The 8 Best Digital Picture Frames of 2023
Dotdash Meredith and Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
Our top pick is the Aura Mason for its ease of use, unlimited storage, and stylish look.
Real Simple / Alli Waataja
Printing photos and assembling scrapbooks might not be as common anymore, but that doesn't mean displaying your favorite photos is any less valuable. To save time and space, digital picture frames provide a convenient solution for displaying memories in the home.
To find the best digital picture frames, we researched various frames across sizes, displays, storage methods, and price points. We also spoke with Kevin Gordon, VP of AI Technologies at NexOptic, an AI imaging solutions company, for his intel on selecting and using a digital picture frame.
"Digital picture frames are extremely useful for photo enthusiasts who want to display many of their pictures, but don’t necessarily want to print out hard copies," says Gordon. "A digital frame allows users to sync it with photos stored in the cloud, or even social media, and can display pictures in real-time."
Our top pick is the Aura Mason Digital Picture Frame for its ease of use, unlimited cloud storage, crisp resolution, and stylish frame.
Aura Mason Digital Picture Frame
Best Overall Digital Picture Frame
Who it’s for: People who want a frame with all the bells and whistles, including unlimited storage, video capability, and high resolution.
Who it’s not for: People who don't want to connect to WiFi.
This digital picture frame has it all. For starters, we love the hand-speckled finish and that the frame can be oriented vertically and horizontally (portrait and landscape mode). The Aura Mason also excels in its ease of use and smart features—to get going, connect the Aura Mason to your WiFi network, download the free Aura app, and begin uploading photos for display on your digital frame. You can also invite relatives or close friends to upload photos to your account. The best part is that the app is free, and you get unlimited cloud storage. Because of that, however, the device requires WiFi to display images.
The display also impresses with its tech specs. The frame has a solid 1600 x 1200 resolution for crisp images, and the screen auto dims to correspond to ambient light and turns off at night. The screen can also display 30-second videos with audio and has a touch bar to swipe through photos and view additional details. While undoubtedly a high-quality option, the price point might be a bit too high for those looking for a more budget-friendly option.
Price at time of publish: $199
Product Details:
Screen Size: 9 inches
Resolution: 1600 x 1200
Storage: Unlimited cloud storage
Aeezo 10.1-Inch Digital Photo Frame
Best Budget Digital Picture Frame
Who it’s for: People who want to upload photos in bulk.
Who it’s not for: People who want unlimited storage.
If you're not concerned with high resolution or unlimited storage, opt for this simple but efficient digital frame by Aeezo. It comes with 16GB of storage (good for up to 40,000 photos), which you can bolster with an SD memory card or USB stick. You can connect to WiFi and seamlessly upload your photos via an app—friends and family can also upload to your account.
Keep in mind that only 10 photos can be uploaded at a time, so the process can be time-consuming. Once your photos are uploaded, you can touch the screen to browse through pictures, delete files, adjust the brightness, or pause the slideshow display without using the app. The 1280 x 800 resolution on the screen is good but not great, though we think it's suitable for most casual photographers uploading images from their phones. It also allows you to upload videos but limits them to 15 seconds. For a budget pick, this frame gets the job done.
Price at time of publish: $100
Product Details:
Screen Size: 10.1 inches
Resolution: 1280 x 800
Storage: 16GB
Skylight 10-Inch Digital Frame
Best Touchscreen Digital Picture Frame
Who it’s for: People who don't want to use an app to upload images.
Who it’s not for: People who want greater storage capacity.
Touchscreen digital picture frames can be intuitive for most users, like the Skylight Digital Frame, which has an easy-to-use touchscreen frame. Using the touchscreen, you can connect the device to WiFi, create a Skylight email address, and email photos to that address for them to appear on the screen. Anyone with the email address can send photos for inclusion, making this ideal for large families or groups of friends. Once uploaded, you can use the touchscreen to browse through your photo gallery, delete images, and pause the slideshow display. No apps are needed!
The frame has a relatively low storage capacity of 8GB, but if you want your images in the cloud, you can add a $39 annual Skylight Plus subscription for more storage. The screen resolution is 1280 x 800, which is adequate for most casual photographers. One potential downside to this frame is that the touchscreen may become dirty with fingerprints, so we recommend cleaning it frequently.
