The best digital photo frames in 2024: display your images without printing them

The best digital photo frames allow you to share all your favorite images of family and friends in your living room. Instead of just endlessly staring at the same printed photo, you can upload a selection of pictures and enjoy each in turn. Whether you want to show off holiday snaps, photos from your wedding, or even short videos, there's a frame out there to suit you.

These days, the best digital photo frames are very easy to use. Rather than needing a USB stick or an SD card to display your images, as on early photo frames, many can sync to the cloud or social media - and the gallery is controlled from an app on your photo. Another benefit they have over the best picture frames is being able to display new shots instantly. There's no need to wait to get them printed, and you won't need to buy a new frame either. 

So how do you pick the best digital photo frame for your needs? There are plenty of styles to choose from, while other things to consider are how much internal storage you'll need, whether you want to play sound and video, and if you'll need Wi-Fi connectivity. Also think about who the digital photo frame is for, especially if it's a gift. Some can even be loaded with images before taking them out of the box. Others have large buttons that make things easy to use, or a touchscreen so that you can swipe through images.

The Quick List

Best digital photo frames in 2024

Best premium photo frame

Aura makes some of the most stylish digital photo frames around. The Aura Mason Luxe comes in two colors, pebble and sandstone, both of which have a speckled effect. And it's the perfect gift, because you can add pictures to it without having to open the packaging. 

This is an especially handy feature if you're giving it to someone slightly less tech-savvy. All you need to do is scan a QR code on the box and use an app on your phone to choose which pictures you want it to display, which adds an extra element of surprise. 

The Mason Luxe is able to play videos with sound thanks to its built-in speaker. Its 2K resolution means that both photos and video will be displayed in high quality, and the screen is slightly larger than the standard Mason frame. You can adjust the slideshow speed so that images change as fast or slow as you want or alternatively, you can manually flick through images using the interactive touch bar. 

This is a great frame if you can't decide whether you want it for portrait or landscape pictures, because you can do both! An upgrade to the basic Aura Mason frame, it's not the cheapest on our list. But it is one of the best-looking, and it even lets you email photos to it. 

Read more: Aura Mason Luxe review

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Best budget photo frame

Aeezo's Digital Picture Frame (also called the Portrait 01 at some retailers) has it all. It's easy to set up, has ample amounts of internal storage, can be quickly loaded with photos and has built-in speakers too. 

Within 60 seconds of taking it out of the box, I had turned it on and set it up. Photos can be added either via a USB stick, a memory card or by downloading the Frameo app and selecting photos from your phone. In general, I found it easiest to add them straight from the app. That said, if I had lots to transfer in one go, uploading from a memory card was a lot faster. 

Another big advantage to the Aeezo is that anyone can send photos to the frame so long as they have its access code. That means family or friends from all over the world can easily share photos: they just need to download the app. The one downside is you can only add up to 10 photos at a time, so if you have lots to add, you might be waiting a while. 

Otherwise, the image is very crisp and clear, the touch screen is very reactive and you can even adjust photos to make sure they fit properly within the frame. You can also add videos up to 15 seconds long, and sound is played through its internal speakers. For the price, you get a lot of advanced features with the Aeezo frame, and it looks pretty good too. Admittedly, it's a little plasticky but you can't tell from afar. 

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Best Wi-Fi photo frame

The latest update to the Aura Carver - Aura's budget-friendly digital photo frame doesn't even really feel like "the cheap option". It has the same high-quality finish and feel as the Aura Mason Luxe, and comes beautifully packaged, complete with braided cable and a set of three different plug adapters. 

The one downside of the Aura Carver is you can only use it in landscape mode - but that doesn't mean you can't load portrait photos onto it. Thanks to its Photo Match technology, the Carver frame will automatically pair portrait photos together and display them two at a time. Other smart features include automatic dimming, removal of photos using the frame and the ability to pre-load photos onto it which is especially helpful when giving as a gift. For the price, this is a high-quality, great-looking frame and the fact you can't use it in portrait mode isn't a huge issue. It does need a WiFi connection to work, so it is not best suited to rooms with weak reception.

Read more: Aura Carver review

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Best high-resolution photo frame

The Nixplay 2K Smart Digital is one of the sharpest digital photo frames you can buy, thanks to its impressive 2048 x 1536 resolution, which looks highly detailed on a 9.7-inch screen. Images are sharp and crisp, the colors are accurate and even the smallest details are noticeable. The 2K Smart Digital can be used in either portrait or landscape orientation, and it can be mounted to the wall. It can be customized in a variety of ways such as setting a sleep timer, selecting transitions and adjusting colors. Images can be uploaded from your phone or by syncing it with Google Photos.

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Best photo frame for smart homes

If you already have a selection of Google smart home devices around your house, perhaps a Google Nest Hub Max would be the best digital photo frame for you. Not only is it a hub for smart devices and a portal for accessing Google Assistant at home, but it's also a great digital photo frame. With a 1280 x 800 resolution touchscreen, you can easily swipe through your photos – which are sourced from Google Photos. 

The only issue is that the Google Nest Hub Max comes with a fixed stand setup, so you're unable to adjust it from its default upward tilt. While this shouldn't be an issue if you're looking to place it on a desk or table, this will likely prevent you from positioning it on a higher shelf. 

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Best large photo frame

This looks so much like a traditional frame that you almost have to double-take. The stylish, black-rimmed, 15-inch digital photo frame comes complete with white mount. It has 2GB of internal storage, built-in speakers and a larger screen than most digital photo frames, which makes it ideal for playing videos. 

Its size means it's a little on the pricey side for a budget frame, but it does come with a lot of features including a remote, so you can control it from the comfort of your sofa. The biggest downside is that there's no Wi-Fi connectivity: file transfer is done via an SD card. It’s also worth noting that the aspect ratio is 4:3 rather than the more usual 16:9, which will please some and disappoint others.

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Best non-widescreen photo frame

This clever all-in-one multimedia screen lets you directly send and receive photos via email and the internet, not just cards or USB sticks. This compact, standard 4:3 ratio 10-inch screen device comes with 8GB of built in storage, which should accommodate up to 30,000 photos. Set up is made easy via the provided remote, with peace of mind provided courtesy of a two-year manufacturer’s warranty. 

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How to choose the best digital photo frame

The main factors to weigh up while you choose your ideal digital photo frame include screen size, orientation and aspect ratio, and connectivity.

Screen size: Most digital frames are around 10 inches (measured on the diagonal), but you can go smaller or larger to suit your space. Screens with higher resolutions will show off more detail in your photos.

Orientation and aspect ratio: Most frames can be set up in either landscape or portrait orientation to the way you shoot most of your images, but some only support landscape orientation. The aspect ratio is essentially the shape of the screen. Many digital frames are a relatively wide and narrow 16:10 or 16:9, similar to a TV: they’re a great choice if you want to showcase your smartphone photos, which most people shoot at the 16:9 default ratio. A few frames come in a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is closer to the 3:2 default ratio that most DSLR and mirrorless camera photos are shot in. Bear the chief source of your photos in mind when you pick your frame.

Connectivity: With smartphone photography in mind, most digital frames have a Wi-Fi connection and are able to link with a free smartphone app for transferring images. Some frames offer slots for plugging in physical storage, such as SD cards or USB sticks. Think about the method that best suits how you take and share your photos.

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