14 Best Slideshow Makers for Windows 10: Features, Pros, Cons, and Comparison Table

What do you do with all those photos you took on your vacation, or at the last school concert, or with your friends or family? In the old days, you might make photo prints and put those prints in a physical photo album, but that's now the way we do it today. Now we take our digital photos and use them to create stunning photo slideshows, complete with fancy transitions and background music. We can then share our slideshows via email or social media.

How do you create a photo or video slideshow? With a photo slideshow maker for Windows. There are many quality slideshow makers for Windows, it's just a matter of choosing the one with the features you need.

In this article, we discuss 14 of the best photo slideshow makers for Windows 10. We'll discuss the key features, pros, and cons for each program, and rate and compare them for your convenience.

Most slideshow maker programs work in a similar fashion. You first assemble all the photos you want in your slideshow and place them in order. You then select the timing for each slide, transitions and special effects, and your desired background music. The slideshow program then creates the slideshow as a video file you can download to your computer, upload to social media, share with friends, or play in any video player.

What follows are reviews of the best slideshow makers for Windows. Click the links to learn more about any given program.

• Movavi Slideshow Maker

• Free Slideshow Maker & Video Editor

• PhotoStage Slideshow Pro

• BeeCut

• Icecream Slideshow Maker

• Freemake Video Converter

• DaVinci Resolve

• Microsoft PowerPoint

• Adobe^® Spark^®

• Adobe^® Premiere^® Pro CC

• Magix PhotoStory Deluxe

• Photopia Creator

• iSkysoft Slideshow Maker

• Animoto

Operating system: Windows 7/8/10, macOS

Licensing: paid

Price: (free trial version available)

File size: 62.1 MB

Our rating: 10/10

Movavi Slideshow Maker is generally regarded as one of the best slideshow makers for Windows users. It's easy to use, even for less technical users, and lets you create great-looking slideshows with interesting transitions. You can also add animated titles and pro-level video effects such as panning and zooming.

One of the things that makes Movavi Slideshow Maker one of the best slideshow software for Windows 10 is its wide selection of pre-made templates, along with a Slideshow Wizard you can use to get started. This Windows 10 app also includes a large library of free background music, transitions, filters, overlays, and other special effects. After you've created your slideshow, you can save it in a variety of popular video formats, including AVI, MOV, and MP4. You can also save your slideshows directly to YouTube.

Key features:

• Slideshow Wizard for automatic slideshow creation
• Dynamic slide transitions
• Large background music library
• Adjust images to beat of the music

While we recommend Movavi Slideshow Maker as great slideshow software for Windows 10, there are several other programs worth your consideration.

Operating system: Windows 10

Licensing: free

File size: 52.44 MB

Our rating: 5/10

As its name implies, this program is a free slideshow app for Windows. It's a basic slideshow maker with additional video editing features. You can easily assemble a group of photos, add background music, and apply transitions between slides.

This free slideshow maker for Windows 10 also enables you to add text and emojis over your videos. It includes a variety of special effects, including blur, highlight, and wave. You can also add filters and stickers to your slideshows.

Key features:

• Selection of photo filters
• Stylish transitions
• Add stickers and emojis

Operating system: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10, macOS

Licensing: free and paid

Price: $50.00 Home Edition, $70.00 Pro Edition (free version available)

File size: 5.5 MB

Our rating: 8/10

PhotoStage Slideshow Pro is one of the easier picture slideshow makers to use. You can create customized slideshows with your own photos, music, and transitions. The program includes a basic photo editor that lets you crop and rotate your photos, as well as adjust brightness, contrast, and color hue. You can export your slideshows in a variety of popular video formats (including AVI, MOV, and MP4), as well as upload to YouTube, Vimeo, and Flickr.

This slideshow software is available in three versions: Free, Home, and Pro. The Free version offers fewer features and may not be ideal for more sophisticated users who want more advanced functionality. To move beyond basic transitions and effects you need to purchase either the Home or Pro versions, both of which offer a larger number of effects and features.

Key features:

• Photo editing tools
• Export to popular video formats
• Upload to YouTube and other social media

Operating system: Windows 7/8/10, macOS

Licensing: paid and subscription

Price: $99.90 lifetime, $59.90 annual, $39.95 monthly (free trial available)

File size: 68.63 MB

Our rating: 7/10

BeeCut is an easy-to-use video editing program that can also be used to create great-looking slideshows. It includes a variety of video editing functions, including zooming, cropping, and color adjustment. You can also add your own background music to your slideshows.