Price at time of publish: $169
Product Details:
Screen Size: 10 inches
Resolution: 1280 x 800
Storage: 8GB
:
Nixplay 9.7-inch 2K Ultra Photo Frame
Best Smart Digital Picture Frame
Who it’s for: People who want a multitude of upload options.
Who it’s not for: People shopping on a tight budget.
This digital picture frame does it all with automatic, seamless functionality. The Nixplay’s niX-SenseMe smart technology senses your presence, turning the device on when you’re around and turning it off when nobody is in the room. This frame also uses AI to auto-position your photos with faces at the center of the frame. You can also create photo playlists for special occasions and ask Amazon Alexa to display them. If you want to change the frame's orientation from landscape to vertical, your photos will also automatically rotate and re-center.
Along with all of these helpful features comes a 2K screen resolution, which is well above standard resolution, lending itself a beautiful, crisp display. To upload photos to the frame, use the mobile app, desktop website, email, or even social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Cloud storage allows for unlimited photos, but does limit video files to 5GB, although you can pay an additional fee to upgrade your video storage space.
Price at time of publish: $197
Product Details:
Screen Size: 9.7 inches
Resolution: 2048 x 1536
Storage: Unlimited cloud storage; 8GB internal storage
Yenock 8-Inch Digital Picture Frame
Best Digital Picture Frame Without WiFi
Who it’s for: People who want to set it and forget it.
Who it’s not for: People who want to display long videos.
Although some Yenock frames offer WiFi, this 8-inch model does not—just plug a USB drive or SD card with photos directly into the frame and they appear on display. (For those who enable a WiFi connection, you can upload images through a mobile app or an email and store photos on the built-in 32GB memory.)
While this digital picture frame's resolution is a standard 1280 x 800, it offers non-picture frame capabilities that set this model apart from the competition. For starters, this frame comes with a remote to easily control the slideshow. Plus, you can use the calendar/schedule function, alarm clock, weather, and time display, making this frame especially well-suited for work or travel. You can also set up background music, as well as play videos.
Price at time of publish: $56
Product Details:
Screen Size: 8 inches
Resolution: 1280 x 800
Storage: Depends on USB drive or SD card capabilities
Aura Carver Digital Photo Frame
Best Digital Picture Frame With Unlimited Storage
Who it’s for: People who take photos of anything and everything.
Who it’s not for: People who want a high-resolution screen.
The Aura Carver is less expensive than the Aura Mason, partly because it has a lower screen resolution and can only orient horizontally in landscape mode. But the Carver, which is an inch larger than the Mason, is an equally great all-around frame that features unlimited cloud storage and a free app that makes photo management easy.
This digital picture frame also offers helpful smart features that automatically turn your screen on and off, crop photos for an ideal display, and manage screen brightness. It permits video uploads, so long as the videos are less than 30 seconds long, and you can also invite friends and family to upload their photos to your account.
Price at time of publish: $149
Product Details:
Screen Size: 10.1 inches
Resolution: 1280 x 800
Storage: Unlimited cloud storage
:
Pix-Star 10-Inch Digital Picture Frame
Best Digital Picture Frame for Videos
Who it’s for: People who want to set up multiple frames with one account.
Who it’s not for: People who want a lot of storage capacity.
Pix-Star allows you to upload photos, videos up to two minutes in duration (a solid four to eight times longer than other frames on this list), and even audio messages. Cloud storage is free and unlimited for photos and videos, which you can upload via email or an app. Plus, you can manage up to 25 frames from one account, which is convenient if you want to use multiple frames in your home.
There are also bonus features, like internet radio stations, music, reminder alerts, weather, and games. One potential downside is that the screen resolution is a touch less than standard HD quality, but most people probably won’t notice the difference.
Price at time of publish: $155
Product Details:
Screen Size: 9.7 inches
Resolution: 1024 x 768
Storage: Unlimited cloud storage
Netgear Meural Smart Digital Photo Frame
Best Large Digital Picture Frame
Who it’s for: People who want to display art, NFTs, and photos.
Who it’s not for: People on a budget.
Sometimes a 7- or 10-inch display isn’t enough. Thankfully, the Netgear Meural frame is 15.6 inches, making it an impressive display you can view from across the room. This frame features a built-in stand and a wall mount, so you can set it up anywhere in the home. While the large screen size coincides with a hefty price tag, this digital picture frame can also display photos, 15-second videos, 100 famous works of art, and even NFTs.
