How to Set Up a Skylight Frame in 5 Minutes

Skylight frames are built to be simple. The whole setup takes about five minutes. No account to create, no complicated menus. You plug it in, connect to WiFi, and start getting photos by email. Here is how.

What Is in the Box

You get the frame, a power cable, and a quick start card. That is all you need. The frame has a touchscreen, so you do everything by tapping the screen. No remote, no buttons on the back.

Step 1: Plug In and Turn On

Put the frame on a desk or shelf near a power outlet. Plug in the power cable. The Skylight logo appears and the frame walks you through setup with on-screen instructions. The touchscreen is responsive and the text is large, so it is easy to read.

Step 2: Connect to WiFi

The frame shows a list of WiFi networks. Tap your home network. An on-screen keyboard pops up for typing your password. Tap each letter, then hit connect. The frame links to the internet in a few seconds.

If you do not see your network, make sure the frame is within range of your router. Skylight works on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi. Most people connect without any trouble.

Step 3: Get Your Frame Email Address

Here is what makes Skylight different. After WiFi connects, the frame shows a unique email address. It looks something like myframe@ourskylight.com. This is how people send photos to your frame. Write it down or take a photo of it with your phone.

Share this email address with everyone who should be sending photos. Grandkids, parents, siblings, friends. Anyone with the email can send a photo that shows up on the frame.

Step 4: Send Your First Photo

Open your phone email app. Create a new email. Put the Skylight email address in the "To" field. Attach a photo from your camera roll. Hit send. Within a minute or two, that photo appears on the Skylight frame. No app download needed. No account to sign up for.

You can send up to ten photos in one email. Each one shows up on the frame as a separate picture in the slideshow.

Step 5: The Skylight Plus Decision

Skylight offers a paid Plus plan at $39 per year. It adds Google Photos sync, video playback, and a few extra features. Without Plus, you use email and the basic Skylight app to send photos.

For most people, the free email method is all they need. If you want to auto-sync entire Google Photos albums or send video clips, the Plus plan is worth it. But it is not required to enjoy the frame.

Step 6: Download the App (Optional)

The Skylight app gives you more control. You can upload photos directly, manage what is on the frame, and adjust settings. Download "Skylight Frame" from the App Store or Google Play. But remember, the app is optional. Email works without it.

Touchscreen Basics

Once photos start arriving, here is how the touchscreen works. Swipe left to go to the next photo. Swipe right to go back. Tap the heart icon to "like" a photo and let the sender know you saw it. Tap the screen once to see menu options like brightness and slideshow speed.

The heart button is a favorite feature for grandparents. They tap the heart, and the person who sent the photo gets a notification. It is a simple way to stay connected.

Setting Up as a Gift

If you are giving a Skylight as a gift, do the WiFi setup at your house. Load five to ten photos so the frame is not empty on day one. Write the frame's email address on a card. When the recipient plugs it in at their house, they just connect to their WiFi and photos start flowing.

Want to compare Skylight to other easy frames? See our best frames for elderly users or read the full Skylight Frame 10 review.

That Is It

Five minutes. Plug in, WiFi, email address, first photo. Skylight made setup as simple as it gets. Now share that email address and watch the photos roll in.