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How to Make a Slideshow on a Mac: 3 Quick Ways

Hashir Ibrahim

Reviewed by

Last updated: November 13, 2023

Expert verified

To make a slideshow on a Mac, use built-in tools like the Photos app, Preview, and Keynote, each offering unique features and levels of customization.

• Create instant and custom slideshows with music and themes using the Photos app.
• Make more intricate presentations with text, transitions, and multimedia integration using Keynote.
• Preview app, known for viewing and annotating PDFs and images, also offers a basic slideshow feature for quickly viewing images.

Ever wanted to transform your photos into a captivating visual story on your Mac? Whether it’s for that big presentation, a personal diary, or simply reliving holiday memories, a slideshow can bring your vision to life.

With your Mac’s intuitive tools, creating a slideshow becomes easy and fun. In this guide, I’ll unveil the quickest ways to make a slideshow on a Mac. Ready to impress and express? Let’s dive right in!

How to Make a Slideshow on a Mac

Mac offers an unparalleled platform for creating slideshows. Below, I’ve shared three quick and easy ways to make a slideshow on a Mac.

1. How to Create a Slideshow in Photos

The Photos app on Mac lets you easily create slideshows. You can select a series of photos, arrange them in a sequence, add music, and choose from various themes to give the slideshow a professional touch. Once created, you can preview the slideshow, export it as a video, or share it directly from the app.

a. Create an Instant Slideshow in Photos

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a slideshow using the Photos app on a Mac:

• Launch the Photos app by searching for it in Spotlight search.

• Navigate to the photos you want to include in your slideshow. You can select individual photos by holding down the Command ⌘ key while clicking each photo. To select a range, click the first photo, hold down the Shift ⇧ key, and click the last photo in the range.
• With your photos selected, click File in the menu bar and choose Play Slideshow .

• A new pop-up menu will appear. You can choose a Theme and Music for your slideshow. Once you’re done, click the Play Slideshow button.

• It will start the slideshow in fullscreen.
• You can navigate the slideshow using your keyboard. Press the left and right arrow keys to switch between slides. Tap the Spacebar to stop the slideshow and the Escape key to close it.

b. Create a Custom Slideshow in Photos

You can use the slideshow project tool within the Photos app to create a custom and more sophisticated slideshow with enhanced configurations and playback features. This lets you organize slides, incorporate text, embed music, fine-tune slide timings, and save and export the video.

Here’s how to create a custom slideshow in Photos:

• Click File in the menu bar and navigate to Create > Slideshow > Photos .

• A new window will appear. Select New Slideshow from the dropdown and give the slideshow a name. Then, click OK .

• Select the photos you want to include in the slideshow and click the Add button in the top-right corner.

• To customize your slideshow’s appearance, you can click the icons in the right strip.

• To modify slide transitions, positioning, font style, and zoom level, click the Theme icon and pick from the list.

• Click the Music icon to select your slideshow’s music.

• To tweak the slideshow’s length, access the Duration menu and drag the Custom slider. Alternatively, check the Fit to Music feature to synchronize the slideshow’s duration with your chosen soundtrack.
• Configure transitions via the Transition dropdown, which will be applied to all slides.
• Check the Scale photos to fit screen option to ensure images are displayed optimally.

• Activate the Loop feature if you want the slideshow to replay indefinitely, restarting after the concluding slide.

• Click the Preview button to view your slideshow. Click it again to stop the slideshow.

• The Play button also initiates the slideshow.

• To exit the slideshow, press the Escape key.

How to Add or Remove Photos and Text in a Slideshow on Mac

You can also customize slideshows on your Mac. Here’s how to add or remove photos and text in a slideshow on Mac:

a. Adding Photos

• Launch the Photos app and open your slideshow.
• Click the + (plus) icon at the bottom-right corner of the slideshow.

• Select the Add Photos option from the menu that appears.

b. Removing Photos

• Navigate to the slide containing the photo you want to remove.
• Right-click the photo and select Delete Slide .

c. Adding Text

• Open your slideshow and select the slide you want to add text to.
• Select Add Text from the menu.

