How to use a digital photo frame

Digital photo frame basics

Digital photography has revolutionised how, where and when people take photos, and also how often they get images printed. 

With film cameras, when the prints came back from being developed, the best family photos might make it into a picture frame on the mantelpiece. 

In the 21st century, however, we're more likely to look at photos on a digital screen.

Digital photo frames are much more versatile than the traditional static picture frame. Rather than showing a single photo, an LCD digital photo frame can cycle through a slideshow of your favourite images, often with eye-catching transitions between images. 

Read on to find out how to use a digital photo frame, the check out our digital photo frame reviews.

Organising pictures for your digital photo frame

When you select the photos you'd like to display on your digital photo frame, to make things easier, copy and paste the pictures you want to display into a single folder. 

Right-click on your Desktop and select New > Folder. 

Press down the Windows key on your keyboard and E to open Windows Explorer. 

Find the pictures you want to display on your frame, right-click and select Copy. 

Open your desktop folder, right-click and select Paste.

Changing picture orientation before you upload to the digital photo frame

If your digital photo frame is set up to sit landscape (long-side on the bottom) on your sideboard, then all the pictures that you put on there will also need to be set up for landscape.

To flip a picture in Windows Vista, simply right-click with your mouse and rotate it in the right direction (clockwise in this case).

Some digital photo frames will automatically rotate your photos so that they display the right way up.

Transfer pictures to your digital photo frame

Your digital photo frame will come with a memory card. 

You’ll need to save the pictures you want to display on your digital photo frame to this card. 

You may be able to insert the card directly into your PC, depending on the type of card and your computer. 

If not, you'll need to attach a memory card reader. 

Press the Windows key and E again and locate the card or device; then drag-and-drop the folder of pictures you created to this card. 

Then it's simply a matter of inserting the card into the slot in your digital photo frame, and your happy snaps will be ready to be shown off to family and friends.

Want to know more about digital photo frames? Check out our guide to buying the best digital photo frame or read the Which? reviews of digital photo frames.