10 Best Graduation Slideshow Makers

The photos from your graduation day shouldn’t remain buried on your computer’s hard drive forever. Other than posting a few pictures or video clips on social media it is hard to find a way to bring these still and moving images to life.

Graduation slideshow makers offer a perfect opportunity to create a memorable presentation of some of the most important events in your life. The best part is that you don’t really need any previous experience to make a graduation slideshow, but only a creative urge and a lot of images. So, in this article, we’ve shortlisted the ten best graduation slideshow makers that will enable you to create an epic presentation of your graduation photos and videos. 

Ten Best Graduation Slideshow Makers

Anyone can master the technical aspects of making a graduation slideshow, but that is not enough to create a slideshow that is going to stand out on social media. That is why you need to pay close attention to the image selection process since the pictures are what makes the slideshow great. Let’s take a look at some of the best graduation slideshow makers you can find on the market.

1. Windows 10 Photos App

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows

Chances are that you already have a graduation slideshow maker you can use for free if you have Windows 10 installed on your PC. However, not all versions of the Photos App for Windows 10 offer video editing tools, which is why you must make sure that your operating system is updated.

There is nothing complicated about the process of making a slideshow with Photos App since you just have to create a new project, import the images and arrange them on the timeline.

Optionally, you can apply filters or add text layers to the photos you include in your slideshow. Before you export the project from the Photos App, you can create the soundtrack that will make your slideshow more entertaining to watch. Even so, Windows 10 Photos App offers only the basic set of tools you are going to need to create a graduation slideshow.

Check the details about using Photos app in Windows10 to edit videos.

2. iMovie

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, iOS

All versions of macOS that were released in the last twenty years featured a built-in video editing app called iMovie. This video editing software may not be as powerful as professional video editing products for Mac computers, but it still offers everything you are going to need to create a graduation slideshow.

Making a slideshow with iMovie isn’t much different than creating any other type of movie because you have to create a project, import the media assets you want to include in that project and then arrange these assets on the editor’s timeline. iMovie also lets you create titles, apply transitions between images, set the preferred duration for each picture or add music to your slideshow. When done, you should simply export the project and decide if you want to save the file to your computer or share it on Vimeo, Facebook, iTunes or YouTube.

3. Filmora9

Price: Free, pricing options start at $39.99 for the annual subscription

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

This video editing software for PC and Mac computers enables you to manipulate photos and videos in virtually any way you want. That is why it is hardly a surprise that making a graduation slideshow with Filmora9 is a straightforward process that won’t take too much of your time.

Once you’ve created a new project and imported the media assets you want to use in the slideshow you can simply drag and drop them to the desired position on the timeline. Filmora9 lets you adjust the duration of each file by simply dragging one of its ends in the inward or outward direction. The editor’s collection impressive collection of transitions, visual effects and royalty-free songs and sound effects grants you complete creative freedom over the graduation slideshow you are making. Once you’re done, you can choose the file format in which it is going to be saved and decide if you want to export the graduation slideshow to YouTube or Vimeo or save it to your computer.

4. Smilebox

Price: Free, pricing options start at $5.00 per month

Compatibility: Web-based

There is no need to go through the software installation process if you just want to make a graduation slideshow because online platforms like Smilebox offer a quick way to complete this task from your web-browser. Smilebox lets you choose from a broad range of slideshow templates and all you have to do is to personalize the template you selected.

The platform enables you to import images from Instagram, Facebook, a mobile device or your computer, so you can just add the slides to the timeline once you’re done importing images to the template. You can then replace the placeholder text in the opening title, add or reorder slides, choose the background color and embellish your photos. You will have to upgrade to the Pro version of Smilebox if you want to upload your own music or remove the ending slide.

5. Adobe Spark

Price: Free, pricing plans start at $9.99

Compatibility: iOS, Android, web-based

Even though Adobe Spark is primarily designed for users who produce visual content for social media, you can still use this app to create graduation slideshows for free. However, you first need to create an account before you can start making a slideshow with Adobe Spark.

So, once you sign in to your account and start a new project you just have to add photos, videos, text or icons to the slides. You just have to keep in mind that the duration of each slide is limited to just 30 seconds while selecting and arranging the media assets. Adobe Spark lets you choose from a variety of slideshow layouts, and you just have to pick the one that best fits the graduation slideshow you’re making. It is worth noting that the features you are going to have at your disposal depend on the subscription plan you choose.