• A text box will appear on your slide. You can modify the Default Text by clicking it and typing your desired text.

d. Removing Text

• Navigate to the slide with the text you want to remove.
• Click the text box to select it or the T icon preceding the photo in the thumbnail lineup, and hit the Delete key.
• Alternatively, right-click the T box and select Delete Text .

2. How to Make a Slideshow on a Mac With Preview

The Preview app on a Mac is primarily known for viewing and annotating PDFs and images. However, it also offers a simple slideshow feature. While it doesn’t have the advanced customization options found in dedicated slideshow software, it’s perfect for quickly viewing a series of images in a slideshow format.

Here’s how to make a slideshow on a Mac in the Preview app:

• Launch the Preview app from the Dock or the Applications folder.

• A new window will open. Navigate to the location where your images are saved and select the ones you want in a slideshow. Click Open .

• This will open all selected images in a Preview window. Select all the images in the left sidebar by pressing Command ⌘ + A .

• With all your images open in Preview, go to View in the menu bar and select Slideshow .

• Navigate through the slideshow using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.
• Press the Spacebar to pause or play the slideshow.
• Use the Escape key to exit the slideshow.

3. How to Make a Slideshow in Keynote

Keynote is Apple’s answer to presentation software and is known for its sleek designs and smooth animations. While primarily used for presentations, it’s also an excellent tool for creating slideshows, especially if you want to incorporate text, transitions, and other advanced features.

Here’s how to make a slideshow on a Mac using Keynote:

• Open Keynote by searching for it in the Spotlight search.

• Upon opening, Keynote will present you with various templates. Choose one that fits the style of your slideshow.

• Click Slide in the menu bar and select New Slide .

• Alternatively, click the Add Slide button in the top toolbar.

• You can choose different slide layouts based on content (e.g., title slides, content slides, photo slides).
• Drag and drop photos, videos, or text into the slide placeholders.
• Use the Media button in the toolbar to insert images, videos, and music directly from your library.

• Click a slide, then choose the Animate button in the toolbar.
• Select Add an Effect to choose from various slide transitions. You can also add object animations for individual elements within a slide.

• If you want the slideshow to play automatically, go to Document > Document in the top right corner and check Automatically play upon open . Adjust the slide duration as desired.

• Click the Play button in the top toolbar to view your slideshow.

• Save your project by going to File > Save .

• To export the slideshow as a video or another format, go to File > Export To and choose your desired format.

Why Make a Slideshow on a Mac?

Making a slideshow on a Mac not only provides a seamless experience but also ensures a polished and professional outcome. Creating a slideshow on a Mac offers several advantages, like the following:

• 🖥️ User-Friendly Interface : Mac’s operating system, macOS, is known for its intuitive and user-friendly design. This makes the process of creating slideshows straightforward, even for beginners.
• 🌈 High-Quality Graphics : Mac computers are renowned for their superior display quality. This ensures that your slideshows will look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
• 📦 Integrated Software : Macs come with pre-installed software like iMovie and Photos, which offer slideshow creation tools. This means you don’t need to invest in additional software.
• ✨ Customization : With a Mac, you have a plethora of customization options at your fingertips, from transitions to music integration, allowing for a personalized touch.
• ☁️ Seamless Integration : If you’re using other Apple devices, such as an iPhone or iPad, you can easily sync and share your slideshows across devices via iCloud.
• 🎥 Multimedia Capabilities : Macs handle multimedia content efficiently, allowing you to incorporate videos, music, and high-resolution images without compromising performance.
• 🔒 Security : macOS is known for its robust security features, ensuring that your content remains safe from potential threats.

Create Slideshows on Your Mac Quickly

Whether you’re using the Photos app for a quick and simple presentation, Preview for a rapid image display, or Keynote for a more intricate and interactive experience, Mac ensures a seamless and efficient process.

Here are some more tips for you:

• If you want to add a voice-over to your slideshow, learn how to record audio on your Mac .
• If you want to upload a slideshow video to your social media, you might have to compress a video on Mac .
• You can take a screenshot on your Mac and add that to a slideshow.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i delete a slideshow on mac.

