A slideshow is an efficient means of sharing multiple images with others, more so when saved as an executable file, which can be opened on any Windows computer, without requiring a third-party application. Having that in mind, the developers at 4Dots created the EXE Slideshow Maker, a nifty software utility ready to help you turn a sequence of pictures into an EXE slideshow.

When running the application, you are greeted by a simple interface with a large gray preview area. Intuitively, you will surely go to add input to the application. EXE Slideshow Maker can import individual files but keep in mind that it also allows you to select a folder where images are stored, searching for compatible files itself. Alternatively, you can import a list of files but all must be in one of the compatible formats, namely PNG, GIF, JPG, JPEG or BMP.

The empty gray area is suddenly filled by thumbnails for each of the imported images, along with additional options. While there are not too many of the latter, it is enough to make this application worth your while, as you will see below.

The preview area of each image also includes a few slideshow settings. For instance, you can easily set the duration of the image within the slideshow and select one of the many available transition effects.

One feature worth mentioning is the audio background support. In other words, you can add an audio background for each image you include in your slideshow.

Alternatively, EXE Slideshow Maker comes with a built-in audio recorder that you can use to create your own narration for an image. The recording can be attached either to a single image or the entire slideshow. This way, you can give a personal touch to your presentation.

Another thing that makes this application quite neat is the integrated image editor, which covers a fairly decent editing toolbox you need to make a picture look its best. It comes with red eye removal, a color replacer, along with rotate and flip functionality. Moreover, you can use it to crop images, add them watermarks and borders.

There are also various adjustment options and quite a few filters you can apply to enhance the appearance of the photo.

Surprisingly, EXE Slideshow Maker is not all about selecting a bunch of pictures and hitting a button to merge them into a slideshow. It comes with its own editor with lots of options, audio recording capabilities, and several transition effects, all to build up an all-in-one toolbox. To put it another way, EXE Slideshow Maker should be enough for anyone who needs to create an impressive slideshow.