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The Spruce / Sabrina Jiang
Digital picture frames are a unique way to share memories with family and friends, as well as display your favorite photos. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or a gift for family members, you'll want to choose a digital photo frame with a high-quality display, great storage, and the added bonus of customization features. “Having options like orientation, mounting, and slideshows makes owners feel as though they are customizing their experience to fit their home,” says J.Monroe, an international photographer who has worked with Samsung, Hulu, and Essence.
When researching the best digital photo frames, we took all of the above into account, plus looked for options that have excellent sharing capabilities and are user-friendly.
Here are the best digital picture frames.
Best Overall
Pix-Star Easy Digital Photo Frame
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Amazon
User-friendly uploading options
Share photos and videos easily
Free unlimited cloud storage
Links to other online albums
Not grandparent-friendly
No touchscreen
Remote control can lag
Share photos and videos with your loved ones through the Pix-Star Easy Digital Photo Frame. This best overall pick comes in two different sizes (10 and 15 inches), connects to Wi-Fi, and has the ability to upload new pictures through email, the compatible app, a USB stick, and or SD memory cards. On top of that, you can also connect to other online albums—including Google Photos, Google Drive, Facebook, Instagram, Dropbox, Flickr, OneDrive, and Photobucket—for visual access to all of your picture-perfect moments. The frame also comes with 8 gigabytes of built-in storage and free unlimited cloud storage, so you can pick and choose what to display.
This digital photo frame has user-friendly uploading, but it’s not the most grandparent-friendly and can feel a little high-tech to some. Users also note that while you can easily flip through photos with the remote control, it can get a little frustrating—especially when searching for a particular image—as it tends to lag. With the storage features and connectivity, different screen size options, and sharing capabilities, the Pix-Star Easy Digital Photo Frame is still a solid choice for displaying memories with family and friends in your home, making it another great gift the whole family can appreciate.
Price at time of publish: $220
Frame Size(s): 10 or 15 inches | Resolution: 1024 x 768 pixels | Storage: 8 gigabytes built-in storage, USB connectivity, SDHC and SDXC card slots | Touchscreen: No | Wi-Fi: Yes
Best Budget
Aluratek LCD Digital Photo Frame
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Amazon
USB or memory card upload
Low-tech and user-friendly
Doesn’t connect to a server
No Wi-Fi
No built-in storage
No touchscreen
If you’re searching for a more budget-friendly digital photo frame, look no further than the Aluratek 8-Inch LCD Digital Photo Frame. This frame is one of the most affordable options out there, plus it boasts great value considering its user-friendly technology, safety, and screen quality. Available in four different screen sizes (7, 8, 10, and 15 inches), the simple frame is low-tech and easy to use—all you need to do is upload photos to a USB or SD card and connect them to the frame to view.
The main downside to this model (especially if purchasing as a gift) is you can’t share new photos with friends and family, as it doesn’t have Wi-Fi connectivity. However, the upside to no Wi-Fi is better security since your photos don’t exist in the cloud. Additionally, it doesn’t have any built-in storage, so you’ll need to purchase a USB or SD card to share photos. If you’re giving this digital photo frame as a gift, we recommend pre-loading a USB or SD card to give along with the Aluratek photo frame, that way it’s ready for use upon opening.
Price at time of publish: $50
Frame Size(s): 7, 8, 10, or 15 inches | Resolution: 800 x 600 pixels | Storage: USB connection, SD card slot | Touchscreen: No | Wi-Fi: No
Best Splurge
Meural Canvas II
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Amazon
Comes in larger sizes
Anti-glare screen and adjustable backlight
Connects to Alexa
Subscription required for digital artwork access
App could be tricky for some
No touchscreen
Perfect for art lovers, the Meural Canvas II The Smart Art Frame transforms any space into a museum-worthy display. This high-end digital photo frame mounts onto the wall and allows you to upload your own images with 8 gigabytes of built-in storage and Micro-USB connectivity. Plus, it can access a digital library of over 30,000 artworks through the company’s annual subscription plan (however, it’s $70). You can also upload your own photos, adjust settings to your preference, and create custom slideshows through the Meural app. What makes this frame truly stand out is its anti-glare screen and backlight, which gives your personal photos and the art a canvas-like feel and makes the frame as a whole look and feel like wall art that's been customized to fit your room decor.
