How to make a photo slideshow on a Mac
Turn a folder of photos into a cinematic slideshow with a gentle Ken Burns zoom on every image, music, and smooth transitions — 100% offline on your Mac. No account, no upload, no watermark.
What you're making
A photo slideshow is just still images shown one after another, each with a gentle motion so it doesn't feel like a static PowerPoint. Crisp does this on a real timeline, entirely on your Mac — no account, no upload, no watermark — and gives every photo a cinematic Ken Burns zoom by default.
Step by step
Open Crisp and import your photos
Download the free Crisp app for Mac and open it — it starts in the timeline editor. Click Import (or drag your photos onto the Media panel). JPEG, PNG and HEIC all work, 100% on-device.
Add each photo to the timeline
On each photo in the Media panel, click “＋ Add as photo (3s)”. It drops onto the timeline as a held frame. Add them in the order you want; drag a clip to reorder.
Set how long each photo shows
Each photo shows for 3 seconds by default. Click a photo on the timeline and drag its right edge (or edit the duration in the inspector) to hold it longer or shorter.
Keep the Ken Burns motion (or Hold)
Every photo gets a gentle cinematic zoom (Ken Burns) automatically. For a static photo — a logo or a title card — select it and set Photo motion to Hold.
Add music and a transition
Click Choose a song to add a music track (it loops to fit), and pick a transition like Dissolve so the photos cross-fade. All offline.
Export your slideshow
Click Export video. Crisp renders the slideshow to a clean MP4 on your Mac — no watermark, no upload. Want it in 4K? Set Upscale on export to Enhance first.
Ken Burns is what makes it look pro
A still photo dropped into a video looks amateur. The Ken Burns effect — a slow zoom across the frame — is the trick iMovie and CapCut use to make slideshows feel alive. Crisp turns it on for every photo automatically; pick Hold per-photo when you want a title card to stay still.
Mix photos and video clips
You don't have to make an all-photo slideshow. Drop videos and photos onto the same timeline — open with a title-card photo, cut to your footage, end on a logo — and Crisp fits them all to one canvas and exports the whole thing together. Add a colour look or auto-montage too.
Crisp vs iMovie vs online slideshow makers
| Crisp | iMovie | Online makers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ken Burns zoom by default | Yes — every photo | Manual per clip | Varies |
| Mix photos + video on one timeline | Yes | Yes | Rarely |
| Add music that loops to fit | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Export in 4K (AI upscale) | Yes — one export | No | No |
| 100% offline, nothing uploaded | Yes | Yes | Uploads your photos |
Make a photo slideshow — offline
Free to try on your Mac. Drop in photos, get a cinematic Ken Burns slideshow — no account, no upload, nothing leaves your device.
Download Crisp for MacApple Silicon · macOS 12+ · Notarized
FAQ
How do I make a photo slideshow on a Mac for free?
Use Crisp. Import your photos, click “Add as photo” on each to place it on the timeline, add music and a transition, and Export — all on your Mac, no watermark.
Can I change how long each photo shows?
Yes. Each photo defaults to 3 seconds; drag the clip's edge on the timeline (or edit the duration in the inspector) to make any photo longer or shorter.
How do I stop a photo from zooming?
Select the photo on the timeline and set Photo motion to Hold — useful for title cards and logos. Every other photo keeps the Ken Burns zoom.
Can I mix photos and video clips?
Yes — drop both onto the same timeline. Crisp normalises them to one canvas and exports the whole thing together.
Related guides
Add title cards to a video · Upscale a finished edit to 4K · Make a highlight reel · Colour grade a video