Most of us We have hundreds, if not thousands, of photos on our phones and computers that we rarely get to review in a polished way. I make photo albums, but some deserve more display and there are too many to frame. That’s why I love digital photo frames.
If you’re thinking about the tacky, pixelated digital frames of the early aughts, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. They have come a long way. They are nice to have in the home and make great gifts too. You can set them up for others and send them your latest vacation photos directly, so your parents or grandparents can always be up to date. Most require a Wi-Fi connection, but we have an option that doesn’t. These are the best (and worst) digital frames.
Don’t have enough photos? Check out our many other buying guides, including the best compact cameras, the best mirrorless cameras, the best photo printing services, and the best camera gear for your phone.
Updated May 2024: We added Familink Frame without Wi-Fi and Vieunite Digital Canvas Texture as a selection of artworks. We have also updated the competition section.
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Before buying
Photography: Aura Frames
You may not think that photos count as sensitive information, compared to a bank statement or your Social Security number. But it can be devastating to find photographs of loved ones used for nefarious or unpleasant purposes.
That’s why we prefer frameworks from reputable companies like Aura and Nixplay over cheaper ones with less clearly defined privacy and security practices. nixplay offers reasonable security measures, such as encrypting your photos during transmission, and Aura offers the option to remove metadata, such as the location where a photo was taken. However, both say they can reveal personal information if ordered or subpoenaed by a court, and neither offer any guarantees of security against hacking.
If you’re concerned about security, you can avoid connecting to third-party services, but your safest option is to simply download multiple photos to a tablet and disable all Internet connectivity.