To view photos as a slideshow in Windows 10, open the first photo in the Photos app, select See more (…) at the top right, and select Slideshow. Or open the folder in File Explorer, select a photo, and select Manage > Slide show. Press Esc to stop.
Applies to: Windows 10. Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025, so a PC without Extended Security Updates no longer receives security fixes; that program runs until October 12, 2027.
Start a slideshow in Photos
- Open the folder with your photos and double-click the photo you want to start with. It opens in Photos.
- Select See more (…) at the top right.
- Select Slideshow.
The slideshow plays the other photos in the same folder. Press the Right arrow or Left arrow to skip ahead or go back, and press Esc to stop.
Start a slideshow from File Explorer
- Press Windows key + E and open the folder with your photos.
- Select the first photo. To show only some photos, hold Ctrl and select each one.
- Select the Manage tab under Picture Tools, then select Slide show.
While it plays, right-click the screen to change the speed, shuffle, loop or pause.
Show the slideshow on a TV
- With a cable: connect the PC to the TV with HDMI, press Windows logo key + P, and choose Duplicate or Second screen only.
- Wirelessly: on a TV or adapter that supports Miracast, press Windows logo key + K and pick it from the list.
Then start the slideshow as usual. It fills the TV screen.
Make a slideshow video with music
The built-in slideshows can’t add music or titles. For that, open Clipchamp, Microsoft’s free video editor. Add your photos, drag them onto the timeline, set how long each one shows, add music, and select Export. You get a video you can share or play on any device.
If the slideshow doesn’t work as expected
- Slideshow is missing in Photos: update the Photos app in Microsoft Store under Library, or use the File Explorer method instead.
- It shows photos you didn’t want: Photos plays everything in the folder. Copy the photos you want into a new folder and start the slideshow there.
- The speed is wrong: in File Explorer’s slideshow, right-click the screen and choose Slow, Medium or Fast.
- It stops at the last photo: in File Explorer’s slideshow, right-click and select Loop.
Frequently asked questions
Why don’t I see the Manage tab?
It only shows when a picture is selected. Select a photo first. Photos that show as icons instead of pictures need thumbnails turned on in Windows 10.
Can I use my photos as a desktop or screen saver slideshow?
Yes. Choose Slideshow when you change the wallpaper in Windows 10, or choose Photos when you set a screen saver in Windows 10.
How do I get photos from my phone first?
Copy them over first by following the steps to transfer photos from a phone to a Windows 10 PC.
Can I add music to a slideshow?
Not in Photos or File Explorer. Make a slideshow video in Clipchamp instead, as described above, or play music in another app while the slideshow runs.
Can I show photos in random order?
Yes. In File Explorer’s slideshow, right-click the screen and select Shuffle. Select it again to go back to the folder’s order.
Does the slideshow include videos?
It depends on the app. Photos may play video clips that are in the folder. To show only pictures, keep the photos in their own folder.
How do I stop the screen from turning off during a slideshow?
Most slideshows keep the screen on while they play. If yours turns off, set Screen to Never in Settings > System > Power & sleep while you present.
If you also use Windows 11, here is how to view pictures as a slideshow in its Photos app. To show only your best shots, view your favorite photos in Windows 10 first.
Both tools are documented in Get help with Microsoft Photos app and File Explorer in Windows.
To build a slideshow you can save and share, make a slideshow on Windows 10.
Matt Jacobs writes and maintains the guides on Support Your Tech, which he started in 2017. He spent most of his career keeping small-business PCs running and still takes the occasional consulting job, so the steps here come from fixing the same problems on other people’s computers. Every guide is checked on his own Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac, iPhone and iPad before it goes up.