Thanks to smartphones, it’s easier than ever to capture life’s big and little moments. People are taking more pictures than ever, but these moments deserve to be displayed somewhere other than on the screen of your smartphone. That’s why traditional picture frames are still popular. In addition to old-fashioned photo frames, we also like to use smart electronic photo frames, which are continually improving to make it easier for users to instantly upload photos and videos.
When it comes to digital photo frames, you have a few options. Most choices on our list use WiFi to easily upload photos from an app or email. For additional functionality, some of our picks include SD and USB. The best digital photo frames make it easy for users to upload and share photos from their phone, email or social media. You can also give friends and family access to the frame, so the grandkids can upload their latest selfies no matter where they are in the world.
These WiFi-enabled frames make a wonderful gift for parents and grandparents. Is your grandmother not tech-savvy but still wants daily pictures of your dog frolicking in the snow? Give her a WiFi-enabled digital photo frame. Or get one for yourself, and relive your best memories with family and friends.
Stop snapping pics and forgetting them and instead put them proudly on display in one of the best digital picture frames, where they can be enjoyed. Keep reading to find the best smart photo frames for sale in 2022.
1. Nixplay 2K Smart Digital Picture Frame
BEST OVERALL
Nixplay dominates the market for digital photo frames thanks to its high resolution, high-end physical frame and easy-to-use app. The company has recently begun selling its frames with crystal clear 2K resolution, helping photos and videos come to life. Each frame can be wall-mounted or customers can use the detachable cord stand system. Sensitive motion and light sensors will turn the frame on and off automatically to help preserve battery life.
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Using the Nixplay app, which is available on iOS and Android, customers can securely upload photos and videos directly to the frame, with multiple friends and family members accessing the same account. Users can set their app to update directly from Google Photos or take pictures and videos from Dropbox, Facebook and Instagram. SPY received a sample of a Nixplay frame when it was first released, and we were impressed by how quickly it responded to new uploads and how easy it was to navigate the app.
2. Skylight Digital Picture Frame
RUNNER UP
For those who are somewhat limited in their tech-savvy abilities but still want a frame that makes it easy for multiple users to add photos from anywhere, we love the Skylight. Easily one of the best smart picture frames for sale, this product comes with a dedicated email account that makes it easy for friends and family to send photos directly to the unit. The entire setup process can be completed in minutes. While it doesn’t quite match the 2K resolution of the Nixplay frame, it does win out on price.
Skylight requires the use of WiFi when receiving new photos, but the frame can still display photos that have previously been sent when not connected to your home’s internet. The 10-inch screen has 1280 x 800 resolution and a user-friendly touchscreen that allows customers to swipe, browse and delete photos and adjust the settings of the slideshow. In SPY’s testing, we found that it was easy enough for technologically challenged users to set up Skylight and start receiving photos, which is why it’s one of our favorite gifts for grandparents.
3. Aura Carver Luxe HD
CLOUD STORAGE
Though there are cheaper alternatives to Aura’s picture frames, the brand offers some of the most convenient, economical features. That’s because, with each frame purchase, you get unlimited access to cloud storage without subscription costs. It’s easy to securely share photos from anywhere. This frame has a 10.1″ screen, and there are several frame styles. You can also get one with a matte to more closely resemble a traditional photo frame.
4. Pix-Star Easy 15-Inch Digital Photo Frame
MOST VERSATILE
One of the most cleverly designed options on the market is this frame from Pix-Star. The back of the frame features a slot for holding a remote control, which allows you to turn the frame on and off or change to the next photo. You can upload photos using a USB or SD card, the app or via email. This “Amazon’s Choice” product has thousands of 5-star reviews, and customers say it’s the “PERFECT” gift for grandparents.
If you prefer a larger screen, then this is the best digital picture frame for you, although it also comes in a 10-inch size. The only drawback? Because the frame is more square-shaped, some landscape photos may not fully fit the screen.
5. Echo Show 15
BEST SMART DISPLAY
When selecting the best digital picture frames, we looked for devices that are easy to use even for more tech-challenged users, but as a full smart display, the Echo Show 15 isn’t a great choice in this respect. So while we wouldn’t recommend giving this to grandma as a gift, this smart display can act as a full smart home hub. It gives you all of the functionality you expect from Alexa devices, plus video calling and even streaming.
In our review of the Echo Show 15, we were very impressed by the vibrant 15.6-inch display. Plus, the handsome Echo Show 15 can sit on your desk or be mounted on the wall, setting it apart from your typical digital frame.
6. Google Nest Hub Smart Display
ON SALE!
If you’re more partial to Google’s ecosystem, then consider picking up the Google Nest Hub, which works well as a digital photo frame in addition to tracking your day’s events, controlling your home’s connected devices and streaming music and videos.
Related: The Best Smart Displays, Tested + Reviewed
7. Dragon Touch Digital Picture Frame
LARGE INTERNAL MEMORY
If you have a lot of photos (and we mean a lot), then you might want to consider the Dragon Touch Digital Picture Frame. The frame comes with an impressive 16 GB internal memory, which can store up to 40,000 pictures. However, like the best digital picture frames, this device can receive photos via app or email. The WiFi-enabled picture frame can receive photos and 30-second videos over your network, and once it’s set up, even tech-challenged family members can use this frame. The 10.1-inch touchscreen has a 1280 x 800 resolution and can be used in portrait and landscape mode and can be wall-mounted. For users who don’t want to use Wi-Fi, the Dragon Touch also supports USB drives and SD cards.
8. Meural Canvas II
OVERSIZED FRAME
For a photo frame that makes a big impact, we like Meural’s collection of oversized frames. The 21.5-inch Meural Canvas II digital art frame is available in four frame colors that all deliver a stunning anti-glare display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. The frames are built with an ARM Cortex-A17 quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM for a highly responsive and smooth transition mechanism between photos. The frame can be hung horizontally or vertically and will automatically adjust photos to get the best fit. It also has an ambient light sensor that will respond to the brightness of the room and turn the frame off when it doesn’t detect any light. While this digital picture frame is designed to display artwork, users can easily upload their photos to the WiFi-enabled frame using the Meural app, which also works with Amazon Echo and Alexa, enabling users to customize settings, browse their photos and turn on playlists.
9. Feelcare 15.6-Inch Wi-Fi Digital Picture Frame
EXCELLENT FOR VIDEOS
If you’re looking for a picture frame big enough to be seen across the room, we like the Feelcare 15.6-Inch Smart Picture Frame. Feelcare makes their digital photo frame available in three sizes. A great option for users looking for a frame for a large room or anyone with vision issues, the oversized desk frame can be wall-mounted and displayed in portrait or landscape. Users can upload photos through a USB or SD card or access the frame’s WiFi capabilities. Best of all, friends and family members with access to the frame can send photos and videos from anywhere in the world using the Frameo app. The full HD screen boasts 1920 x 1080 resolution and has touchscreen capabilities for easy setup and use, and the 16GB internal storage lets users upload thousands of photos and videos.
10. Aluratek 13-Inch Distressed Wood Digital Photo Frame
HONORABLE MENTION
For a digital frame that blends in with more traditional-looking home decor, we like the distressed wood frame from Aluratek. The 13.3-inch frame works with both USB devices and SD cards to display photos on its crisp LCD screen with 1920 x 1080 resolution. The frame will automatically begin displaying photos in slideshow mode and also doubles as a calendar and clock. A remote control makes it easy for customers to set their slideshow to music and auto video play also allows for the display of short clips. We also like that the frame comes with two interchangeable distressed wood frames.