best plugin for displaying photos with wordpress in fullscreen

Introduction: The Challenge of True Fullscreen Carousels and Slideshows in WordPress

WordPress offers a wide range of plugins for displaying carousels and slideshows, making it a popular choice for photographers, artists, and businesses looking to showcase visual content. However, not all plugins are created equal, especially when it comes to delivering a true fullscreen experience.

Many WordPress plugins advertise “fullscreen” functionality, but what they actually provide is a fullpage display—where the slideshow fills the visible area of the browser while keeping the browser’s user interface (like the menu bar, tabs, and address bar) visible. While this may be sufficient for casual website browsing, it falls short for use cases requiring immersive, distraction-free presentations, such as art galleries, digital signage, or photography studios.

The technical challenge lies in rendering carousels and slideshows that not only occupy the entire screen but also handle dynamic content like WordPress blocks, shortcodes, and live updates. Most plugins struggle with these aspects, making the search for a true fullscreen solution a frustrating experience.

In this article, we’ll explore the limitations of traditional WordPress plugins, discuss what makes a true fullscreen experience so difficult to achieve, and compare two solutions—WPscreen and WPsignage—to see how they address these challenges.

Full screen for wordpress: the technical problem

Defining True Fullscreen

A true fullscreen experience goes beyond simply filling the browser’s viewport—it completely removes any distractions from the browser interface, such as the menu bar, tabs, and address bar. This mode is essential for immersive applications like:

• Art galleries showcasing high-resolution images.
• Digital signage in retail or event environments.
• Photographers presenting portfolios during client meetings.

While many plugins claim to offer fullscreen functionality, most only provide a fullpage mode, which restricts the content to the browser’s visible area but keeps the browser’s UI elements intact.

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Challenges in Achieving True Fullscreen sliders

1. Browser and Device Limitations

• Enabling fullscreen mode programmatically requires specific browser API calls (e.g., the JavaScript Fullscreen API). These APIs often require explicit user actions (e.g., clicking a button) to trigger fullscreen mode, which adds complexity to implementation.

1. Dynamic Content Rendering

• Many WordPress sites rely on dynamic blocks, shortcodes, or third-party scripts to render content.
• Traditional slideshow plugins often pre-render content, making them incompatible with blocks or content that depends on JavaScript to display dynamically.

1. Real-Time Updates

• For applications like digital signage, content must update seamlessly in real-time without leaving fullscreen mode.
• Most plugins require exiting fullscreen to reload or update content, which interrupts the immersive experience.

1. WordPress Ecosystem Limitations

• WordPress blocks (especially dynamic blocks) are rendered server-side and may not fully load until the page is processed by JavaScript.
• Plugins often fail to bridge the gap between server-side rendering and real-time front-end updates.

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Why Fullpage Mode Is Not Enough

While fullpage mode (filling the visible area of the browser) works for simple use cases, it is insufficient for scenarios where:

• Distraction-free viewing is critical.
• Dynamic, interactive content needs to be displayed and updated seamlessly.
• Users demand a modern, professional presentation, as in art exhibitions or commercial applications.

These limitations make true fullscreen solutions rare and valuable, highlighting the technical gap that many WordPress plugins fail to address.

The Solutions: Comparing WPscreen and WPsignage

WPscreen

WPscreen is a well-known plugin that delivers true fullscreen functionality for WordPress slideshows. It removes browser UI elements, allowing users to immerse themselves fully in the displayed content. However, while WPscreen excels in providing a distraction-free experience, it has limitations that can restrict its usability in dynamic and real-time contexts.

Strengths of WPscreen:

1. True Fullscreen Mode:

• WPscreen successfully leverages the browser’s Fullscreen API to hide browser UI elements, achieving a true fullscreen experience.

1. Ease of Use:

• Simple setup and intuitive interface make it ideal for static, pre-rendered slideshows.

1. Static Content Display:

• Performs well with static image-based slideshows or basic content that doesn’t require dynamic rendering.

Limitations of WPscreen:

1. No Support for Dynamic Content:

• WPscreen struggles with rendering WordPress dynamic blocks or shortcodes that rely on JavaScript for proper functionality.

1. Lack of Real-Time Updates:

• Content updates require exiting fullscreen mode and reloading the slideshow, disrupting the user experience.

1. Limited WordPress Integration:

• Focused primarily on slideshows, it doesn’t offer advanced compatibility with the full range of WordPress blocks or live content updates.

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WPsignage

WPsignage takes the concept of true fullscreen to the next level by addressing the technical challenges WPscreen cannot handle. Designed for professional use cases like art galleries, retail digital signage, and live presentations, WPsignage offers a more robust and flexible solution.

Strengths of WPsignage:

1. True Fullscreen Mode:

• Just like WPscreen, WPsignage removes all browser UI elements, delivering a truly immersive experience.

1. Support for All WordPress Blocks:

• WPsignage excels at rendering dynamic blocks, shortcodes, and even third-party plugin content, thanks to its advanced JavaScript rendering engine.

1. Real-Time Updates:

• Content can be updated seamlessly without exiting fullscreen mode, making it ideal for digital signage or live presentations.

