iOS 27 is packed with new features for Apple’s Photos app, including two that have long been on many users’ wish lists: full-featured slideshow creation and upgraded iCloud Shared Albums.

The Photos app has long supported a very rudimentary version of a slideshow feature. But it’s geared more toward reliving personal memories. If you wanted to create a slideshow for an event or other public viewing, you had to look elsewhere.

But in iOS 27, Photos finally adds a robust set of slideshow creation tools.

You can now play any set of photos or videos as a slideshow, customizing things like transition style, duration, and music. You can auto-loop the slideshow, and even save it as a video file for easy re-viewing.

Robust slideshow features are a long-overdue addition to the Photos app, but I’m thrilled that they’re finally here.

You may not know that the Photos app has its own social network-style feature: Shared Albums.

iCloud Shared Albums let you have an album that’s shared with friends or family. You get an activity feed to show new photos and videos that are added, and you have the option to like or comment on anything shared. It’s a lot like old-school Instagram, but private and limited to people you choose to share with.

I love the feature, and iOS 27 brings some long-awaited upgrades. You can now share full resolution photos and videos (they were lower quality before), react with any emoji, set new participant permissions, and Android and Windows users can now add photos too.

Shared Albums are improving just in time for Apple’s new HomePad device, and these upgrades make me even more excited for that product.

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