a paid project.

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#SlideLab

SlideLab focuses specifically on photo slideshows with music. It has unique per-photo transitions, a built-in royalty-free music library, and aspect ratio presets for Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. The app is free with an in-app purchase to remove the watermark.

#Pic Music

Pic Music is lightweight and fast. It includes voice recording, text overlays, and photo reordering. Free with a subscription to remove the watermark.

For more video editing options beyond slideshows, check out the best apps to put videos together or our roundup of photo squarer apps for iOS and Android that help you format images before adding them to your presentation.

#How Do You Share a Finished Slideshow?

Standard slideshows are designed for playback in Photos. Use a Memory Movie when you need Apple’s documented sharing controls.

Open the Memory Movie, tap More > Share, then choose AirDrop, Messages, or Mail. According to Apple’s current memory sharing guide, those destinations and AirPlay are supported; it does not promise a Save Video option or a particular output resolution.

Third-party apps handle export differently, so check the current export menu and plan limits in the app you choose. For AirPlay TV playback, Apple’s current AirPlay guide documents sharing Photos content to an Apple TV or mirroring the iPhone screen. Use the Photos share controls when AirPlay is available, or open Control Center and choose Screen Mirroring.

#Tips for Better iPhone Slideshows

A few things worth knowing up front that’ll save you time.

Pick your photos before starting. Create a dedicated album with just the images you want, arranged in order. This gives you full control over pacing and prevents the app from auto-selecting photos you don’t want.

Match the music to the mood. Preview different suggestions or Apple Music choices and keep the one that fits the photos.

Preview before sharing. A shorter cut may be easier to watch, but there is no universal ideal length or photo count.

If you need to add text to individual photos before including them, do that first.

#Bottom Line

Use Select > More > Play as Slideshow for automatic playback. Use a Memory Movie when you need to choose music, reorder photos, change the look or length, or share through Apple’s documented controls. For text, precise timing, or file-export controls, compare current third-party app features and plan limits.

#Frequently Asked Questions