While the digital frame displays your memories through the lens of a gorgeous painting or print, some customers note that the compatible app isn’t user-friendly and might require more tech-savviness to get set up.
Price at time of publish: $599
Frame Size(s): 21.5 or 27 inches | Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels | Storage: 8 gigabytes | Touchscreen: No | Wi-Fi: Yes
Best for Grandparents
Skylight The Skylight Frame
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Amazon
Simple, user-friendly set-up
Send photos to the frame via email
View photos with and without Wi-Fi
Get notified when new photos are added
No brightness setting
Could be a little too high-tech
For a grandparent-friendly digital photo frame, the Skylight Frame Digital Picture Frame is the best pick. With its simple, user-friendly set-up and the ability to send photos to the frame via email, grandparents can upload their favorite memories in a few simple steps (and you can share, too). Plus, whenever your or other members of the family add new photos, the frame sends a notification, which makes it all the more exciting.
While Wi-Fi is required for uploading new photos, grandparents can view the images with or without Wi-Fi, which is not always the case for a digital photo frame. Depending on their comfortability with technology, the photo frame might be a little too advanced for some, as it has a touchscreen they’ll need to learn how to navigate. However, since you can upload photos remotely, they don’t need to worry too much and can instead enjoy the beautiful photos that pop up on the screen.
Price at time of publish: $169
Frame Size(s): 10 or 15 inches | Resolution: 1280 x 800 pixels | Storage: 8 gigabytes | Touchscreen: Yes | Wi-Fi: Yes
Best Non-Wi-Fi
Dhwazz 10.1 Inch USB Digital Picture Frame
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Amazon
Supports video and music
Easy to mount on the wall
User-friendly
Great price
Image transitions can be choppy
No touchscreen
The Dhwazz Digital Photo Frame has most of the bells and whistles you might want in a digital photo frame—without the need for Wi-Fi. This offline digital photo frame can display all of your memories when you plug in a 32-gigabyte USB stick or SD card. Not only can it display photos, but it can also play video content, too. Plus, its lack of Wi-Fi, easy-to-use design, and intuitive remote control make it accessible to all ages.
In addition to its photo and video capabilities, the digital frame also moonlights as a calendar and alarm clock, making it an excellent choice for bedrooms and offices, especially if you are looking for multi-functional piece that won't take up much real estate in a small WFH space. And, it comes with a free one-year warranty and lifetime technical support, too.
Price at time of publish: $80
Frame Size(s): 10.5 inches | Resolution: 1280 x 800 pixels | Storage: Not applicable | Touchscreen: No | Wi-Fi: No
Best Storage
Aura Carver Luxe HD Smart Digital Picture Frame
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Amazon
Unlimited free storage
Comes with a private sharing network for family members
Automatic, light-sensitive timer
Adjustable brightness
No touchscreen
No USB or SD card support
For the person (or family) who loves to take photos, a digital photo frame with fantastic storage is non-negotiable. The Aura Carver Luxe HD Smart Digital Picture Frame is the top pick for this category first and foremost because it comes with free unlimited cloud storage, that allow you to store all of your photos in one place and display them on your digital frame with ease, so you can hang on to more of those precious holiday photos. On top of that, the frame allows you to create a private sharing network between friends and family members through the app by adding your frame and selecting the plus sign on the frame’s upload page, so you can each share photos and stay connected through your memories.
Another unique feature is the automatic, light-sensitive timer, which can gauge how dark a room is to determine when it can turn itself off at night. With its photo-sharing abilities, this digital frame is smart and user-friendly, however, it doesn’t have a touchscreen, which might be preferred for the smart device.
