How to View and Add Photos to the Samsung TV Gallery (Frame Included)
By Trae Jacobs,
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We love our Samsung TV but often wonder if we could turn it into a digital photo album instead, so we did some digging to see if it was possible. There are a lot of options out there and to be honest, they aren’t the best (unless you have a Samsung Frame TV), but we’ll reveal what we discovered.
How to Add Photos to the Samsung TV Gallery (Galaxy Only)
Before we get started, there are two major requirements of using the Samsung TV’s Gallery App before proceeding:
- Samsung TV must be 2019 or newer
- Must have a Samsung Galaxy Smartphone (or Tablet)
There are a lot of apps with similar names, so confirm the creator of the Gallery App is actually Samsung.
The first thing you’ll need to do is download the Gallery App on your Samsung Smart TV and set it up.
- Press the Home button on your Samsung Remote
- Navigate to Apps
- Select the Gallery app and Download it
- Sign into your Samsung account
- Setup your 4 digit PIN code
Next, open the Gallery App on your Samsung Galaxy device.
- Open the Gallery App
- Sign into your Samsung Account
- Create an Album and Name it
- Add pictures to your Album
Give it a few minutes and you will now see the Albums you created appear on your Samsung TV in the Gallery App.
Now you can access the Gallery anytime you want to adjust from Daily to Monthly settings.
Samsung Smart View App Discontinued
We wanted to mention that this older app is discontinued. You cannot download the Samsung Smart View app on your phone, it’s not available on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
Samsung Smart View App was replaced by the SmartThings App in 2020.
Samsung Smart View app originally allowed users to control their Samsung TV with their Smartphone as a remote. Additionally, they could stream content from their smartphone to their Samsung TV, similar to screen mirroring.
View Photos & Album on Samsung TV with iPhone or iPad
You can view photos from your iPhone or iPad pretty easily using the AirPlay feature.
Confirm you’re on the same Wi-Fi network as your Samsung Smart TV before proceeding.
Most compatible iPhones can do these by following the steps below:
- Open Apple Photos
- Open a Photo
- Tap the Share icon in the bottom left
- Tap Airplay
- Select your Samsung TV
To show a Slideshow using an iPhone on your Samsung TV, follow these additional steps:
- Hit the 3 dots icon in the top right of a Photo
- Select Slideshow
- A code should show on your TV.
- The slideshow will begin playing on the Samsung TV
- Select Options
- Customize the theme, speed, or music
And that’s how you share photos with an iPhone to a Samsung TV!
How to Screen Mirror Photos from iPhone to Samsung TV
Additionally, you can use the iPhone or iPads screen mirror functionality to show pictures on your Samsung TV. This shows your entire device and literally mirrors it, so be wary that everything you do on your iPhone will show on the Samsung TV.
Follow these steps:
- Pull down from the top right on your iPhone to see the settings
- Select the Screen Mirror icon
- Select your Samsung TV
- Open the Photos you want to share
That’s how your mirror your iPhone photos to a Samsung Smart TV!
Note: Double check you are on the same network as your Samsung TV if you don’t see your Samsung TV as an option to select.
View Photos & Album on Samsung TV with Google Photos
If you prefer using Googles apps, try using the Google Photos app instead. This will allow you to cast or mirror your photos to your Samsung TV.
- Open the Google Photos App
- Open a photo
- Click on the Cast icon in the top right
- Select your Samsung TV
You should now see the photo appear on your Samsung TV!
Two things to keep in mind:
- Your Smartphone and Samsung TV need to be on the same Wi-Fi network
- The Local Network Access setting needs to be allowed
Cast or Screenshare Photos with Android to Samsung TVs
Many non-Samsung phones that are Android, will have very similar functionalities that allow you to cast media such as a photo, to your Samsung TV. The verbiage may differ slightly but they do similar things (Screenshare, Screenmirror, Cast, etc.).
Brand specific phones will also have their own propriety software, an example is Pixel phones call it simply Casting.
Here are the generic steps to follow but may alter slightly based on phone brand:
- Open the Photo
- Select the share or cast icon
- Select your Samsung TV
The photo will now display on your Samsung TV.
There are also Third Party Apps such as Web Video Caster that allow you to do the same thing but from virtually any device.