To delete a slideshow on Mac, locate the specific slideshow file or project in the relevant application (e.g., Photos or Keynote). Right-click it and select Move to Bin or Delete . Empty the Bin on your Mac to permanently remove it from your Mac.

Can I add animations to my slideshows on Mac?

You can add animations to your slideshows on Mac using Keynote. Keynote offers a variety of transition effects and object animations, allowing you to enhance your presentation and make it more dynamic and engaging. However, you cannot add animations in Photo app slideshows.

Can I share my slideshow on social media?

Yes, you can share your slideshow on social media. Most slideshow creation tools on a Mac let you export your project as a video or link. Once exported, you can easily share it on various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more.

How do I export my slideshow as a video?

To export your slideshow as a video, open the slideshow software, navigate to the File menu, select Export or Export To , and choose the Video option. Follow the prompts, adjust settings as needed, and save the video to your desired location.

Can I add videos to my slideshow on Mac?

You can add videos to your slideshow on Mac. Applications like Keynote and the Photos app support video integration, allowing you to enhance your presentation with dynamic video content alongside images. It’s a great way to make your slideshow more engaging and interactive.

Can I add text to my slides on Mac?

Yes, you can add text to your slides on Mac using slideshow applications, like Keynote and Photos. Simply select the desired slide, click the Add Text or similar option, and input your text. Customize fonts and styles for a personalized touch.

I'm Hashir, a tech journalist with a decade of experience. My work has been featured in some of the top tech publications like MakeUseOf and MakeTechEasier. I have a bachelor's degree in IT, a master's in cybersecurity, and extensive knowledge of Apple hardware, specifically MacBooks. As the senior writer at MacBook Journal, I write in depth guides that help you solve any issues you have with your mac and unbiased reviews that help you make the right buying decisions.

Hi there! I'm Ojash, a tech journalist with over a decade of experience in the industry. I've had the privilege of contributing to some of the world's largest tech publications, making my mark as a respected Mac expert. My passion lies in exploring, using, and writing about MacBooks, and I enjoy sharing my expertise to help others make informed decisions and get the most out of their MacBook experience. Join me as we delve into the fascinating world of MacBooks together!

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How to view photos and create slideshows on Mac

Where better to view the photographs and videos you take on your iPhone or your SLR camera than your Mac? Modern Macs have beautiful Retina displays that will make your photos look gorgeous, and Apple’s Photos software will present your photo library to you in a way that shows it off at its best. In this article we will look at the different ways you can enjoy your photos when browsing them in Photos on the Mac.

This article is part of a series in which we have looked at different elements of Photos for Mac. We also have the following articles:

• Tips for importing photos into Photos on the Mac .
• How to organise photos on the Mac .
• How to edit photos on the Mac .

How to navigate the Photos interface

We’ll start with a quick guided tour around the Photos interface:

On the left hand side, under the Library header you’ll see: Photos, Memories, Favourites, People, Places, Recents, Imports and Recently deleted. Then in the next section under Shared you’ll see Activity and Shared Albums. And under Albums you will see auto-filled albums by Media Types, and My Albums. A final section. Projects, includes My Projects.

We’ll start with the Library section. Click on any of these headers and what you will see in the main window will change:

Photos: When you first click on Photos you’ll see your latest photos in the main window. You can scroll up the page to see older photos but we recommend that you click on the Years, Months, or Days tabs above to jump to a view that showcases your images in a more inviting way.

We love viewing our photos in the Days view as you can see video clips and Live Photos running in real time, and it gives us a nice overview of our sets of photos. Apple analyses your library to pick the best photos and videos, and gathers groups of photos related to important events, such as birthdays or Christmas, or associated with a particular location. If you are anything like us your library is probably full of hundreds of pretty similar photos of your kids so this view is a great way to jump to groups of photos you might miss otherwise.

Memories : This section also showcases groups of your photos and videos by location and date, but in this case you can view montages of the photos and videos that play on your Mac like video slideshows.

