Apple Photos Is Getting a Slideshow Feature for Photos and Videos
Apple has long positioned its Photos app as the central hub for managing memories on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Over the years, the app has received meaningful upgrades — from smarter search to AI-powered memory movies — but one simple, crowd-pleasing feature has remained surprisingly elusive: a proper slideshow mode. That is about to change. Apple is rolling out a dedicated slideshow feature in the Photos app that will allow users to play both photos and videos together in a continuous, seamless presentation. It is a welcome addition that many users have requested for years, and it signals Apple's continued investment in making the Photos experience richer and more versatile.
What Is the New Apple Photos Slideshow Feature?
The upcoming slideshow feature in Apple Photos allows users to select a collection of photos and videos and play them back as a unified, flowing presentation. Unlike older slideshow implementations that were limited to static images with a simple crossfade transition, this new mode is designed to incorporate video clips alongside photos, creating a more dynamic and engaging viewing experience.
This means you can take a mix of snapshots from a birthday party, a vacation, or a weekend trip — some captured as still photos, others as short video clips — and watch them all play back together in one cohesive sequence. It is the kind of feature that makes the Photos app feel less like a storage vault and more like a storytelling tool.
How Does It Differ from Apple's Existing Memory Movies?
Apple Photos already offers an automatic "Memories" feature, which uses on-device machine learning to stitch together photos and videos into short highlight reels with background music and cinematic transitions. While Memories is impressive in many ways, it operates largely on autopilot. The app decides what to include, how to order clips, and which music to pair with your content.
The new slideshow feature appears to hand more control back to the user. Rather than waiting for the app to automatically generate a memory, you can manually select which photos and videos you want to feature and trigger a slideshow on your own terms. This makes it far more practical for situations like sharing a curated set of images on a TV during a family gathering or reviewing a specific album during a presentation. It is intentional rather than algorithmic, which gives it a distinct and valuable use case.
Why This Feature Matters for Everyday iPhone Users
For millions of people, the iPhone is their primary camera. Over time, photo libraries grow to contain tens of thousands of images and videos, making it harder to revisit and share meaningful moments. Features that make it easier to present and enjoy that content are genuinely useful.
The slideshow feature addresses a very practical scenario: you want to show a group of friends or family a set of photos and videos from a recent trip, but scrolling through a grid one image at a time feels clunky. Playing them as a slideshow on your iPhone screen, an iPad, or a connected TV via AirPlay transforms that experience entirely. It brings back the charm of old photo slide nights but updates it with the full richness of modern media, including motion, audio from video clips, and smooth transitions.
Key Benefits of the Apple Photos Slideshow Feature
- Combines both photos and videos into a single continuous playback experience.
- Gives users manual control over which content to include, unlike automatic Memories.
- Makes it easy to share curated collections with friends and family in a visually engaging format.
- Works naturally with AirPlay, allowing you to beam slideshows to an Apple TV or compatible smart television.
- Reduces friction when presenting photos at events, gatherings, or informal occasions.
When Will the Feature Be Available?
Apple is expected to deliver this feature as part of its upcoming software updates across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Given that the announcement aligns with Apple's typical mid-year development and preview cycle, users can reasonably expect the feature to appear in the next major software releases. Beta versions of upcoming operating systems may include the functionality for developers and public beta testers before a wider rollout reaches all supported devices.
If you want to be among the first to try it, enrolling in Apple's public beta program is your best option. Otherwise, keeping your device updated to the latest stable version of iOS and macOS will ensure you receive the feature as soon as it becomes broadly available.
Apple Photos Continues to Evolve
The addition of a slideshow mode is part of a broader pattern of Apple refining and expanding its first-party apps to compete with third-party alternatives. Google Photos, for example, has long offered robust slideshow and playback tools. By closing that gap, Apple gives users fewer reasons to look elsewhere for basic but important functionality.
Apple's investment in the Photos app also reflects the growing importance of video in everyday life. As iPhone cameras have become more capable of shooting high-quality video, users naturally expect the app that stores that content to handle it in creative, flexible ways. A slideshow mode that treats video as a first-class citizen alongside photos is a step in exactly the right direction.
Final Thoughts
The new Apple Photos slideshow feature may seem like a small addition on paper, but in practice it fills a genuine gap that users have noticed for years. By allowing photos and videos to play together in a user-controlled slideshow, Apple is making it easier for people to relive and share their memories in a way that feels natural, polished, and fun. Whether you are presenting holiday snaps to relatives or reviewing a year's worth of travel footage, this feature is set to become one of those quietly indispensable tools you reach for without even thinking about it. Keep your devices updated and get ready to enjoy your memories in a whole new way.