You Can Now Text Your Photos to Aura Digital Picture Frames

Aura Frames, a leading brand in connected photo frames, has launched Text to Frame, a new feature that lets users and invited contacts send photos directly to a frame through standard text messaging. The feature removes the need for an app download and positions Aura as the only major digital frame brand to offer this level of accessibility to date.

With texting now the primary way many families stay in touch, the company aims to make everyday photo sharing more personal, more private, and easier for people of all ages.

A Phone Number for Every Frame

Each Aura frame will now have a unique phone number that owners can share with trusted friends and family. Invited contacts can text photos to the frame, and images automatically appear in the frame’s library. The experience mirrors a group chat but is designed for preserving memories rather than letting them disappear into long message threads.

Because only invited contributors can send images, the feature creates a secure environment for sharing personal photos. This privacy focus resonates strongly with families navigating concerns about digital identity, especially at a time when parents are rethinking how often they post publicly about their children.

Why It Matters

Aura highlights that texting remains the most common way families communicate. According to the company’s Empty Nest Report conducted with Talker Research, parents are twice as likely to stay in touch with their children through text than through video calls. The same study found that 85% of parents feel that everyday photo sharing helps maintain emotional closeness when loved ones live apart.

These habits informed the development of Text to Frame. Instead of letting spontaneous snapshots get buried in message threads, families can now send those images directly to a frame where they can be enjoyed throughout the day.

There are no fees or subscriptions required to use the feature, and contributors can send unlimited photos to one or more frames.

Designed for Simplicity Across Generations

Text to Frame is built for accessibility and ease of use. Grandparents who prefer texting to apps, parents balancing busy days, and friends who want to share quick updates can all participate without friction. If someone can send a text message, they can add photos to an Aura frame.

Photos sent by text are instantly added to the frame’s library, keeping displays full of new moments. Contributors can also choose which frame to send to if multiple frames are linked to the same household.

Inside the Feature: How Text to Frame Works

Aura has designed the setup process to take less than a minute. Users attach a phone number to their Aura Frames account through the app, then invite contacts who will be permitted to send photos. Once an invitation is accepted, texting photos works as it would in any standard message thread. All images are securely transferred and stored within Aura’s cloud infrastructure.

The feature is available to iOS and Android users in the United States who have a US phone number.

Bringing Everyday Moments Into the Home

In a blog post announcing the feature, Ashley Phillips, Aura’s Director of Product, emphasizes that the photos that matter most are often the quick, unpolished snapshots shared in group chats. Text to Frame is designed to give these everyday moments a more meaningful place in the home by lifting them out of message threads and placing them on a display where they can be enjoyed.

“The best memories aren’t always the perfect ones. Sometimes the photos that matter most are the quick snaps you send to a sibling, the selfie dropped into a group chat, or the little everyday moments you text to a parent just to say ‘thinking of you,'” Phillips says.

“Whether it’s grandparents across the country or a friend who doesn’t want to download another app, text to frame makes it effortless for anyone you invite to add photos to your frame’s library from wherever they are. If they can text, they can share.”

The launch reflects Aura’s broader goal of creating technology that strengthens personal relationships while reducing friction and distraction. With Text to Frame, Aura widens access to shared photo frames and introduces a new, approachable way for families and friends to stay connected from anywhere.

Image credits: Aura