Clean that old iPad! Has it been buried under a pile of tech relics? Just before donation, it is about to get a second chance. We are converting it from a digital dinosaur to a dazzling digital photo frame. Imagine thousand-plus iCloud memories freed from the cloud and elegantly displayed. Forget dishing out more money for another gadget; we’re giving your battered iPad a fabulous makeover. It couldn’t be easier: just change a few settings, download a photo frame app, and find its best pose. Prop-it, stand-it, or mount-it-your memories, your way. So are you set to discover some of those well-kept memories and really give them an affectionate home? Let’s begin.
Upcycled iPad versus a digital picture frame
Forget those low-res digital picture frames. Of course, they are plug and play, dedicated to one task, and wouldn’t interrupt your memories with junk email alerts. But with a grainy resolution of 1280×800, they belong to the past. Your old iPad, yes, even a 9th generation unit, is pretty much on the much higher side to display images at 2160×1620, thereby really bringing life to your pictures. Whereas, a digitally basic frame will demand a hundred bucks to set things right, the iPad? Already paid for! And when you have grown weary of vacation memories on an iPad, it is now your window to video calls or streaming entertainment. Think about that!
Amy Skorheim for Engadget
How to turn your old iPad into a digital picture frame
Apple’s Photos app: slideshow savior or frustrating tease? I thought of my iPad as a posh digital picture frame to present a rotating gallery of memorable images. Boom! The dreaded apparition of Apple’s “Memory” slideshow popped into mind. Forced music, nonrandomized images, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it intervals: strike one, strike two, and strike three! The dream died away.
If you want a fully customizable, silent, and aesthetically pleasing digital photo frame experience, do away with the integrated option and go for third-party apps. The iPad will thank you for it, and so will your sanity.
For something much more sleek and modern, Re-frame Synched Photo Frame ($10 and lifetime access to the program) on your iPad is good for simple yet stunning photo displays. It’s a very lean program without distracting transitions, filters, or overlays. Choosing your favorite photographs from the Photos app, it displays them in a very nice fashion. Sometimes, less is more when it comes to defining your memories.
Tired of squinting at tiny photos? The device lets you set up a slideshow with interval settings that vary anywhere from 10 seconds to 24 hours. Likewise, there is a smart sleep mode so that your joyful family images don’t beam into the wee hours. Got a bunch of portraits and landscapes? Cleverly, it splits the screen to display two images side-by-side or stacked with a crisp white border, much like the Aura Carver does elegantly. Full-screen images stretch from edge to edge, losing just a tiny bit of detail in favor of a more polished look, which is, in my book, totally worth it to keep away from awkwardly blurred edges or black bars. Unlike the Aura Carver, though, this one can also be turned into portrait mode, giving a pretty nice spin on your photo display.
LiveFrame marks its appearance as the best budget-star candidate just for $5 for lifetime access. The transition effects and image filters pack a wallop, but it falls off the cliff when it comes to allowing two image displays side-by-side, presenting LiveFrame as dull compared to Re-Frame. LiveFrame ends up blurring the edges with a glint of distraction or just presenting bars, or worse, giving an unpleasant stretch to the image. My whole experience was marred by bugs and navigation that feel like staring at the maze with a blindfold on. Now, Digital Photo Frame Slideshow lurks behind with a huge $30 annual fee. That price is a deal-breaker, especially since it somehow lacks a sleep function. I must say, hard pass.
How to prepare your iPad for photo frame mode
Step one: Create an album
So, are you all set for the enchanting conversion of your iPad into a digital photo frame? But here comes the crucial step: making the right album inside Photos. While a lot of you probably know this, having a dedicated album built and cropped for display apps really brings out the experience. This guide assumes your iPad is running iPadOS 18; a few steps might be slightly different if you’re running anything earlier. Now, let’s dive in!
Tired of awkwardly cropped albums? The “Aspect Ratio Grid” in the Photos app is your ace in the hole. Turn it on in View Options and immediately distinguish between horizontal and vertical shots. Album creating is a whole lot easier now – and so much better to look at.
(Amy Skorheim for Engadget)
- OpenPhotosand tap the side bar icon in the upper left corner.
- Under Albums, tap+ New Albumat the bottom of that list.
- Give your album an unforgettable name! Examples are “Summer Vacation ’23” or “Grandma’s Birthday Bash.” It saves valuable scrolling time when you are adding pictures later. Next, clickCreate Albumand then that fetching blue plus button.
Wanna constrain the camera’s viewpoint? Spot that up/down arrow hidden at the corner of the orientation menu? Tap that! It provides you with a shortcut to snapping photos either in landscape or portrait.
- Select the images you want and tapAddin the upper right.
Step two: Adjust your iPad settings
Unleash Your iPad: Disable Auto-Lock! Head to Settings and get into Display & Brightness so you can banish that annoying Auto-Lock. Turn it to “Never,” and your screen will stay on bright. Yes, the battery warning will also appear, but that’s nothing to worry about now, as your plugged-in iPad is laughing away the concept of having a battery to drain through brilliant uninterrupted display.
Caught in a tide of alerts? Reembrace iPad serenity by muting these insistent notifications. Go to Settings >Notifications >Notification Style and start toggling off “Allow Notifications” foreveryapp.
Pro Tip:While Do Not Disturb offers a moment of reprieve, remember that it is common across your Apple ecosphere (or until disconnected in Settings >Focus). For that forever peace of mind, a prompt frenzy remains the better option.
Step three: Don’t let randos get at your stuff
Turn your iPad into a fabulous and secure photo frame! Share those precious memories without having your privacy threatened. Apple’s innovative “Guided Access” feature, initially conceived as a parental lock, is your security agent. It locks your iPad right into photo frame mode so that no one can wander off into other apps or the home screen. While guests can still interact with your photos, if you want total peace of mind, you can disable touch completely and let the slideshow run on its own.
Turn on Guided Access in the Accessibility section of the Settings app to prevent other people from accessing your iPad
(Amy Skorheim for Engadget)
Transform Your Device into a Fortress of Focus
Activate Guided Access:Just run “Settings,” tap “Accessibility,” you’re stunned after seeing the changes in the layout. Then tap “Guided Access” and let your power unleash.
- Forge Your Key:Set a unique unlock code. This will be your personal key, preventing unauthorized exits.
- Eternal Vigilance:Set “Display AutoLock” to “Never.” Keep your device awake and dedicated, removing any distractions from its slumber.
Do you desire to make some adjustments?If you would like to change any settings, simpleiTriple click the Side button, type in your password, then press ‘Settings’ in a corner. It happens on your photo frame; do so now.
With your photo frame app open, triple click the iPad’s top button to enable Guided Access.
(Amy Skorheim for Engadget)
Put your new digital photo frame on display
Basic is out of the context! Elevate your iPad photo booth with the options at hand. Go wild and get a custom frame from Event Frame on Etsy-the treatment that any iPad would love to get, specially made to fit (pricey but so sleek). Or maybe become a paper-folding ninja with Moft’s Snap Float Folio; their designs are hard to beat. Feeling inspired? DIY that dream frame! Instructables is a great place to learn hacks for picture frames. My own subtle solution: right-angle USB-C cable and a collapsible stand. Click, click, memories preserved.
Amy Skorheim for Engadget
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