To see a Memory click on the cover photo for that Memory. This will take you to the Memory view where you can play the video for your Memory. Before you click on the Play button on the Memory you can take a look at the Photos that will appear in it by scrolling down the page – you need to click on Show More to see all the photos that will be included in that Memory as by default you will only see a summary of the photos.

Memories in Photos on the Mac is almost the same as Memories on the iPhone and iPad, but sadly lacks some of the options for further tweaking your video. You can change make some changes in terms of the background music. We will discuss what you can do to refine your memories later in the article, we also address how to use Memories on the iPhone to make a video slideshow here .

Favourites : If you like a photo or video you can ‘Favourite it’ and doing so will make it appear here in Favourites. If you are anything like us and take thousands of photos of your kids then you will probably appreciate this feature as you can simply ‘Favourite’ the best of your latest batch of photos and easily see them in the Favourites view. To Favourite a photo on your Mac just click on the photo to select it and then click on the heart in the menu at the top of the window.

People : This is another handy way to jump to collections of photos. You can view all the photos of a particular person – but it does take a little bit of work to set up.

Apple uses artificial intelligence to recognise faces that look the same. It then asks you to confirm if those faces belong to the same person. Once you have confirmed one person and given them a name Photos will attempt to find other photos that feature that person, although it’s not always accurate and if you known any identical twins it won’t be as good as you are at telling them apart. It can take a while to find matching faces, but will do so in the background while Photos is open. We’ll discuss Faces in a bit more detail below.

Places : This view will showcase photos based on places you have visited. Photos knows the location of photos you take on your iPhone, iPad and on some cameras that have GPS built in. It can be a great way to find photos taken on holiday, or at a particular location, such as the grandparents house.

When you first enter this view you will see the country you are resident in, you can zoom in and out to see the whole world. Just scroll up and down with your mouse button, or swipe on the track pad. You can also move the map around with the mouse and trackpad.

If you want to view a set of photos from a particular location click on the number in the blue circle and that will open the Places view where you can see all the photos takes around that area. To go back to the Map view just click on the back arrow that you will see appear in the menu on the left.

Recents : You will see any photos that have recently been added to your library. These could be photos you have imported from a camera or from your iPhone or iPad, dragged and dropped into Photos from elsewhere on your Mac, or, if you use iCloud Photos, they could be photos you have recently taken on your iPhone that have synced with your Mac. We’ll discuss iCloud Photos below.

Imports : Is just the photos you have imported into Photos on your Mac – so these could be photos you have copied from your camera or a memory stick or similar.

Recently Deleted : This is where you will find the photos and videos you have deleted for up to 30 days after you deleted them. It’s how Apple stops us from accidentally deleting an image which is handy, but if you really do want the image gone – perhaps because you are trying to save space on your Mac then you can delete images for good from this view.

Shared : The Shared section includes two tabs: Activity and Shared Albums. Whether this is populated will depend on whether you use the features that allow you to share photo albums with others. If you do you will see your shared albums here alone with any recent activity. We’ll discuss how to share albums below.

Albums : There’s a Media Types dropdown which includes shortcuts to Videos, Selfies, Live Photos, and other types of photos. The My Albums dropdown lists all the albums you have created with your photos. We’ll talk more about making Albums below.

Finally there is a Projects section. Here you will find any books, calendar, cards and other things you might have made with your photos – you would need to get an extension from the App Store to do this though. More on that below.

How to look at a photo in Photos

The general views in Photos include an overview of lots of thumbnails (as per the All Photos view) or a Memories-style view where you can see a selection of images and videos, usually with a video or Live Photo playing on a loop and related photos clustered around it. The group of photos might also display the day of the week and the location, and if they were taken on a public holiday it might have that date too, such as Christmas Day. What if you just want to look at a particular photo, how can you do that?

To view a photo just double click on the thumbnail. This will open the photo so it fills the main window, but you can change your view so that the photo fills the whole screen. Beside the close and minimise buttons is a third button that will enter full screen mode when clicked. To exit that view just clock on the Escape key.

Once you are viewing a photo this way you can click through all the photos in chronological order by clicking on the arrows that appear on the right or left of the photo.