Price at time of publish: $149
Frame Size(s): 10.5 inches | Resolution: 1280 x 800 pixels | Storage: Unlimited cloud storage | Touchscreen: No | Wi-Fi: Yes
Best for Slideshows
Nixplay 9.7-inch 2K Ultra Photo Frame
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Amazon
Variety of sizes and frame styles
Shared albums
Print photos directly from the app
Storage space fills up fast
App could be more intuitive
When making a slideshow, the more picture options, the better. With the Nixplay 2K Ultra Photo Frame, everyone in the family can curate their own albums (also called “playlists”) or add to pre-existing ones through a private and secure personalized network created just for your loved ones to contribute to. This network is accessed through the company’s niX-FamilyCircles, where you can invite family members to contribute to different albums through the app or browser.
The frame, which comes in four different screen sizes, also allows you to print your favorite photos directly from the compatible app through Fuji Prints. However, the app can be a little tricky to figure out and might require a more tech-savvy family member to order the prints.
Another great feature is the built-in proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) which positions photo subjects closer to the center of the screen for improved viewing experiences (and prevention against accidentally cropping loved ones out of the frame). Users note that storage can fill up quickly, forcing you to invest in the Nixplay subscription for more memory space. However, you can avoid this by updating albums and choosing to share your favorite pictures instead of all of your pictures.
Price at time of publish: $330
Frame Size(s): 9.7, 10.1, 13.3, and 15 inches | Resolution: 2048 x 1536 pixels | Storage: 8 gigabytes onboard; unlimited photos and 5 gigabytes video cloud storage (up to 50 gigabytes video storage with subscription) | Touchscreen: No | Wi-Fi: Yes
Best for Videos
PhotoSpring Digital Picture Frame
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Amazon
User-friendly setup
Store over 10,000 photos, 5 hours of video
Send photos through the app, email, and more
Custom framing available
No adjustable brightness
Limited uploads through email
Digital photo frames aren’t just for sharing photos—you can share video memories, too. The PhotoSpring Digital Picture Frame boasts a user-friendly setup in which the frame screen walks you through each step, prompting you to connect it to Wi-Fi, download the latest software, name the frame, and select your photo formatting preferences. With its excellent built-in memory, it is spacious enough to store over 10,000 photos and 5 hours of video, as well.
You can upload travel vlogs and other video and photo content to the frame through the compatible app, Google Photos, a USB stick, or a web browser, making it even easier to start sharing. There’s also an option to email photos to the frame—though, you can only send a few photos at a time, so this approach isn’t the best option for bulk uploads.
If you’d like to change the look of the frame, you can purchase additional frame borders. This particular PhotoSpring model must be plugged in to work, but if you have a bit more room in your budget, you can opt for a version of the frame with a rechargeable battery.
Price at time of publish: $159
Frame Size(s): 10 inches | Resolution: 1280 x 800 pixels | Storage: 16 gigabytes of built-in memory, USB stick | Touchscreen: Yes | Wi-Fi: Yes
The Pix-Star Easy Digital Photo Frame is our "best overall" option because it’s family-friendly and comes with free unlimited cloud storage, allowing you to store and share all of your photos in one place with ease. Plus, you can share memories with friends and friends virtually through multiple channels, including uploading via the coordinating app, email, or online albums such as Google Photos or Instagram. For a more grandparent-friendly option, the Skylight Frame Digital Picture Frame is a great pick because family members can easily send images to the frame and grandparents will get notified of any new additions. Plus, they can view images with or without Wi-Fi, making it a little more accessible, too.
What to Look For in a Digital Picture Frame
Display
According to international photographer J.Monroe, the display is one of the most important factors to consider, especially in terms of the size, aspect ratio, and resolution. Display features are vital to the quality of a picture frame, but they are also dependent on your personal preference. Larger photo frame screens could be a better option for grandparents, or those looking to mount a frame on the wall. While smaller displays might be the perfect pick for a desktop frame to decorate a workspace, console, or shelf. No matter what size you choose, also consider aspect ratio and resolution. Aspect ratio is a proportion measure that shows the relation between width and height while resolution tells you how crisp an image will appear on screen. Lower resolutions are less crisp compared to higher-resolutions, which is highly recommended for a digital screen.
