Show each photo for 2 to 3 seconds in most slideshows. Go faster, 1 to 2 seconds, for upbeat social media videos, and slower, 4 to 6 seconds, for weddings, memorials or anything people will watch closely. Pick a time per photo that lines up with the beat of the music, and remove photos rather than rushing them.
Seconds per photo by occasion
| Occasion | Per photo | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Reels, TikTok, Shorts | 1–2 s | Viewers scroll quickly; fast changes keep them watching |
| Travel or year-in-review | 2–3 s | Enough time to see the scene without dragging |
| Birthday or party screen | 4–6 s | Plays in the background while people chat and point at photos |
| Wedding or anniversary | 4–6 s | Guests look for faces they know |
| Memorial or tribute | 5–7 s | A slower pace gives each photo room to be remembered |
Group photos and pictures with text in them need longer than a single portrait or a simple landscape. If your app allows it, give those slides an extra second.
How many photos you need
Approximate photo counts for common video lengths, allowing for the short transition between each photo:
| Video length | 2 s per photo | 3 s per photo | 5 s per photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 6 photos | 4 photos | 2 photos |
| 30 seconds | 13 photos | 9 photos | 5 photos |
| 1 minute | 26 photos | 18 photos | 11 photos |
| 3 minutes | 80 photos | 55 photos | 34 photos |
Without transitions, the sum is simpler: video length divided by seconds per photo.
Time the photos to the music
Photo changes that land on a beat make a slideshow feel edited rather than assembled. To find a matching duration, divide 60 by the song’s tempo (BPM) to get the length of one beat, then use a whole number of beats per photo.
- 120 BPM: one beat is 0.5 seconds, so 2 seconds is four beats.
- 100 BPM: one beat is 0.6 seconds, so 2.4 seconds is four beats.
- 80 BPM: one beat is 0.75 seconds, so 3 seconds is four beats.
Most songs list their tempo online. If you can’t find it, tap along for 15 seconds and multiply the count by four.
Setting the timing in Fliptastic
- Tap Next on the Photos screen to open Make Video.
- Open the Duration tab.
- Drag the per-slide slider. The label shows the time per slide and the total length as you go.
- Or tap a total length (15s, 30s, 60s, 90s, 2m or 3m) and Fliptastic works out the time per slide for you. Lengths your photo count can’t reach are greyed out.
The fastest setting is one second per photo, and the longest video is 3 minutes. New slideshows start at 15 seconds in total.
Common pacing mistakes
- Too many photos for the song. If a 30-second Reel needs 40 photos, it is two Reels, or 25 photos too many.
- Same pace start to finish for a long slideshow. Use a quicker song for the fun middle section and a slower one for the close, as separate videos if needed.
- Long holds on weak photos. A blurry photo on screen for six seconds is noticed. Cut it.
Making a slideshow for social media? See formats and pacing for Reels and TikTok.
Common questions
How many photos do I need for a 3-minute slideshow?
About 55 photos at 3 seconds each, or about 34 at 5 seconds each. For a quicker, upbeat video at 2 seconds each, you need about 80.
How many photos fit in one song?
Divide the song length in seconds by the time per photo. A typical 3 to 4 minute song holds 45 to 60 photos at 4 seconds each. Fliptastic videos run up to 3 minutes, so for a longer song, shorten the video and let the music fade out.
What is the shortest time a photo can be shown in Fliptastic?
One second per photo. Below that, most people cannot take in what they are looking at, so if a video feels slow, remove photos instead of shortening each one further.
Can I make a slideshow longer than 3 minutes in Fliptastic?
No. Fliptastic videos can be up to 3 minutes long. For a longer event such as a memorial service, make several slideshows by theme or decade and play them in sequence.