6. Kizoa

Price: Free, pricing plans start at $29.99

Compatibility: Web-based

There is so much more you can do with Kizoa than just make a graduation slideshow, as the platform grants you access to a wide array of photo and video editing tools. In addition, Kizoa offers five different graduation collage templates that can be used as still or animated templates.

You can add images to the platform’s slideshow maker either from Facebook or from your computer and choose the aspect ratio that matches the specifications of the social network on which you want to share the slideshow. Adding text, applying transitions between slides or enhancing the phots with visual effects are just some of the options you will have at your disposal if you choose to make your graduation slideshow with Kizoa. However, the duration of your slideshow can’t exceed the one minute mark if you decide to use the free version of this photo and video editing platform.

7. Animoto

Price: Free, pricing plans start at $9.00 per month

Compatibility: Web-based

This cloud-based photo and video creation service offers a broad range of graduation slideshow templates that can be personalized in just a few easy steps. In case you don’t like any of the available templates you can create a graduation slideshow from scratch. All you need to do is upload the images you want to include in the slideshow, and arrange them in any way you want.

Optionally, you can add text layers or enhance the colors in your photos with filters or choose the slideshow’s aspect ratio. Animoto also allows you to upload your own music, but you must upgrade to the Professional subscription model if you want to have access to the platform’s entire library of licensed songs. Moreover, all graduation slideshows you make with the free version of Animoto are going to be watermarked.

8. Slideshow Social – With Music

Price: Free, but offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

Apps like Slideshow Social – With Music enable you to create graduation slideshows just moments after you take the pictures. Besides enabling you to choose how long the photos are going to be displayed on the screen or how they are going to be arranged, the app also grants you access to a variety of effects, frames, transitions and text options.

What’s more, you can use the app’s library of royalty-free songs to create a soundtrack for the graduation slideshow you’re making. The Slideshow Social – With Music’s file-sharing capabilities are remarkable since you can post graduation slideshows to Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter or Facebook directly from the app. However, you will have to make an in-app purchase if you want to remove the final slide, get rid of ads or have the ability to use an unlimited number of photos in your slideshows.

9. Slideshow Magic – With Music

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

You don’t need to have access to a computer in order to make a graduation slideshow since you can install Slideshow Magic With Music on your iPhone or iPad and create slideshows while you are on the go. The app features all the tools you are going to need to make a graduation slideshow in just a few minutes.

In addition to impressive collections of transitions, filters, and text editing tools, the app also lets you add more than one song to your slideshows. Furthermore, the export settings are fully customizable, so that you can adjust them to each new project you start in Slideshow Magic With Music. However, all graduation slideshows created with the free version of the app are going to be watermarked and you must make an in-app purchase if you want to remove it.

10. Make Slideshow With Music

Price: Free

Compatibility: Android

In case you are looking for an app that enables you to make a slideshow for any occasion you should try installing Make Slideshow With Music on your Smartphone. Importing photos from the phone’s gallery is a straightforward process that requires a minimum amount of effort. After you’ve added all the images you want to include in the slideshow to your project you can adjust their duration or apply transitions between them.

Make Slideshow With Music grants you access to text editing options that allow you to choose the font, change the size of the text or pick its color. After you complete graduation slideshow or any other type of slideshow you can share it on social media, send it to a friend or even set it as a screensaver in groups you create on social networks.

How to Make a Graduation Slideshow

As we already noted you don’t have to be a seasoned video editing professional to create a graduation slideshow. However, it is advisable to develop your idea and gather all the materials you are going to be using to make the slideshow before you start putting the slideshow together.

The number of photos or video clips you are going to need depends on the duration of the graduation slideshow. In most cases, you are going to need between 50 and 150 images, although this number can depend on a number of factors.

Music can make a graduation slideshow more dynamic and more entertaining to watch, and for that reason, you should carefully choose the song you’re going to use as the soundtrack for the graduation slideshow. Moreover, including inspirational quotes or short slogans throughout the slideshow may be an effective way to get your message across to the viewer, but you should keep in mind that too much text can ruin the slideshow.

Check some creating a graduation slideshow tips.

Conclusion

The graduation day marks the end of a chapter in your life, and you shouldn’t let the memories of that day fade. Each of the graduation slideshow makers we included in this article allows you to create a graduation slideshow your friends and family are going to love watching. Which graduation slideshow maker are you going to choose? Leave a comment and let us know.