How to Transfer Photos to a Digital Picture Frame

Download pictures from your computer or digital camera

by
Fionna Agomuoh
Fionna Agomuoh
Writer
Fionna Agomuoh is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire. Her writing has appeared in Newsweek, International Business Times, and others.
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Fionna Agomuoh
Updated on April 02, 2020

Digital photo frames are a great way to show off images and videos of your favorite memories with friends and family. If your computer hard drive or digital camera stores images and videos that you want to add to your digital photo frame, it's easy to transfer these files using a flash drive, memory card, or USB cable. Here's how.

Make sure your photos are in a universal image file format accepted by most digital frames, such as JPEG. Check your photo frame instructions to learn the device's optimal image and video formats.

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Download Pics to a Digital Frame From a Flash Drive

If you have pictures on your computer hard drive, it's easy to use a flash drive to download the images and then transfer the files to your digital picture frame.

  1. Connect a flash drive to your computer using a free USB port.

    If you have a Mac, you may need a USB-C to USB Adapter to connect a flash drive to your computer.

  2. Access your photo or image library on your computer.

  3. Either copy-and-paste or drag-and-drop images from your computer library to the flash drive.

  4. Eject and properly remove the flash drive from the computer.

  5. Connect the flash drive to your digital frame.

  6. Depending on your digital frame, follow the on-screen instructions to save images via the frame's internal storage.

  7. If you don't wish to save images in the digital frame's internal storage, leave the flash drive plugged into the frame. It will access and display the images. Eject and remove the flash drive when you no longer wish to display these images.

Download Pics to a Digital Frame via Memory Card

Use an SD Card

If you have a digital camera with an SD card, it's easy to transfer photos directly to your digital photo frame.

Before you attempt this method of transferring images to a digital frame, ensure you have the right kind of memory card. Digital frames most often accept SD cards, which are compatible with larger electronics, such as digital cameras.

  1. Remove the SD card from your digital camera.

  2. Insert the SD card into the digital picture frame.

  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to display images, or to save images on the frame's internal storage. Instructions vary slightly depending on the digital frame model.

Use a MicroSD Card

If you have a digital camera with a microSD card, you'll likely need a microSD-to-SD memory card adapter or memory card reader to make it compatible with a digital frame.

A microSD-to-SD adapter is shaped like an SD card. Insert the microSD card into the adapter, then insert the adapter into the digital frame and follow the on-screen instructions.

A memory card reader works similarly to a flash drive. Insert the microSD card into the reader, then plug the reader into the digital frame. Once connected, follow the on-screen instructions to save or display images.

Download Pics to a Digital Frame From a Computer

It's easy to download pictures from your computer to a digital frame using a compatible USB cable.

On iOS and macOS, download images from iTunes or iCloud to your computer before transferring those files to a digital frame. On Android, transfer images to a computer before transferring to a digital frame.

  1. Connect the digital frame to the computer using a compatible USB cable. 

  2. Open the folder for the digital frame if it doesn't open immediately. 

  3. Open the folder containing the photos you want to transfer.

  4. Highlight the image files you wish to transfer.

  5. Either copy-and-paste or drag-and-drop the image files to the digital frame's folder.

  6. Select either Safely Remove Hardware or Eject to remove the digital frame from your computer.

  7. Disconnect the USB cable from the computer and digital frame.

  8. Navigate your digital frame to display your pictures, and enjoy viewing your images.

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