“The best thing about digital frames is that the variety of options is limitless as long as the size of your photos ranges between 150-300 dots per inch (DPI),” Monroe explains. Monroe also recommends looking at screens with at least 1080-pixel high-definition (HD) resolutions, especially if you want a larger frame that mounts on the wall.
Storage
Most digital picture frames with built-in storage have capacities of around 4 to 8 gigabytes, however, some companies have upgrade options through either one-time purchasing or a subscription-based format. “Depending on your image quality, that could allow for up to 30,000 images to be stored on the device,” says Jim Costa, a professional photographer with over 33 years of experience.
Additionally, many digital picture frames come with cloud storage, so you can store all of your images without worrying about maxing out the built-in capacity. Some options like the Aura Carver Luxe HD Smart Digital Picture Frame come with free unlimited cloud storage while others offer a specific amount of storage with the option to upgrade through subscription plans.
Customization Options
According to Costa, customization options are an added perk to consider when purchasing a digital photo frame—however, they aren’t always necessary. “Some devices allow you to change the slideshow effects, transitions, image screen time, and more,” Costa explains. Some additional customizable features include adjustable screen brightness and automatic on/off timers, which Costa says is a great energy-saving feature when people aren’t home. You can also find some frames—such as the PhotoSpring 10in WiFi Digital Picture Frame—that allow you to easily upgrade the look with add-on border frames to match your preferred decor style.
Privacy Features
When shopping for a digital picture frame—especially ones with cloud storage—Monroe says it’s important to look at options that offer safe and secure storage, as being “able to ensure that your personal photos and data aren’t owned or shared is always a plus.” Look for a company’s security measures on their website or product page, which can help indicate whether they are reputable and can be trusted. Some companies offer security measures like photo encryption as well as stating not to share or sell customer data for advertising. They might also go as far as to only allow access to photos when helping troubleshoot a concern, so long as you authorize it. Other privacy features found in some digital picture frames include facial recognition (similar to a smartphone) as an added layer of security.
A company’s security measures should be stated clearly on their website, indicating that they are reputable and can be trusted.
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How do digital picture frames work?
Digital picture frames work in many different ways. Monroe explains: “Some require you to upload photos onto the actual device via a USB port or card [which is common in non-Wi-Fi frames], others have options to upload them using internet access on a site, app, or website, making it easier to manage, store, and change anything needed.” Once photos are uploaded and sent to the device, images will appear on the digital picture frame screen in a slideshow-like manner.
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Can digital picture frames play videos?
Many digital picture frames have the ability to play video as well. However, Costa says there are a few things to keep in mind when considering video connectivity. “Video file sizes are extremely large compared to image sizes, so if you’re storing video files on an SD card or USB drive, you’ll use up storage space quickly and won’t be able to play as many videos as images,” says Costa.
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Can you use a smart display as a digital picture frame?
“Smart displays, such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Assistant can be used as a digital picture frame,” says Costa. “However, since these devices are used for other things, they aren’t the best when acting as a digital picture frame,” Costa adds. While there is a slideshow feature on many smart displays, they are more comparable to a computer screensaver and might be less ideal for decor purposes.
Why Trust The Spruce?
Contributing writer Jessie Quinn is a writer and product researcher for The Spruce. When researching the best digital picture frames, Quinn used her background in journalism to research dozens of models and narrow down her list to include the top picks. She looked at everything from user experience to tech specs, such as resolution and screen size, to curate a list of the best digital photo frames, landing on these top eight picks. Quinn also tapped top photographers J.Monroe and Jim Costa for input on what makes a digital picture frame high-quality and what to consider when shopping for one.