DIY Photo Frame
Give your old iPad a new life as a stunning digital photo frame powered by your NAS.
Why a DIY Photo Frame?
Photos supported — way more than any commercial frame
No cloud subscription. Your photos stay on your NAS
Runs continuously with Sleep Mode for overnight peace
What You Need
An old iPad
iOS 13 or later
A NAS with photos
WebDAV enabled
A frame or stand
Optional — IKEA RIBBA works great
Charging cable
Angled connector recommended
Step by Step
Find an old iPad
Any iPad running iOS 13 or later works great. Even older iPads with limited storage are perfect since Pixette caches resized images locally.
Install and configure Pixette
Download Pixette from the App Store, connect it to your NAS, select your photo folders, and run the initial index.
Configure slideshow settings
Set your preferred transition speed, enable Movie Boost if you want to see videos, and turn on Sleep Mode so the screen turns off at night.
Enable Guided Access
Go to Settings → Accessibility → Guided Access and enable it. This locks the iPad to Pixette so it won't accidentally switch apps. Triple-click the Home/Side button to activate.
Choose a frame or stand
Mount your iPad in a picture frame (IKEA's RIBBA 21x30cm works great), use a tablet stand, or wall-mount it. Use Pixette's custom margin feature to align the slideshow within your frame.
Set up charging
Use an angled USB-C or Lightning cable for a clean look. Route the cable behind the frame. The iPad will stay charged while running the slideshow 24/7.
Pro Tips
- Place the frame away from direct sunlight to reduce screen glare and prevent overheating.
- Use Pixette's custom margins to perfectly align the slideshow within your physical frame.
- Set up multiple iPads with the same NAS — use the QR code feature for quick configuration.
Start Building Your Photo Frame
Download Pixette for free and turn your old iPad into something amazing.