How to watch a video in Photos

You can open a video in the same way as you open a photo but you will see playback buttons appear if you hover over the photo. Just click on the play button to play the video in this view.

How to view your photos as a Slideshow

These are all great ways to view your photos but you might be wondering how to view your photos as a standard slideshow (rather than via the Memories function mentioned above).

To start a slideshow of your photos and videos you need to select a group of Photos, right-click and chose Play Slideshow from the options.

A box will open with various options for your Slideshow including Themes (which have music associated with them) and the ability to choose your own music from your Music (or iTunes) library. You will see a preview of how the slideshow will look.

Alternatively if you open an Album you will see an Slideshow option in the menu. Select this. Wait for the photos to download to your Mac (if they are in iCloud) and view the Slideshow.

If you then want to save or export the slideshow so that you can share it with friends and family, or watch it again you need to create your Slideshow in Projects.

• Click on Projects in the column on the left.
• Hover over it so that a + appears. Click on the +.
• Choose Slideshow > Photos.
• A Create New Slideshow option will appear. Give your Slideshow a name.
• Now your entire library will open up for you to choose photos from. You can switch to Favourites to make it easier to pick the photos and videos you like the best.
• Find the photos you want to feature in the slideshow, select them and click on Add.
• You can now preview the slideshow. You can also change the theme, music and timing (so you can speed it up or slow it down).
• When you are happy with your video you can click on Export in the menu (top right of the screen) to export your movie slideshow. You can export in Standard Definition, High Definition 720p or High Definition 1080p. It will export to your Movies folder.

Unfortunately Apple’s Photos Slideshow function has been neglected by the company in recent years. It has a lot of potential but Apple seems to be focusing its efforts on Memories instead.

Author: Karen Haslam , Editor

Macworld editor since 2008, Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld two decades ago. 

Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Her focus is Mac, but she lives and breathes Apple.

Recent stories by Karen Haslam:

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How to easily make a photo slideshow on your Mac, for sharing all those images from your recent vacation

• Making a slideshow on a Mac through the Photos app is a simple and quick process.
• In your slideshow, you'll be able to customize things like slide transitions and background music.
• There's also the option to create an "Instant" slideshow. It's a bit faster to create, but less customizable than building one yourself.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

Photo slideshows can be a fun way to remember a trip, or any experience. 

And if you have a Mac , making a slideshow – complete with background music and fun slide transitions – is exceedingly easy to do. 

You can either build a slideshow from scratch, or have your Mac's  Photos app make an "instant" one for you.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Macbook pro (from $1,299 at apple), how to make a slideshow on a mac.

Provided you already know which photos you want to include in your slideshow, this should be a quick and easy process:

1. Go to the Launchpad (the rocket ship icon in your bottom toolbar) and select the Photos app.

2. Select your photos (by clicking on the first one, then press and hold the Command key and click each subsequent photo you want in your slideshow).

3. In the top toolbar, select "File," then "Create," then "Slideshow," and finally "Photos."

4. Add your slideshow name – this will appear at the beginning of the slideshow, so you may wish to change it from the suggested date-based name Apple will give it – and click "Ok."

5. You can change the theme (like sliding panels or vintage prints), as well as the accompanying music and slide transitions, by clicking the icons on the right side of the slideshow.

6. When you're ready, click "Export" to change the saved location of your new slideshow, otherwise you'll be able to access it through the "My Projects" section of Photos.

If you need to reorder your photos, that's an easy task: Just click and drag each photo into the position you prefer.

How to play an instant slideshow on a Mac

You can select the theme and music for instant slideshows, but other than that, they aren't customizable. Here's how to make an instant slideshow:

1. Open the Photos app and, if necessary, click "Photos" in the sidebar, followed by "Moments" (located in the top toolbar of that window).

2. Select some photos within one "Moment" (these are separated out according to date) — again, you'll need to click the first photo, then hold the Command key down while selected each additional photo.

3. In the top toolbar, click "File" and then "Play Slideshow."

4. In the pop-up slideshow window, select the theme and music.

5. Click "Play Slideshow."

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