Roku vs. Google TV and others: Don’t overlook this one feature

If you can’t decide which smart TV or streaming player to buy, your photo collection can be an underrated tiebreaker.

Apple TV, Google TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku all allow you to view photos on the big screen, and some can even automatically pull in new photos from your collection to display as screensavers. This can be a great way to add some joy to your living room, even when you’re not actively watching TV.

Still, you’ll need to choose wisely between streaming platforms if you care about using them for photo viewing. Depending on where those photos are stored, some streaming players and smart TVs may be a better fit than others.

Here’s an overview of your options:

Google TV for Google Photos

Jared Newman / Foundry

Google TV devices are a good choice for people who automatically back up their photos with Google Photos. Google TV’s “Ambient Mode” lets you select specific people, pets, or albums from your photo collection, and they’ll automatically appear in a slideshow when your streaming device is inactive.

Because all Google TV devices support Chromecast, you can also connect to your TV through the Google Photos app in iOS or Android, then select photos or videos yourself to play on the big screen. Just select any photo, press the Cast icon in the top right corner and select your Google TV device from the list.

These features are available on all smart TVs with Google TV, on Chromecast with Google TV streamers, and on older televisions or streamers using Android TV.

How to set up Google Photos screensavers:

• Open the Google Home app, available for iOS and Android
• Select your TV or streaming player from the device list
• Tap the gear icon at the top right of the device menu, then select “Environmental Mode”
• Select “Google Photos”, then select the albums you want to include or press “Select Family & Friends” to include photos of specific people or pets
• On Google TV, you can manually start the slideshow by scrolling to your profile picture and then clicking the icon showing the current time

Apple TV for iCloud Photos

Jared Newman / Foundry

In the same way that Google TV makes sense for Google Photos users, Apple TV streaming boxes are a good fit for people who store their images in iCloud Photos. Using Apple’s Photos app, you can either manually browse iCloud Photos albums, or set any album as your screensaver.

Apple TV devices also support AirPlay, so you can turn on screen mirroring on an iPhone, iPad or Mac, then select any photo or video from your gallery to watch on the big screen. (This also works for viewing photos from other apps, such as Google Photos.)

How to set up iCloud Photos screensavers:

• Open the Photos app on Apple TV
• Select either the Albums or Shared Albums category in the menu bar
• Select an album or your activity stream, then press the “Set as screensaver” button

Fire TV for Amazon Photos

Jared Newman / Foundry

Are you seeing a pattern yet? If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber who takes advantage of the service’s unlimited photo storage, you can view any album in screensaver mode on Fire TV streaming players and Fire TV Edition televisions. Just like Google Photos, it includes the ability to show photos of specific people, although you can only set screensaver mode for photos of one person at a time.

Amazon also offers a standalone Photos app on Fire TV devices, so you can manually browse your photo collection via the TV remote.

How to set up Amazon Photos screensavers:

• Go to Settings > Display and Sounds > Screen saver
• Select “Current Screensaver,” then scroll down and select the Amazon Photos album you want to view
• Alternatively, open the Photos app, select any album, then press the ☰ menu button on your remote and select “Set as screensaver.” (Unlike the above method, it doesn’t work to show photos of a specific person)

Roku: Download photos from your phone

Jared Newman / Foundry

Unlike the other major streaming platforms, Roku doesn’t offer its own photo storage service. (Side note: Maybe it should.) This means there’s no way to automatically pull in new photos for screensaver purposes.

What you can do, however, is use Roku’s Photo Streams tool to manually upload photos from your camera or computer. You can then invite other people to add their own photos to the stream, creating a sort of shared album for screensaver purposes.

You can also use the Roku app for iOS or Android to manually view photos or videos from your camera roll. Under the app’s “Devices” tab, just select “Media,” choose “Photos” or “Videos,” then choose what you want to see.

Also, because all modern Roku players support Apple AirPlay, you can use screen mirroring to easily display media from an iPhone or iPad.

How to Set Roku Photo Screensavers:

• To upload photos from a computer, visit Roku’s Photo Stream website, then click “Get Started” and sign in to your Roku account. Select “Create Photo Stream” and upload the photos you want to see on the TV
• To upload from a phone, install the Roku app for iOS or Android. Tap your profile icon in the top right corner, then select Photo Streams. Select “Create Stream” and select photos to upload from your camera roll
• On your Roku, go to Settings > Theme > Screensavers. Select “Roku Photo Streams” and then select “Set as Screensaver”

One factor among many

Of course, there are many other factors to consider when choosing a streaming device, such as performance, remote control features, and overall ease of use. Our guide to the best streaming devices can help you sort through the options on those fronts.

But all other factors being equal, don’t underestimate where your photos are stored. If you want to see them on the big screen, you’ll have to choose wisely.

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