You can save your BeeCut slideshow videos directly to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other social media. It also lets you create slideshows in a variety of aspect ratios, including square, 4:3, and 16.9 widescreen.

Key features:

• Direct export to social media
• Drag and drop visual interface
• Video editing functionality

Operating system: Windows Vista/7/8/10

Licensing: free and paid

Price: free version, Pro version $19.95

File size: 20.8 MB

Our rating: 8/10

Icecream Slideshow Maker is a basic but easy-to-use slideshow maker for all versions of Windows. It's easy to select the images you want, add your music, and then apply over 20 different transitions between slides. It's available in both free and paid (Pro) versions; the free version is limited to just 10 photos per slideshow.

This program lets you save your slideshows in full HD (1080p), 2K, or 4K resolution. You can also upload your slideshows to YouTube with a single click, save to Google Drive and other cloud storage services, and burn your slideshows directly to DVD. It saves slideshows in a wide variety of file formats, including AVI, M4V, MKV, MOV, MP4, QT, and WMV.

Key features:

• User-friendly operation
• Save to a variety of formats
• High-quality video

Operating system: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10

Licensing: free

File size: 50 MB

Our rating: 6/10

As the name implies, Freemake Video Converter isn't a slideshow maker program per se, but rather video converter software that also creates photo slideshows. In its primary function, Freemake Video Converter converts videos between 500 different file formats and devices. As a slideshow maker, it lets you merge a large number of photos into a single slideshow, but without a lot of fancy effects. You can also include videos from all formats in your slideshows.

Freemake Video Converter saves slideshows in both full HD (1080p) and 4K resolution. It can automatically upload videos to YouTube and save your slideshows to DVD. The program is completely free.

Key features:

• Easy share to social media
• DVD burning
• Convert to and from multiple formats

Operating system: Windows 10, macOS

Licensing: free

File size: 1.6 GB

Our rating: 9/10

DaVinci Resolve is a powerful video editing program used by pros and hobbyists alike. It also lets users create sophisticated photo slideshows, complete with music. It includes a huge library of broadcast-quality transitions and special effects, including wipes, dissolves, blurs, and flares. The software also lets you create pro-level 2D and 3D animated titles and text content.

As a pro-level program, Resolve lets you create slideshows with hundreds of individual photos. It's great for large and sophisticated slideshow projects. Resolve's quick export tool lets you easily upload your video slideshows to YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter, and other social media platforms. Because Resolve is a full-featured video editing program, it probably isn't for beginners or casual users; the learning curve is a little steep, but there's a lot you can do with it. (The company also offers DaVinci Resolve Studio for $295 with additional professional tools and functionality.)

Key features:

• Professional-level editing
• 2D and 3D animated titles and text
• Broadcast-quality transitions and special effects

Operating system: Windows 10, macOS

Licensing: subscription

Price: part of Microsoft 365 subscription, $69.99/year or $6.99/month

File size: 700 MB

Our rating: 6/10

Microsoft's PowerPoint is the presentation program in the company's popular Microsoft 365 office suite. PowerPoint is typically used to create charts and presentations, but can also be used to create simple slideshows. PowerPoint includes a number of slide transitions, as well as a selection of pre-made templates. That said, you have to insert your photos one slide at a time and then add your transitions.

If you're a Microsoft Office user, PowerPoint is a good choice for basic slideshows. Microsoft 365 Personal is available as a subscription for $99.99/year or $9.99/month. You can save your slideshows in Microsoft's PPTX format or in MP4 or WMV video formats.

Key features:

• Easy to use
• Slides with animated transitions
• Pre-made templates

Operating system: web

Licensing: free and subscription

Price: free (with watermarks) or $9.99/month

Our rating: 7/10

Adobe^® Spark^® is a web-based service that lets you quickly create web pages, graphics, and memes for social media, and short videos. It isn't designed specifically for making slideshows, but you can use it for that. Just select Spark's slideshow maker function, select a template, then add your photos and music. You can save your slideshow in M4V, MOV, or MP4 formats, or upload your video files directly to social media sites.

You access Spark^® from any computer with a web browser. It includes a number of pre-made templates and themes you can use for your slideshows. There's a free version available, although it inserts a watermark on every slide. To get rid of the watermark and gain additional features, upgrade to the Individual plan, which costs $9.99/month after a 14-day free trial.

