Skip to main content

How to create a slideshow with Google Photos

If you’re looking for a nice way to view your Google Photos, you can create a slideshow. This lets you see the photos in an album or pictures in your library one at a time in full-screen mode. Sit back and watch or click to move through each photo in the show.

While you can’t currently add music or a background, it’s still a terrific way to view a collection of photos and relive those memories. Here’s how to make a slideshow with Google Photos.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • Web browser

  • Google account

  • Google Photos app (optional)

Create a slideshow from an album

You can make a slideshow on the Google Photos website in little time. Head to Google Photos and sign in with your Google account.

Step 1: In the navigation on the left, select Albums to see your albums on the right side. Or, expand the Albums section to view the albums within it.

Google Photos Albums on the web.

Step 2: Choose an album to create the slideshow.

Step 3: Select the Three dots on the top right for More options and pick Slideshow.

Slideshow in the More Options menu in Google Photos.

Step 4: You’ll see your screen transform into full-screen mode and the slideshow begin. You can see each photo as it displays for a few seconds and moves onto the next.

Select the Pause button on the bottom left to stop on a particular photo and Play to resume. You can also use the Arrows on the bottom left of the screen to manually move forward or backward through the pictures in the album.

Controls for a slideshow in Google Photos on the web.

Step 5: When you finish, select the Exit icon on the bottom left, to the right of the arrows.

You’ll then return to the album in Google Photos.

Create a slideshow from your photos

If you simply want to view the pictures in the main Photos section as a slideshow, you can do this as well.

Step 1: On the left, select Photos.

Photos section in Google Photos on the web.

Step 2: On the right, choose the photo you’d like to start the slideshow with to open it.

Step 3: Select the Three dots on the top right for More options and pick Slideshow.

Slideshow in the More Options menu in Google Photos.

Step 4: You can then view the slideshow in full-screen mode starting with your selected photo.

Use the Pause button to stop, Play to resume, the Arrows to move forward or back manually, and the Exit button when you finish.

Controls for a slideshow in Google Photos on the web.

Create a slideshow on your mobile phone

You can create a slideshow on your Android phone in the Google Photos app from either all your photos or a particular album. As of this writing, version 6.4 of Google Photos for iPhone does not offer the Slideshow feature.

Step 1: To view all photos in a slideshow, select the Photos tab and pick a photo.

To view an album, select the Library tab, pick the album, and choose a photo in the album to start the show.

Step 2: Tap the Three dots on the top right of the photo and select Slideshow in the menu that displays.

Step 3: You’ll see your slideshow begin automatically with your photos in full-screen mode. You can also move through the photos manually by swiping left or right.

To stop the slideshow, tap a photo, and to exit, tap the Arrow on the top left.

Making a slideshow with Google Photos is a great way to see pictures from a vacation, special occasion, or celebration. For more, look at how to use Google Photos to back up your pictures.

Editors' Recommendations

Sandy Writtenhouse
Sandy has been writing about technology since 2012. Her work has appeared on How-To Geek, Lifewire, MakeUseOf, iDownloadBlog…
Google Bard can now create and edit images, courtesy of Adobe
These are examples of images created with Adobe Firefly.

A few examples of images created with Adobe Firefly. Adobe

Adobe and Google are partnering to bring Firefly, a collection of AI image tools, and Adobe Express into Google Bard. Firefly's unique capabilities and training set it apart from other AI image generators.

Read more
How generative AI will create games with ‘broader, bigger, and deeper worlds’
A 3D model of someone's face in Ziva Face Trainer.

Of all the use cases for generative AI out there, I can't think of one more significant than video games. Sure, we've seen people create simple games from GPT-4 -- but surely, I assumed a technology this powerful was being discussed at the higher levels of game development too.

To get an idea of how big of a shift this could be, I wanted to talk to someone who actually understands how games are made on a technical level. Marc Whitten, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Unity Create, is surely one such person. He's particularly excited about how AI could transform game development, and we spoke about how the tools that could enable that revolution are already making their way to creators.
Faster create time

Read more
Google Bard just took a big step toward being a proper ChatGPT rival
ChatGPT versus Google on smartphones.

The Google Bard AI chatbot can now complete various programming and software development tasks such as code generation, code debugging, and explanation of code.

This was an important missing feature in Bard's ability to compete with ChatGPT, the most popular AI chatbot right now.

Read more