Short answer: to make a TikTok photo mode slideshow, tap +, choose Upload, select several photos from your camera roll, add music, text or effects, write a caption and post. Viewers swipe through the images. Third-party guides put the limit at 35 photos per post; TikTok's help center was not retrievable for us, so check the picker on your own app.
Step by step
This follows the current iPhone app and Kapwing's walkthrough (as of September 2026):
- Open TikTok and tap +.
- Tap Upload and switch to Photos if the picker asks.
- Select multiple photos in the order you want them shown.
- Tap Next. TikTok shows them as a swipeable photo post.
- Add music, text, stickers or filters.
- Write the caption and hashtags, set who can view and whether comments are on.
- Post.
If the app turns your images into a video instead, look for a toggle between photo and video mode on the edit screen.
Specs and limits
TikTok's own help center loaded as an empty shell for us, so the table mixes TikTok's developer documentation (official, but for its posting API) and third-party coverage.
| Item | Figure | Source (as of September 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Photos per post | Up to 35 | Kapwing (third-party) |
| Formats (API) | JPEG, WebP | TikTok for Developers |
| Resolution (API) | Up to 1080p | Same |
| File size (API) | Up to 20 MB per image | Same |
| Music | Can be added | Search Engine Journal, Oct 2022 |
| Frame to design for | Vertical, full screen (assumption: 1080×1920) | Common practice |
Keep text away from the edges and the bottom, where the caption and buttons sit.
When photos beat video
- Step-by-step content: recipes, checklists, before and after.
- Text-heavy ideas that people want to read at their own pace.
- Product or outfit sets where each item deserves a frame.
- Days when you have no video but have good images you own.
Photo posts are held to the same rules as videos. TikTok's For You feed standards (as of September 2026) make unoriginal and watermarked content ineligible, so use your own images or ones you have permission to use, without other apps' watermarks.
Tips that help
- Lead with the strongest image. It is the one people see first.
- Tell a sequence. Number slides or use a clear before and after.
- Keep text short and large enough to read on a phone.
- Write a caption that adds context. See TikTok caption length and hashtags.
Posting slideshows with Farmero
Farmero supports TikTok photo slideshows. Drop the images once, pick accounts, and each account gets its own editable card; Farmero then builds the slideshow in the TikTok app on your iPhone, applies the per-post settings you chose (who can view, comments, caption) and reads them back, and checks the profile for the new post before marking it posted. It does not pick music for you. Files reach the phone over the USB cable, with a cloud fallback when there is no cable. See Posting and Clip delivery. Automating these apps may breach their terms, and nobody can promise an account will never be restricted.
FAQ
How many photos can a TikTok slideshow have?
Third-party guides say up to 35. TikTok's help center was not retrievable when we checked, so confirm in your app's photo picker.
Can I add music to a TikTok photo post?
Yes. Photo mode supports adding music, as TikTok's launch coverage in October 2022 described.
What size should TikTok slideshow photos be?
Vertical, full-screen images work best. TikTok's developer docs cap API photo uploads at 1080p and 20 MB per image.
Do photo posts get on the For You feed?
They can. They are judged against the same For You feed standards as videos.