How to Create a 'Memories' Slideshow on iPhone

Memories are slideshows that your iPhone or iPad generates automatically from your device's Photos library. But you can also create customized slideshows from your existing or new albums. This article explains how to create, edit, and share Memories slideshows in Photos for iOS and iPadOS.

How to Manually Create a Memory

Not all of your actual memories fit snugly into Photos' interpretation of events, holidays, and gatherings, but you can create your own album or Memory to better reflect reality. Here's how to create new Memories in Photos on an iPhone or iPad.

1. Open the Photos app and select Albums.

2. Select the + (Plus) button > New Album.

3. Name the album and tap Save.

   

4. Select the photos you'd like to add to the album by choosing Select and tapping the images to add. You can browse photos by album, or by navigating through your entire library.

5. After you've made your selection, tap the three dots icon > Add to Album and choose the new album you set up.

   

6. Return to the Albums screen. Under My Albums, select the album you just created.

7. Select the three dots icon > Play Memory Video to view the Memory slideshow.

   You need to have at least five photos in an album to view the Play Memory Video option.

   

How to Create a Memory of a Specific Person

The Photos app creates a dynamic slideshow from the photos and videos you have of a specific person. You can find and edit these memories from the People & Places album on iPhone or People & Pets on an iPad.

1. Open Photos and select Albums > People & Places.

2. Select a person from this album to view the curated Memory Video and other photos of that individual.

3. Select the Play icon to display a full-screen slideshow of that person.
   

   

4. To add additional photos to this Memory slideshow, select the three dots icon > Manage Photos.
   

5. Tap to select any additional photos you'd like to add to this Memory.

6. Confirm by tapping Done.

   Another way to add additional photos to a Memory is to select the grid icon to the right of the Memory > scroll all the way to the bottom of the photo collection > and tap the + (Plus).

   

How to Create a Memory of a Specific Date or Event

You can follow the same instructions to create a Memory for a specific date or event in your Photos library. Here's how:

1. Open the Photos app and select the Photos tab.

2. Navigate to the date or event in question using the Years, Months, or Days categories.

3. Tap to make your selection and then choose the three dots to the upper right of the collection.

4. Select Play Memory Video.

   

   To add additional photos to this Memory, use the same above steps for adding to a Memory slideshow for a specific person.

How to Edit a Memories Slideshow

Despite its automatic functionality, the Memories feature is not perfect at recognizing people, places, or events. For this reason, Photos allows ample ways to edit Memory Mixes. Here's how:

1. Open any Memory and select the Play icon to begin playing the slideshow.

2. Tap anywhere on the screen to reveal the editing options.

3. Change the music by selecting the music icon and scrolling through your options and tapping Done.

   Or, tap the Add Music symbol to access songs from your Apple Music library.

   

4. Select a color style for memories by tapping the Memory Looks icon, (three layered circles). Select Done to apply any edits.

   To change the arrangement of photos in the Memory video, tap, hold, and drag the image to the new spot.

5. Tap the three dots in the upper-right corner to edit the title and subtitle, save this memory as a favorite, or add photos.

   On iPads, you also have the option to select Make Key Photo to change the main image for the memory.

   

How to Save and Share Memories

Now that you have a custom Memory slideshow, you may want to share it.

• Use the Share button: You can share a slideshow or save it to your device by selecting the Share button while it is playing. All the standard share options are available, including AirDrop, Messages, Mail, Dropbox, etc.
  
• Save as a video file: If you prefer a video file, select Save Video to save the slideshow to your Photos library in video format.
• Share photos from the Memory: To share individual or a group of photos from Memory slideshows rather than the entire movie, play the Memory > select the grid icon > three dots > Select > tap the photos > Share.

How to Create Photo Memories

Memories are created automatically in iOS and iPadOS. All you need to do is continue capturing images and video, and Photos will dynamically sort them into Memories based on dates and the amount of media generated over a certain period.

You can use the above instructions to edit Memory videos Photos creates. Or, you can make, view, and share your own Memory slideshows by creating new, customized albums.