How to Play a Video and Photo Slideshow in PowerDVD
Show a folder of photos and clips as one slideshow, with your own timing and effect.
Updated Nov. 12, 2026 · 4 min read
In a hurry? Use the slideshow quick guide instead.
PowerDVD plays the photos in a folder as a slideshow. Start from My Computer, and the videos in that folder play in it too. You choose how long each photo stays on screen and how it moves. Use it to show trip photos and clips to family without editing them into a video first.
This article covers how to play a slideshow and how to rotate and zoom a photo.
- Click Photos and open a folder, or use My Computer to include videos.
- Double-click the photo you want to show first.
- Click More (•••) and then Configure slideshow preferences.
- Pick a Duration from 3 to 6 seconds.
- Pick an Effect and click OK.
- Click Play/Pause. To fill the screen, click Full screen.
- Click Stop to go back to the folder.
Steps to Play a Slideshow in PowerDVD
Step 1: Open the Folder
Under Media Library on the left, click Photos and double-click the folder with your photos. The Photos library lists only photos, so its slideshows show only photos. If your folder isn't listed, add it to the library first. See how to set up the Media Library.
To mix in videos, click My Computer under Source and browse to the folder instead. There the folder shows its photos and videos together.
Step 2: Open a Photo
Double-click the photo you want the slideshow to start with. It opens in the PowerDVD window, with the photo controls along the bottom.
To see everything in the folder, click Enable instant photo thumbnails at the bottom left. A strip of photos and videos appears, and each video shows its length.
Step 3: Open Slideshow Preferences
Click More (•••) on the photo controls. In the row of buttons above it, click Configure slideshow preferences, the last button in that row.
Step 4: Set the Duration
Open the Duration list and pick how long each photo stays on screen, from 3 Seconds, the default, to 6 Seconds.
Note: Duration only applies to photos, so videos in the slideshow still play from start to finish.
Step 5: Pick an Effect
Open the Effect list and pick how the photos appear, then click OK.
| Effect | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Motion (default) | Slowly pans and zooms across each photo, so the edges may be cut off. | When you want movement on still photos. |
| Fade | Keeps each photo still and whole, with a fade between photos. | When the whole photo should stay in view, such as group shots. |
| None | Keeps each photo still and switches with no transition. | When you want to page through photos with no effect. |
Step 6: Play the Slideshow
Click Play/Pause on the photo controls, or press Space. The slideshow starts with the photo you opened. When it reaches a video, the video plays with the video controls, and then the slideshow moves on.
To fill the screen, click Full screen at the bottom right. Press Esc to leave full screen.
Want the show to loop? Press Ctrl+R until Repeat all is on, and the slideshow starts over after the last item in the folder. Repeat current stays on one photo. See how to use the playback controls for the modes.
Note: If PowerDVD can't play a video's format, a message says so when the slideshow reaches it. Move that file out of the folder and start again, and check the supported media file formats FAQ for what PowerDVD plays.
To hide the row of thumbnails under the photo, click Disable instant photo thumbnails, next to Back at the bottom left. The row stays hidden during the slideshow. Click the same button (Enable instant photo thumbnails) to show it again.
Step 7: Stop the Slideshow
Click Stop, or press S. PowerDVD goes back to the folder.
The Result
PowerDVD plays the folder in order, photos and videos together. Each photo stays on screen for the duration you set, and each video plays to its end before the next item comes up.
Steps to Rotate and Zoom a Photo in PowerDVD
Rotate and zoom work when you view one photo. While a slideshow plays, their buttons are grayed out and can't be clicked, so stop the slideshow first.
Step 1: Rotate the Photo
Open a photo as in Step 2 above. Click Rotate left or Rotate right on the photo controls to turn it 90 degrees. Or press Ctrl+, to rotate left and Ctrl+. to rotate right.
Step 2: Zoom In
Right-click the photo and select Zoom, then a size: 400%, 300%, 200%, or 100% (1:1).
Step 3: Fit the Photo Back in the Window
Right-click the photo again and select Zoom > Fit Window. The check mark shows the size in use.
We tested these steps in PowerDVD 365 version 24.0.1923 on Windows.
Don't have PowerDVD yet? Play a folder of photos and clips as one slideshow on your PC.
Download PowerDVD Free →FAQ About Slideshows in PowerDVD
The Photos library lists only photos, so a slideshow started there shows only photos. Click My Computer under Source, browse to the folder, and start the slideshow from a photo there.
Repeat is set to Repeat current, which keeps showing one item. Press Ctrl+R to switch to Repeat all, or change it on the folder's bottom bar. Repeat all moves through the folder.
No. Duration sets how long each photo stays on screen. Videos play from start to finish, and then the slideshow moves on.