You can also create custom playlists scheduled for special occasions, or set the frame to display just one image rather than an automatic slideshow—swipe to the next image with a simple hand gesture. You can manage your files via an app, and storage is ample at 24GB. Smart features include auto-adjusting brightness and an auto sleep mode when it gets dark. While the screen resolution is the standard 1920x1080, you can upload 4K photos.
Price at time of publish: $350
Product Details:
Screen Size: 15.6 inches
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Storage: 24GB
Final Verdict
We recommend the Aura Mason as the best digital picture frame overall. This elegant frame can orient in both landscape and portrait modes, and comes with unlimited cloud storage, meaning you can upload as many photos and 30-second videos as you desire. Everything is conveniently handled through the Aura app, though you can adjust the display via a touch bar.
How to Shop for Digital Picture Frames Like a Pro
Size
Though your frame can scale high-resolution digital photos up and down in size, you have to consider what dimensions suit your space. Consider the spot you want to place it—a small frame is suitable for a nightstand or gallery wall, while a large one complements a mantle or bookshelf. There's no right or wrong size, so it comes to personal preference—most users opt for diagonal sizes ranging from eight to 11 inches.
Storage
Some digital picture frames use a memory card for storage, while others utilize cloud storage. Regardless of storage type, there is usually an upper limit unless you pay for more space. Think about how many photos you want to display and ensure that number aligns with the storage options.
Also, consider how you upload your images. You can upload images to the cloud via email or a manual online uploader. But if you use a memory card, you'll have to transfer images from your camera to that card (usually via a computer).
Display
There are several factors to consider regarding display. First, can the frame be oriented vertically and horizontally, or in just one direction? Digital picture frames can display vertical and horizontal photos in their opposite configuration but contend with pillar boxing (when black bars are added to the edges of photos to appropriately fit the screen without warping).
Second, and on a similar note, consider the aspect ratio or the overall dimensions. Most photos taken on phones fit into a 4:3 aspect ratio, though other popular options include 5:4 and 16:9. If your photos don't match up to your frame, pillar boxing might occur here, too.
And third is the resolution, or how detailed the screen is. Larger screens need a higher resolution for crisp images, while smaller screens can get away with a lower resolution and still maintain crisp images. At the minimum, look for 1080p resolution.
Customization
Your photo display settings should come with several customizations, but the specifics change per device. "A digital photo frame cycles through a set number of photos, depending on its storage capacity, and allows the user to adjust settings like the time between each photo and transition effects," says Gordon. If you want specific display settings, make sure you can customize them.
Questions You Might Ask
Can digital picture frames work without WiFi?
Most digital picture frames require WiFi, as the images are in a cloud service. But there are also non-WiFi digital picture frames that store photos on memory cards or USBs, which don't necessarily need WiFi to operate.
Can digital picture frames play videos?
Many digital picture frames play video but may limit the length of those videos from 15 seconds to two minutes. If videos are important to you, check that the digital picture frame you purchase supports them. Some frames allow audio functions, while others are silent.
Do digital picture frames come with privacy features?
Most digital picture frame companies have privacy protections in place, but their depth of coverage varies greatly. "For example, Nixplay is a reputable digital photo frame producer that encrypts your photos during transfers. And others like Aura give you the choice to delete metadata on your photos, like when and where it was taken," says Gordon. "Users should look for these privacy features in the terms and conditions outlined by companies before using their devices."
If your digital picture frame runs on WiFi, there is always a chance that someone can hack it. "Even if you don’t care that hackers have access to your photos, the frame itself could be used as a gateway to your phone or computer, giving malicious actors access to more personal information," says Gordon.
Take Our Word for It
This article was written by Stefanie Waldek. Stefanie is a contributing writer for Real Simple with nine years of writing experience and four years of experience reviewing products. To come up with these recommendations, Stefanie spent hours researching digital picture frames; she ultimately narrowed down the list based on type, function, and ease of use. She also tapped tech expert Kevin Gordon, VP of AI Technologies at NexOptic, an AI imaging solutions company, for his top tips and recommendations.
For more Real Simple news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Real Simple.
