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How to Make a Photo Slideshow Video (with Music)

Published June 28, 2026 Updated September 15, 2026 5 min read By the ExpoCut team

A folder of photos is a memory; a slideshow with motion and music is a moment people rewatch. The trick is to never let a still sit still — here’s how to make photos move.

Quick answer

To make a photo slideshow in ExpoCut: start a project, tap Image ▸ Photo Library and pick a photo (it lands as a 5-second clip); tap the row label (O1) and add the next photo so it appends after the last one — repeat for every photo. Then, per photo: tap the pencil (Edit), set W/H so it fills the frame, tap Motion ◇+ and pick a gentle path (Line Right, Arc Up…) at ~25 % Size — that’s the Ken Burns drift. Tap the + joiner between photos for a Dissolve, add music from Audio ▸ Explore, and export.

  • Each photo becomes its own 5-second clip; tap the row label before adding so the next one appends instead of starting a new row.
  • Photos land fit-to-width — type a bigger W/H (or pinch) in Edit mode to fill a 9:16 frame.
  • The Ken Burns move is Motion ◇+ ▸ a line or arc preset at 20–30 % Size; the path endpoints are draggable on the canvas.
  • Alternate directions (Line Right, then Arc Up, then Diagonal Down) so the drift never repeats.
  • The + joiner between photos holds the Dissolve/Wipe; one Filter on every photo unifies mixed lighting.

The difference between a boring slideshow and one people watch twice is motion. A still that slowly zooms, changes on the beat, and dissolves into the next feels alive. Here’s how to turn a camera roll into that.

Step 1 — Lay out the photos

  1. Add the first photo

    Bottom bar Image ▸ Photo Library and pick one. It lands as a 5-second clip on its own row (O1). Lead with your strongest image.

  2. Append the rest

    Tap the O1 row label so it highlights, then Image ▸ Photo Library again — the next photo appends after the last one instead of starting a new row. Repeat.

  3. Set each duration

    About 2–3 seconds each is a good default — long enough to register, short enough to keep moving. Pinch a clip with two fingers, or open Trim.

The editor timeline with three waterfall photos in sequence on row O1, each 5 seconds, with a + joiner between each pair; the project is 15 seconds long. Tap the row label first Three photos on one row, joiners between
Three photos, one row. The + joiners between them are where the transitions go. Long-press a clip to drag it into a new order.

Photos land fit to the canvas width, so a landscape shot in a 9:16 frame shows bars. Tap the pencil (Edit) and type a bigger W and H (or pinch) so it fills the frame — you’ll crop the sides, but the drift you add next makes that a feature.

Edit mode on the first photo: the waterfall now fills the 9:16 canvas with W 1024 and H 683, the scale ruler reads 100%, and the Keyframe and Motion rows sit below the timeline. Fit W 1024 × H 683 fills 9:16
In Edit mode, type W/H (keep the ratio) so the photo covers the frame. Fit snaps it back to fit-to-width if you overshoot.

Step 2 — Never let a still sit still (Ken Burns)

This is the whole secret. Give every photo a slow zoom or pan so it drifts gently the entire time it’s on screen. The easiest way: with the photo in Edit mode, tap Motion ◇+ and drop a motion path on it — pick a line, arc, or curve (or draw your own) and keep Size low for a barely-there drift. Alternate the direction (one drifts up, the next pans across) so it doesn’t feel repetitive.

The Motion Path sheet with Line Right selected at 28% Size and 1.00× Speed, Reverse and Orient buttons, and the 25-preset grid; on the canvas a dashed path with two endpoint handles runs across the waterfall. Path endpoints — drag them on the canvas Size ~25 % = gentle Speed 1× 25 presets + Draw
A motion path is the one-tap Ken Burns. Pick a preset, pull Size down to 20–30 %, and the still drifts the whole time it’s on screen. The endpoints on the canvas are draggable if you want the pan to start or end somewhere specific; Reverse flips the direction.

Slow and subtle. A barely-perceptible drift looks classy; a fast zoom looks cheap. Keep the movement gentle.

Step 3 — Transition and frame

Tap the + joiner between two photos and pick a Dissolve or slide for flow — keep them short and consistent. For a scrapbook feel, add a Polaroid border to each. One filter across all photos unifies mixed lighting from different shots.

Step 4 — Add music and sync

Lay a music track underneath and time photo changes to the beat — quicker for an upbeat song, slower and longer for a sentimental one. The sync is what sells it.

Step 5 — Export

Export at your target ratio — 9:16 for Stories/Reels, 1:1 or 16:9 for a shared memory video.

Where to go next

Set the timing, add a slow drift to every photo, transition gently, sync to music — and a camera roll becomes a video worth sending to the whole family.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a slideshow from photos?

Add your photos to the timeline, set each one's duration (around 2–3 seconds is a good default), add a slow zoom or pan to each so they're never static, transition between them, and lay a music track underneath. Then export.

What is the Ken Burns effect?

It's a slow zoom or pan across a still photo so it feels alive instead of frozen. Add a scale or position keyframe (or a motion path) to each photo — starting slightly zoomed and easing in or out — and a static image gains gentle motion.

How do I sync a slideshow to music?

Add the track first, then set each photo to change on a beat — shorter holds for an upbeat song, longer for a sentimental one. Matching the photo changes to the music is what makes a slideshow feel produced.

Make your photos move

Durations, slow zooms, transitions and music — turn a camera roll into a slideshow people rewatch. Build it on your phone.

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