How to Make a Slideshow on TikTok: Photo Mode and Templates Explained

To make a slideshow on TikTok, tap the + icon, select Upload, choose multiple photos, and switch to Photo Mode for a swipeable carousel — or use Templates for a video that plays automatically. The single most commonly missed step is switching to Photo Mode after selecting your photos. Skip it, and TikTok will default to a video instead of a carousel.

Two Types of TikTok Slideshows — What Is the Difference?

Before jumping into steps, it helps to know which format you actually want. TikTok gives you two distinct options, and they behave very differently.

Feature	Photo Mode (Swipeable Carousel)	Template Slideshow (Auto-Video)
Viewer interaction	Manual swipe	Auto-plays
Max images	Up to 35	Varies by template
Audio behavior	Plays continuously across all slides	Embedded in video timeline
Per-slide text editing	Yes	Limited
Best for	Tips, carousels, storytelling	Quick montages, beginners
Available on desktop	No (mobile only)	Yes, via video upload
Account type impact	Audio library varies	Same for all accounts

Photo Mode tends to generate more active engagement because viewers manually swipe through each slide.

As reported by TechCrunch, TikTok introduced Photo Mode as a dedicated feature to let users share carousel posts of still images with music, marking a deliberate push beyond its video-first roots. Templates are simpler and faster, but the viewer has no control — the video plays through on its own.

How to Make a Swipeable Slideshow on TikTok Using Photo Mode

This is the carousel format — the one most people mean when they search how to make a slideshow on TikTok. All steps below apply to the TikTok mobile app.

Step 1 — Open TikTok and Tap the + Icon

Open the TikTok app and tap the + button at the bottom center of the screen. This opens the creation screen.

Step 2 — Tap Upload and Enable Select Multiple

On the creation screen, tap the Upload button (usually bottom right). Your device gallery will open. Look for the Select Multiple option — it typically appears as a toggle or icon near the bottom of the gallery view. Tap it before selecting photos. The order in which you tap your photos is the order they will appear in the slideshow.

Step 3 — Switch to Photo Mode (The Most Commonly Missed Step)

After selecting your photos and tapping Next, TikTok will default to Video mode. This is the step where most people go wrong. You need to actively switch to Photo Mode using the option that appears at the bottom of the preview screen.

How do you know it worked? Once Photo Mode is active, you will see small dots below the image preview — one dot per slide. If you only see a single video preview with no dots, you are still in Video mode.

Go back and switch. If you skip this step, your post will publish as a video, not a swipeable carousel — and there is no way to change it after posting without deleting and starting over.

Step 4 — Reorder Slides if Needed

At this stage, you can rearrange your slides by pressing and holding a thumbnail, then dragging it to a new position. It is worth doing this before adding text, since reordering after can shift which text appears on which slide.

Step 5 — Add Text to Individual Slides

What's often overlooked here is the difference between adding text globally and adding it per slide. If you add text without first selecting a specific slide thumbnail, it appears across all slides. To add text to just one slide, tap that slide's thumbnail first, then add your text. You can adjust font, color, size, and alignment for each slide independently.

Step 6 — Add Filters and Stickers Per Slide

Like text, filters and stickers can be applied per slide or across the whole post. Tap the individual slide before applying if you want slide-specific edits. In practice, keeping effects minimal tends to look cleaner — particularly when slides have varying background colors or lighting.

Step 7 — Add Audio

Tap Add Sound at the top of the screen. In Photo Mode, the selected audio track plays continuously from start to finish as the viewer swipes through — so choose a track that works for the full duration, not just the first few seconds.

One thing worth flagging: personal accounts have access to TikTok's full music library, while business accounts are restricted to the Commercial Music Library. If you are posting on behalf of a brand, check which account type you are using before selecting audio.

As Fortune reported, TikTok's music licensing arrangements directly affect which tracks remain available on the platform — using audio outside your account's licensed scope can result in your post being muted after publishing, something teams commonly discover only after the fact.

Step 8 — Preview, Write Caption, and Post

Preview the full slideshow before posting. Check that slides are in the right order, text reads correctly on each one, and the audio aligns with the mood. Add your caption, relevant hashtags, and tap Post.

How to Make a Template Slideshow on TikTok

Use this method if you want an automatically transitioning video slideshow — no manual swiping required. It is simpler and works well for quick visual montages or if you are new to TikTok content creation.

Step 1 — Tap the + Icon and Select Templates

From the creation screen, tap Templates at the bottom. TikTok will show a range of pre-built slideshow templates, each designed for a specific number of photos.

Step 2 — Choose a Template Matching Your Photo Count

Each template specifies how many photos it uses. Select one that matches the number of images you have. Using too few or too many images than a template expects can cause errors or placeholder slides.

Step 3 — Add Photos, Adjust Sound and Effects

Add your photos in the template slots. The template automatically applies timing and transitions. You can swap the preloaded audio for something else by tapping the sound icon.

