Creating a photo slideshow is one of the best ways to capture and share your precious life memories. Slideshows are perfect for all sorts of life events and occasions, such as weddings, birthdays, memorials and more.
We live in a visual-centered society, especially as social media continues to evolve exponentially. Photos are easily digestible and shareable. That’s why social media platforms like Instagram are so popular. Even YouTube has millions of video slideshows which simply show photos with background music. That’s the beauty of slideshows: they’re easy to make. However, there are software programs that allow you to create slideshows even more easily. In this guide, we’ll show you the best slideshow software for you to download.
1. iMovie
iMovie is the free video editing software program that typically comes with Apple devices, such as iMac, MacBook, and iPhone. As with all things Apple, it has a sleek and modern user interface that's very user-friendly. So, if you’re an Apple user, this is one of the best programs you can use to create your memorable slideshow.
Simply upload multiple photos that you want to turn into a slideshow video. You can then add a title card, which is also known as the intro. You can add transition effects such as fade in and out. Once you’re finished editing the visual aspect of your slideshow, you can then add music to act as the soundtrack.
However, keep in mind that uploading videos that contain copyrighted music to platforms like YouTube and Facebook could lead to copyright strikes or flagging by the social media host. No worries! There are many websites that offer stock music for a low monthly payment, such as Epidemic Sound.
iMovie makes it easy for you to share or export your video. If you’re going to export and save your video, it’s best to save it as an MP4 file. It’s the most common video file used today and is pretty high-quality.
2. Canva
Canva is one of the most popular multimedia editing programs today. The Australian-based company is a free graphic design platform which allows people to edit photos without extensive photo editing knowledge or experience. They have a free photo editor that will give you the ability to clean up and optimize your photos before you present them as a slideshow video.
Speaking of video, Canva Pro makes it incredibly easy to create high-quality videos yourself. You can use Canva's library of pre-made templates, then use the simple drag-and-drop feature to create chronological narratives, and even add special effects that will make your slideshow come to life.
The best part is that the free version is packed with templates and design tools! That means you don’t have to spend hours meticulously designing your slideshow video. Simply choose which theme or aesthetic fits your collection of pictures and click a few buttons.
3. Smilebox
If you’re looking for a dedicated slideshow maker software. Smilebox is the answer to your yearning. This free slideshow software is designed specifically for creating slideshows and digital greeting cards, as well as other media.
What’s great about Smilebox is that they have a multitude of free templates for your slideshow. You can choose various themes or aesthetics, depending on what tone you’re going for. This is a great feature because slideshows typically follow a certain theme, event or occasion. So, you can choose a Christmas template for your holiday photos, or fun birthday themes for your celebration.
Smilebox is also built for you to share your slideshow creations. You can then export your slideshow, or simply embed it into your website.
4. Animoto
Animoto has gained popularity over the years as a great slideshow editor. Animoto is a cloud-based video creation platform where you can gather photos, video clips, and music to create video slideshows.
The best part? You can create a free account and create an unlimited number of videos! That’s why Animoto is one of the best free slideshow software offerings available.
On top of that, it’s user-friendly, so you don’t need years of video editing training to create beautiful and dynamic slideshows. Simply think of a theme you want to go with, choose the relevant photos, and then upload them into the editor. Next, you can add royalty-free music. If you decide to go with a copyright track, be warned that you could get flagged for copyright infringement the moment you make your slideshow video public.
Animoto’s professional version, which is only $15/month, gives you access to over 3,000 pieces of royalty-free music as well as more design choices.
5. Movavi
The Movavi Slideshow Maker is a great video editing software tool that will allow you to create memorable slideshows. Some of its features include video blogging, screen recording and digitizing your film photos. That way, you can share memories from the distant past, back when we had to wait an hour to get our film rolls developed.
As a slideshow maker software, it easily gets the job done because it has a stack of features that will allow you to follow your imagination wherever it goes. You can add screen recordings of your Zoom calls with family, and even create a video blog to share all your different slideshows.
Movavi gives you endless possibilities and offers you ultimate creative freedom. However, we have to note that Movavi is the most expensive software in this list. The Movavi Slideshow Maker can be downloaded for free in the App store, but you can only use a limited and watermarked version of it for 7 days. Afterwards, you have to pay $44 per year or $64.95 for a lifetime. The latter is obviously the better deal.
Create more memories!
Remember, slideshows are just the end products of what’s truly important: creating memories! While it’s great to capture beautiful moments in your life through the lens of a camera or smartphone, don’t forget to live in the moment and see the world through your own eyes. After all, your memories are the best slideshows you can ever produce.