Key features:

• Video montages
• Attractively designed templates
• Easy sharing to social media

Operating system: Windows, macOS

Licensing: subscription

Price: $20.99/month

File size: 1.01 GB

Our rating: 9/10

Adobe^® Premiere^® Pro CC is a powerful video editing program that includes a built-in slideshow maker for Windows 10 that lets you quickly and easily create sophisticated photo slideshows, complete with music. Premiere's slideshows can include an unlimited number of images, which makes it great for very large slideshows.

When you use Premiere's slideshow maker you determine how long each photo will appear onscreen, the type and duration of each transition, and other visual effects. It also includes collaboration features if you're working on a team project. You can save your slideshows in all popular video file formats.

Key features:

• Built-in slideshow maker
• Professional special effects
• Team collaboration

Operating system: Windows 8/10

Licensing: paid

Price: $69.99

File size: 2 GB

Our rating: 8/10

Magix PhotoStory Deluxe is a full-featured slideshow maker software, complete with a wide variety of photo and video editing tools. Build your slideshows from more than 130 pre-made themes, add music and sounds from the large built-in library, then apply any of the more than 300 slide transitions.

The program makes it easy to enhance and customize your slideshows with filters, overlays, and effects. You can save your finished slideshows in MKV, MOV, WMV, and other high-resolution video formats, as well as burn them to DVD and Blu-ray discs. You can also share your slideshows via Facebook, YouTube, and other social media.

Key features:

• More than 1,500 music and sound files
• Easily create photo collages
• Camera tracking and zooming

Operating system: Windows Vista/7/8/10, macOS

Licensing: subscription

Price: $9.95/month or $99.95/year (free trial available)

File size: 1 GB

Our rating: 9/10

Photopia is one of the most versatile and popular video slideshow makers for both professionals and hobbyists. The Show Wizard makes it easy to get started, then you can use the drag-and-drop interface to fully customize your slideshows with transitions, captions, background music, and a variety of video effects. The program includes robust photo and video editing and a variety of motion effects. There's also advance audio editing, including the ability to include multiple audio tracks and crossfade between them.

You can save your slideshows in more than 50 different formats in standard definition, full HD, and 4K resolution. You can also upload your slideshows directly to Facebook, YouTube, and other social media.

Key features:

• Pan, zoom, rotate, skew, and other motion effects
• Show Wizard for easy slideshow creation
• Crossfade multiple audio tracks
• Publish to YouTube in HD

Operating system: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10

Licensing: paid

Price: $59.95 (free trial available)

File size: 1 GB

Our rating: 9/10

iSkysoft Slideshow Maker offers two separate operating modes – Standard, for beginners and casual users, and Advanced, for more professional users. The Advanced mode offers more sophisticated controls to better fine-tune and customize professional-level slideshows. Both modes offer pre-made templates and styles, transitions, clip art, motion effects, and more. You can also add separate introduction and credits sections for a professional look.

The program's instant preview feature lets you view your slideshow before finalizing it. You can save your final slideshow in a variety of video formats, including AVI, MKV, MOV, MP4, and WMV. You can also upload your slideshow videos directly to YouTube and other social media.

Key features:

• Standard and Advanced operating modes
• Import music and add voiceovers
• Hundreds of motion templates
• Intro and credits effects

Operating system: web

Licensing: free

Our rating: 7/10

Animoto is a free web-based slideshow and video maker that you can use from any computer or device in your web browser. The company partners with Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other social media to make it easy to upload finished videos to those platforms.

Start by selecting a template from Animoto's large library. Templates include backgrounds, music, and special effects. Select which photos or videos to include, then add text and image filters and create your slideshow. The drag-and-drop interface makes it very easy to use. Animoto offers a Professional version for $15/month that includes more features.

Key features:

• Use in any web browser over the Internet
• Large number of templates for easy slideshow creation
• Import photos from a variety of online sources
• Includes 1 million stock photos from Getty Images

As you can see, Windows 10 slideshow maker programs and services differ not only in price but also in usability and functionality. Some are easier to use than others and some offer many more features.
Of all these programs, we recommend Movavi Slideshow Maker as one of the best slideshow makers for Windows. It offers the best combination of price and functionality – and it's easy to use, too!
The following table summarizes the pros and cons of each of these Windows slideshow maker programs.