1. Dynamic Content Rendering:

• WPsignage ensures that even blocks with complex JavaScript dependencies are rendered correctly in fullscreen.

1. Customizable and Flexible:

• Fully compatible with WordPress’s block editor, allowing users to create and display any type of content within the slideshow.

Limitations of WPsignage:

1. Learning Curve:

• As a more advanced tool, WPsignage may require a slight learning curve for first-time users.

1. Advanced Setup:

• While the plugin offers extensive capabilities, configuring real-time updates and dynamic content rendering may take longer compared to simpler plugins.

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Feature Comparison Table

Feature	WPscreen	WPsignage
True Fullscreen Mode	✅	✅
Dynamic Block Support	❌	✅
Real-Time Updates	❌	✅
Shortcode Compatibility	Limited	Full
Ease of Use	✅	Moderate
Ideal Use Cases	Static slideshows	Dynamic signage, galleries

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Which One Should You Choose?

• Choose WPscreen if you need a simple, static fullscreen slideshow with minimal setup.
• Choose WPsignage if you require a powerful, flexible solution that supports WordPress blocks, dynamic content, and real-time updates.

For professional or business use cases where flexibility and dynamic content are essential, WPsignage clearly stands out as the superior choice.

Comparison of Other Plugins for Users Who Don’t Require True Fullscreen

For users who don’t need a true fullscreen experience and are satisfied with a fullpage or fullscreen-like slideshow within the browser viewport, there are several popular plugins that offer excellent functionality. While these plugins don’t provide the immersive fullscreen mode that WPscreen and WPsignage deliver, they excel in simplicity, design options, and ease of use for less demanding scenarios.

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1. Smart Slider 3

• Description:
  Smart Slider 3 is one of the most popular slider plugins for WordPress, offering a user-friendly interface and a wide range of customization options.
• Key Features:
• Drag-and-drop builder for creating visually stunning sliders.
• Responsive design, optimized for mobile.
• Multiple slider types, including carousel and fullpage.
• Limitations:
• Fullpage sliders only fill the visible browser area, not true fullscreen.
• Limited support for dynamic blocks or real-time updates.

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2. Slider Revolution

• Description:
  A premium plugin known for its advanced animations and effects, Slider Revolution is ideal for creating professional-looking sliders and carousels.
• Key Features:
• Extensive animation options for text, images, and layers.
• Pre-designed templates for quick setup.
• Fullpage mode that mimics fullscreen but retains browser UI elements.
• Limitations:
• Complex interface with a steeper learning curve.
• No support for real-time updates in fullscreen.

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3. MetaSlider

• Description:
  MetaSlider is a lightweight and beginner-friendly plugin, perfect for users who want to quickly create basic slideshows.
• Key Features:
• Supports multiple slider types, including Flex Slider and Nivo Slider.
• SEO-optimized with alt tags and captions.
• Simple setup and minimal configuration.
• Limitations:
• Focused on static content; no dynamic block support.
• No true fullscreen functionality.

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4. Gutenslider

• Description:
  Gutenslider integrates seamlessly with the WordPress block editor, allowing users to create sliders directly within the Gutenberg interface.
• Key Features:
• Easy to use with Gutenberg blocks.
• Supports image and video sliders.
• Basic fullpage mode for embedding sliders across the browser viewport.
• Limitations:
• Limited animation options compared to premium plugins.
• No support for dynamic content or real fullscreen mode.

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5. Soliloquy

• Description:
  Soliloquy is a responsive slider plugin that offers an optional “fullscreen addon” for a fullscreen-like experience.
• Key Features:
• Drag-and-drop builder for easy slider creation.
• Optional fullscreen button for image-focused presentations.
• Lightweight and optimized for performance.
• Limitations:
• Addon required for fullscreen functionality.
• Doesn’t support real-time content updates or dynamic blocks.

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Feature Comparison Table for Other Plugins

Plugin	Fullpage Sliders	True Fullscreen	Dynamic Blocks	Real-Time Updates	Ease of Use	Ideal Use Cases
Smart Slider 3	✅	❌	Limited	❌	Easy	General-purpose slideshows
Slider Revolution	✅	❌	Limited	❌	Moderate	Complex animations and effects
MetaSlider	✅	❌	❌	❌	Very Easy	Basic, static image slideshows
Gutenslider	✅	❌	❌	❌	Easy	Gutenberg block-based sliders
Soliloquy	✅	Limited (Addon)	❌	❌	Easy	Simple fullscreen-like image sliders

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When to Choose These Plugins

• Smart Slider 3 or Slider Revolution: Best for users who want visually stunning designs with animation options but don’t need real fullscreen or dynamic content rendering.
• MetaSlider: Ideal for users seeking a fast and lightweight plugin for static content.
• Gutenslider: Perfect for users who want easy integration with the Gutenberg editor.
• Soliloquy: Great for lightweight fullscreen-like image sliders with minimal setup.

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Conclusion

While these plugins serve well for general slideshow needs, they fall short when it comes to the true fullscreen experience and advanced features like dynamic block rendering and real-time updates. For users looking for a professional, immersive solution, WPscreen and WPsignage remain the top choices, with WPsignage leading the way in flexibility and functionality.