How to Cast Local Photos from Your Computer to a TV
Showing a folder of photos on your TV without uploading them to the cloud is surprisingly hard with native tools. Here's the easiest method — working on both Mac and Windows in 2026.
PictaCast Team
Updated May 2026 · 3 min read
Why built-in casting tools fall short
Both Windows 11 and macOS have a "Cast" or "Screen Mirror" option built in. On paper, this sounds like the simple answer. In practice, native screen mirroring comes with a frustrating set of problems:
- You can't multitask. Mirroring your entire screen means everything on your display — including notifications, your email, and your desktop — is visible on the TV.
- No slideshow features. Screen mirroring just shows what's on screen. There's no auto-advance, crossfade transition, picture wall layout, or background music.
- Laggy and unstable. Screen mirroring compresses and re-encodes your display in real time. Photo detail is lost and the connection drops frequently.
The better way: cast directly with PictaCast
PictaCast is a web app that reads a local folder of photos and streams them directly to your Chromecast or Smart TV via your home or office network — with full slideshow controls, music support, and zero cloud uploads.
Open PictaCast in Chrome or Edge
Go to app.pictacast.com in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge on your Mac or Windows computer. Sign in with your Google account to get started.
Select your local photo folder
Click the folder picker and choose the folder that contains your JPG or PNG images. Your photos never leave your computer — they are read locally by the browser and streamed directly to the TV over your local network.
Click Cast and pick your TV
Click the Cast icon in PictaCast. Your browser will show a list of Chromecast devices and Cast-enabled Smart TVs on the same network. Select yours — the slideshow begins immediately at full resolution.
Why this beats setting up a media server
Some people try to set up Plex or a Windows DLNA server to achieve the same result. These work, but they require significant setup time, ongoing maintenance, and still don't give you a proper slideshow experience designed for photos.
No Setup Time
No servers to configure, no apps to install, no port forwarding. Open the browser and cast in under a minute.
Beautiful Layouts
Choose fullscreen crossfade or a dynamic picture-wall grid. Plex doesn't have a photo display mode designed for this.
Multitask Freely
Minimise PictaCast and use your computer for anything else while the slideshow keeps running on the TV.
Ready to try it?
Free for 10 minutes per day — no credit card required. One-time payment options available for unlimited access. Never expires.
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