Slideshow Setup Walkthrough
Step-by-step instructions for getting the live slideshow on a TV, laptop, projector, or streaming device. Each setup has its own section — skip to whichever matches the event.
Get the slideshow link
Every album has its own slideshow URL. To find it:
- Open the album from the dashboard.
- Go to the QR Code tab.
- Click Open Slideshow to launch it in the current browser, or copy the link to use it on another device.
The slideshow runs in any modern web browser — Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or the browsers built into most smart TVs and streaming devices.
Each album has a 6-character TV Pair Code on the QR Code tab. On the TV, open eventpix.photo/tv and enter the code — the slideshow loads automatically in fullscreen. Much faster than typing the long URL.
Pick the display setup
Tap a card to jump to step-by-step instructions for that setup.
Laptop + HDMI to TV
Steps
- Connect the HDMI cable from the laptop to the TV or projector.
- Switch the TV's input to the matching HDMI port (HDMI 1, HDMI 2, etc.) using the TV remote.
- Open the slideshow URL in a browser on the laptop.
- Choose a display mode: Duplicate shows the same thing on both screens; Extend puts the slideshow only on the TV. Use Extend if the laptop will also be used to moderate photos during the event.
- If using Extend, drag the browser window onto the TV display.
- Press F11 (Windows/Linux) or Ctrl+Cmd+F (Mac) to enter fullscreen.
- The laptop will sleep or dim the screen after a few minutes of inactivity. Turn off sleep and screensavers in the OS display settings before the event.
- Plug the laptop into power. Many laptops dim the screen aggressively on battery — this can look like the slideshow failed.
- For video audio, right-click the browser tab and choose Unmute. Tabs start muted in many browsers.
Chromecast / Google TV
From a laptop (Chrome or Edge)
- Open the slideshow URL in Chrome or Edge.
- Click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right → Cast… (or press Ctrl+Shift+F10).
- Pick the Chromecast or Google TV device.
- Select Sources → Cast tab — this casts the actual slideshow, not just the browser window.
- Leave the Chrome tab open and the laptop lid open. Closing either will stop the cast.
From a phone (Google Home app)
- Open the Google Home app on the phone.
- Tap the Chromecast device → Cast my screen.
- Switch to a browser and open the slideshow URL. The phone's entire screen is now on the TV.
- Plug the laptop (or phone) into power — casting uses a lot of CPU and battery.
- Close other browser tabs and heavy apps on the casting device to avoid dropped frames.
- If the cast stream pixelates, move the casting device closer to the Wi-Fi router.
- Audio from videos plays through the TV, but the cast quality is lower than a direct HDMI connection.
Apple TV / AirPlay
From a Mac
- Open the slideshow URL in Safari or Chrome.
- Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar → Screen Mirroring.
- Pick the Apple TV or AirPlay-enabled TV.
- Choose Use as Separate Display (or drag the browser window onto the TV display).
- Fullscreen the browser with Ctrl+Cmd+F.
From an iPhone or iPad
- Open the slideshow URL in Safari.
- Open Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner) → Screen Mirroring.
- Pick the Apple TV.
- Rotate the device to landscape for a wider image.
- Disable Auto-Lock on the phone or tablet: Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock → Never. Once the screen locks, the cast stops.
- Turn on Do Not Disturb or Focus mode. Calls and notifications interrupt the AirPlay stream.
- If the TV claims it doesn't support AirPlay, check the TV's network settings — AirPlay often needs to be enabled manually in a submenu.
Smart TV with built-in browser
Steps
- Open the TV's browser app. It may be called Internet, Web Browser, or just show a magnifying-glass icon in the app launcher.
- Navigate to the slideshow URL using the TV remote. (This is slow — a one-time task, not something to re-do mid-event.)
- Look for a full-screen toggle in the browser toolbar — often an icon shaped like a small rectangle with arrows.
- If the TV has Bluetooth, pair a wireless keyboard to make typing URLs much easier.
- TV browsers are often slower than laptop browsers and may struggle with video playback. If the slideshow stutters, switch to a laptop-plus-HDMI setup.
- Some smart TVs kill idle browser sessions after 1–2 hours. Check the screen every hour during a long event.
- Typing with a remote is tedious — consider casting from a laptop instead if there's access to a Chromecast, Apple TV, or AirPlay-enabled TV.
Fire TV / Roku
Fire TV Stick or Fire TV Cube
- From the Fire TV home screen, open Silk Browser. Install it from the Appstore if it's missing.
- Navigate to the slideshow URL using the remote, or use Alexa to search for a shorter landing page.
- Open the browser menu on the remote and select Fullscreen.
Roku
- On Android: Settings → Display → Cast → Roku device. Open the slideshow URL on the phone; it shows on the TV.
- On Windows: press Win+K → pick the Roku. Open the slideshow URL in a browser on the laptop.
- Alternative: sideload Web Browser X from the Roku channel store — usable but limited.
- Silk Browser can stop updating after a long idle period. Press the remote to wake it, or refresh the tab.
- Roku screen mirroring drops more frames than a direct HDMI or Chromecast setup. For a critical event, laptop + HDMI is more reliable.
Tablet or phone on a stand
Steps
- Open the slideshow URL in the device's browser.
- Add ?tv=1 to the end of the URL to hide on-screen controls and give it a clean kiosk look.
- Rotate the device to landscape.
- Disable auto-lock: iOS: Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock → Never. Android: Settings → Display → Screen timeout → longest option.
- Plug in a charger — screens at full brightness drain a battery in 2–3 hours.
Best used for: small gatherings, side displays near a welcome table or guestbook, or as a secondary screen alongside a larger TV.
TV Mode — cleaner display
Append ?tv=1 to any slideshow URL to auto-hide on-screen controls (settings gear, slide counter, progress bar) for a clean kiosk look. Controls can still be shown by pressing the S key or tapping the top of the screen.
Pre-event checklist
- Disable sleep and screensavers on the display device at least 30 minutes before the event.
- Plug every device into power — laptops, tablets, Fire TV Sticks, Apple TVs.
- Test the QR code with a phone before guests arrive. Upload a test photo.
- Decide who will moderate photos during the event: the host, a DJ, or a coordinator. Share the Control Page URL with them from the dashboard QR Code tab.
- Mute or unmute the browser tab based on whether videos should play audio.
- Open the slideshow 15 minutes early and confirm it starts displaying photos.
- If the venue has weak Wi-Fi, use a laptop plugged into the display rather than a casting setup — casting needs a stable network.
Troubleshooting
Check the Photos tab in the dashboard — uploaded photos need approval before they appear. Turn on Auto-approve uploads in the Settings tab to skip the review step.
Sleep or screensaver is still enabled. Go to the device's display settings and disable both, then refresh the slideshow tab.
The browser tab is muted. Right-click the tab and select Unmute site. Most browsers mute tabs by default to prevent surprise audio.
The slideshow polls for new photos every 15 seconds. If it stops, check Wi-Fi and refresh the page — the slideshow resumes from the most recent photos.
Check that the album is marked Active in the Settings tab. If an upload window was set, confirm the event is within it. If per-guest limits are set, guests may have already uploaded their maximum.
Close other apps on the casting device, move it closer to the router, and plug it into power. If the venue Wi-Fi is unreliable, switch to a direct laptop + HDMI setup.
Still stuck? hello@eventpix.photo