View Photos and Albums on Samsung TV with USB Drive
Another way to view photos on your Samsung TV is with a USB or Thumb Drive. If you happen to have one laying around the house, here’s a way to repurpose it.
- Add your photos on a computer and organize it in a folder
- Copy the folder to your USB Drive by dragging it into the USB folder
- Click on the USB drive icon to eject is safely
- Plug your USB drive into the back of your Samsung TV
- Change the source to the USB drive
- Select and Open the folder containing your photos
You should now see your photos from the USB drive on your Samsung Smart TV! Still confused? Here’s are two video walkthroughs. One explains how to use a USB drive, and the second explains how to view the photos on the big screens.
How to Add Photos to a Samsung Frame TV
If you happen to have a Samsung TV Frame, the steps are different for you. You’ll be using the SmartThings app to share your photos and album to your Samsung Frame TV.
- Prep your Photos for 16:9 ratio
- Open the SmartThings App
- Click on your Samsung TV
- Select My Album then My Photos
- Tap the Add button in the bottom right
- Select the Photos to add to the Frame
- In the bottom, tap Next, then set the photos in the Frame
How do I create a slideshow on my Samsung TV Frame?
Go into My Photos and tap the Slideshow button in the top right.
Additionally, there’s a setting to the right of that button to let to change the time between pictures and lets you randomize it.
Does Samsung Gallery Work With All Samsung Devices?
Samsung TV Gallery may work with many devices, but it doesn’t work with all of them. The Samsung Smart View app is only compatible with Samsung Galaxy branded smart devices. This includes the following Samsung smartphones and tablets:
- Galaxy Note 8 through Galaxy Note 20
- Galaxy S8 through Galaxy S20+
Any newer models of Galaxy Note or Samsung Galaxy smartphones will support the Gallery App.
Samsung TV Gallery has tons of compatibility with Samsung Galaxy products, so you have plenty of options for which smart devices you want to use for adding or viewing photos on your Samsung Smart TV.
Added compatibility with Apple’s AirPlay software gives you even more ways to place photos in your stored gallery or display them on your TV screen.
Other Third Party Apps to Avoid
While doing our research, we downloaded a few apps on our Samsung TV to test and we wanted to share what apps to absolutely avoid. These apps are horrendous, have many bugs, or charge too much.
Pictaura
They only have a few hundred downloads and a 3 star rating on the Roku app.
We tried selecting certain galleries to display but kept getting an error.
Do not try using Picaura to share photos or albums on your Samsung TV.
Pixo
We thought we had a potentially good one, but upon downloading it and trying to share photos, they told us we would be on a 2-week trial. We weren’t looking for a paid option, so we opted out.
We read some reviews afterwards and realized it wasn’t a great app either based on customer reviews.
MOTO – The Exception
This MOTO Gallery App is a diamond in the roughs where we would recommend based on reviews we read.
One reviewer even mentioned precisely that it replaces the Samsung Gallery App perfectly as a better alternative.
Common Questions
Can You View Photos on a Samsung TV with an iPhone?
Unfortunately, the iPhone is not compatible with Samsung’s Smart TV Gallery functions. However, the AirPlay app should still allow you to share photos from your iPhone to your Samsung TV. AirPlay is compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems.
This software will allow you to mirror broadcast photos from your Apple phone onto the TV.
Can I change the Screensaver on a Samsung TV?
You can change the screensaver by using the Samsung SmartThings app on your Smartphone.
Check out our full resource here.
Can I change the Background on a Samsung TV?
To change the background on a Samsung TV, open the SmartThings app, download the device controller, then choose an Ambient Background and wallpaper.
What is Art Mode on Samsung Frame TV?
Art Mode is available for the Samsung Frame TV and will turn The Frame on or off based on the motion sensor. It can also adjust the brightness and color tone.
Can you use an HDMI cord to show photos on a Samsung TV?
You can use an HDMI cord or cable to show photos from a Computer or Laptop directly to your Samsung TV. Just plug the HDMI cord to your Computer, then the other end to the back of your Samsung TV.
It should mirror exactly what you are seeing on your Computer to your Samsung TV.
Be sure to change source input to match your HDMI port.
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