Step 4 — Add Text and Preview

Add any text overlays, then preview the full video. Since this is a video format, text sits on top of the video timeline rather than being assigned per slide.

Step 5 — Post

Once satisfied, tap Post, add your caption and hashtags, and publish.

How to Make a TikTok Slideshow on a PC or Desktop

Why Photo Mode Is Only Available on Mobile

TikTok's desktop browser uploader does not currently support the Photo Mode switch. This is a platform limitation, not a settings issue. No third-party scheduling tools can replicate the native Photo Mode feature either — this is a widely acknowledged limitation in the social media management space.

The Desktop Workaround — Create a Video File and Upload

The practical workaround is to build your slideshow externally as a video file, then upload it via TikTok's desktop browser.

Tools commonly used for this include CapCut, Adobe Premiere, or even PowerPoint — export as an MP4, then upload via desktop. You control the timing, transitions, and text within the external tool before uploading.

What You Lose With the Desktop Method

The result will post as a video, not a swipeable carousel. That means viewers cannot manually swipe through slides — they watch it play. If the interactive carousel format matters for your content strategy, the mobile app is the only way to achieve it.

Image and Audio Specifications for TikTok Slideshows

Recommended Image Dimensions and Aspect Ratio

TikTok's interface is built for vertical content. A 9:16 aspect ratio (1080 x 1920 pixels) is the standard recommendation for Photo Mode slideshows. Landscape or square images will display with black bars or cropping depending on the device. Using vertical images from the start avoids this.

Audio — Personal Account vs. Business Account

Personal accounts access TikTok's full music library; business accounts are limited to the Commercial Music Library. If you are a brand or agency, using tracks outside the Commercial Library can result in your post being muted after publishing. Check your account type in settings before choosing audio.

TikTok Slideshow Best Practices

First Slide — Hook and Promise

The first slide does the most important job. It needs to give viewers a clear reason to swipe. A direct question, a bold statement, or a clear promise of what they will see next tends to perform better than a decorative opener.

Ideal Slide Count for Completion Rate

Aiming for 5 to 10 slides is a broadly observed best practice. Shorter sequences are more likely to be completed in full. Completion matters because it is a signal the platform uses when deciding how widely to distribute content.

Keep Text Per Slide Minimal

Each slide should convey one point — not a paragraph. If a viewer has to read a wall of text before swiping, they often do not. Short, clear labels or captions per slide keep the flow moving.

Final Slide — Always Include a Call to Action

The last slide is often ignored, but it is the logical place to direct viewers. Whether that is asking them to comment, visit a link in bio, or save the post — make it explicit. A vague ending loses the opportunity.

Audio Selection — Trending and Niche-Relevant

Audio that is currently trending in your niche tends to extend reach. Since the audio plays for the entire duration of the viewer's session with the slideshow, choose something that complements the visual pace rather than clashing with it.

Can You Edit a TikTok Slideshow After Posting?

In short — not in any meaningful way. TikTok allows minor changes to a published post such as editing the caption, adjusting privacy settings, or adding it to a playlist. However, you cannot change the photos, reorder slides, swap audio, or switch from Video to Photo Mode after publishing. If something is wrong with the slideshow itself, the only option is to delete the post and recreate it.

Troubleshooting — Common TikTok Slideshow Problems

Problem	Likely Cause	Suggested Fix
Photo Mode option not visible	App is outdated or region not supported	Update TikTok to the latest version
Slideshow posts as video, not carousel	Photo Mode switch was skipped	Delete post, redo and switch to Photo Mode before posting
Photos appear in wrong order	Tap order during selection sets sequence	Re-select photos in intended order or drag thumbnails to reorder
Audio not playing as expected	Video mode active instead of Photo Mode	Confirm dot indicators are visible below image preview
Text appears on all slides, not just one	Global text layer used	Tap individual slide thumbnail first, then add text
Business account audio options are limited	Commercial Music Library restriction applies	Use licensed commercial audio or switch account type

Conclusion

TikTok offers two slideshow formats: Photo Mode for swipeable carousels and Templates for auto-playing video. Photo Mode is the more interactive option but requires one extra step — switching out of Video mode — that is easy to miss. Desktop users cannot access Photo Mode natively and will need to upload a pre-built video file instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many photos can you add to a TikTok slideshow?

Photo Mode supports up to 35 photos. Template slideshows vary by template and typically support fewer images.

What is the difference between Photo Mode and a template slideshow?

Photo Mode creates a swipeable carousel viewers navigate manually. Template slideshows auto-play as a video with preset transitions and timing.

Can you make a TikTok slideshow on a computer?

Not in Photo Mode. Desktop users must create a video file externally and upload it via TikTok's browser uploader.

Can you add different text to each slide on TikTok?

Yes. Tap the individual slide thumbnail before adding text to target that specific slide rather than applying text across all slides.

Can you edit a TikTok slideshow after posting?

Only captions and privacy settings can be changed after posting. To fix photos, slide order, or audio, you need to delete the post and start over.