To add multiple photos to an Instagram post, tap Create, choose Post and tap Select multiple. One post holds up to 20 photos and videos, although many guides still give the old limit of 10. This guide covers the phone and computer steps, order, captions, cropping and what Stories can do.
To add multiple photos to an Instagram post, tap Create, tap Post, tap Select multiple, pick up to 20 photos and videos, then tap Share. People swipe through them as one post. Many guides still say the limit is 10, which was the limit when the feature launched in 2017; Instagram's Help Center now says 20. Stories work differently and are covered further down.
How to post multiple photos on Instagram from your phone
These steps come from Instagram's Help Center, and the iPhone and Android steps are the same. Button names can differ between app versions, so check the linked article under Sources if a step does not match your screen.
- Tap Create at the top, or swipe right anywhere in Feed.
- Tap Post, then tap Select multiple.
- Select up to 20 photos and videos from your phone's library. Tap Next in the top right.
- Tap a filter at the bottom to apply it to every photo, or tap one photo to edit it on its own.
- To change the order, tap and hold a photo and drag it to another spot. To remove one, tap and hold it and drag it to the delete icon. Tap Next.
- Choose Single caption for one caption, or Multiple captions to write one for each photo. Add one location for the post. To tag someone in a specific photo, tap Tag People and swipe to that photo.
- Tap Share.
On a computer, click Create, click Post, then click Select from computer. After you choose the first file, the Help Center's computer steps use two icon-only buttons before you select up to 20, and its text does not name them. For photos, the supported file formats are jpg, png and heic/heif.
Once the post is live, your feed shows the first photo with a row of dots below it, and people swipe for the rest. On your profile, the post shows the first photo with an icon in the top right that marks it as a multi-photo post. Likes and comments belong to the whole post, not to single photos. A multi-photo post is called a carousel; if you want to plan the slides, not only upload them, read the Instagram carousel guide.
How many photos can you post on Instagram?
A single post takes up to 20 photos and videos in any mix. Instagram's 2017 announcement of the feature said 10, and many guides still repeat that number. The Help Center, read on the day this page was updated, says 20.
The first photo is the one shown in the feed, so order matters. What you can change depends on whether the post is shared yet:
| Change | Before you share | After you share |
|---|---|---|
| Reorder photos | Tap, hold and drag | Three-dot menu, Edit, then long press to reorder |
| Remove a photo | Tap, hold and drag to the delete icon | Yes, in Edit |
| Edit the caption, location or tags | Yes | Yes, in Edit |
| Add a new photo | Yes, up to 20 | No. Delete the post and share it again |
Posts with several videos can take longer to upload, so the Help Center suggests a reliable network.
How to add multiple photos to an Instagram Story
A Story takes one photo or video at a time. Instagram documents three ways to show several photos together in one frame, but no way to post many photos as separate Stories in one go. The Layout steps are for the phone app only: the Help Center marks them as not available on computers.
One photo per Story
- Tap Create at the top, or swipe right anywhere in Feed.
- Scroll to Story at the bottom.
- Swipe up anywhere on the screen to choose a photo or video from your phone's gallery or camera roll.
- Tap Your Story in the bottom left to share.
Repeat for each photo. Instagram says there is no daily limit on Stories, and each one stays up for 24 hours.
Several photos in one Story frame
| Tool | What it does | Photos |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Splits one frame into a grid, with a photo for each panel. Instagram suggests it for before-and-afters or several angles of one moment | Up to 6 |
| Photo sticker | Layers extra photos on top of your main photo or video | Not stated |
| Collage | Makes an animated collage from a batch of photos, so you do not need a separate Story for each. Open the Stories camera, select multiple photos from your gallery and look for the Collage option | 5 or more |
To use Layout, tap Create, tap Story, then tap Layout on the left and tap the grid to change the arrangement. Take or upload a photo for each panel, tap Approve, then finish the Story and share it. Another Help Center article lists Layout under Options on the left, so look there if you do not see it. For a photo sticker, open the sticker tray and tap the photo sticker.
Some guides also describe a select-multiple icon in the Story gallery that adds several photos as separate Stories. Instagram's Help Center does not document it, and Instagram's own Stories guide mentions multi-select only for Collage. If your app shows that icon you can try it, but this page cannot confirm its steps, its limit or whether your account has it.
Cropping and aspect ratio
You choose one orientation, square, portrait or landscape, and Instagram applies it to every photo in the post. You cannot set a different one for each photo.
To change how a photo sits in the frame, tap it and touch the screen to move it. The crop help also suggests using the grid to line up the photo, and on a computer you can zoom in with the slider.
For photos, Instagram keeps your original resolution when the aspect ratio is between 1.91:1 and 3:4. A photo outside that range is cropped to fit. The exact sizes are in the Instagram post size guide.
If you do not see Select multiple
Instagram's Help Center has no article on a missing Select multiple button, so these checks come from the documented steps, not from a fix Instagram lists:
- Check you are in Post, not Story or Reel. Select multiple appears after you tap Post. Stories use Layout, the photo sticker and Collage instead.
- Update the app. The Help Center does not name this as a fix for a missing button. It does tell you to use the latest version for photo quality and when a Stories feature does not show, so a current app is the first thing to rule out.
- Try a computer. The Help Center lists steps for adding up to 20 photos and videos from a computer.
Make the photos work as one post
This page covers the upload. The Instagram carousel guide covers what comes after it: which photo goes first, slide structure, common mistakes and ideas.
Sources
The steps and limits come from Instagram's Help Center and blog, read on October 19, 2026:
- Share a post with multiple photos or videos on Instagram
- Combine multiple photos into one on your Instagram story
- Stories help, including "Share a photo or video to your story" and "Tips for uploading, recording and editing your Instagram story"
- Crop your photo on Instagram
- Image resolution of photos you share on Instagram
- Post a photo on Instagram
- How to use Instagram Stories: The complete 2026 guide
- New: Share Up to 10 Photos and Videos in One Post (2017)
Frequently asked questions
How do I upload multiple photos on Instagram?
Tap Create, tap Post, tap Select multiple and choose up to 20 photos and videos from your library. Tap Next, edit if you want, then tap Share.
How many photos can you post on Instagram at once?
Up to 20 photos and videos in one post, according to Instagram's Help Center. The older limit was 10, which is why many guides still give that number.
How do I add multiple photos to an Instagram Story?
Add them one at a time by swiping up in the Story camera to pick from your gallery. To show several in one frame, use Layout (up to 6 photos), the photo sticker or Collage (5 or more photos).
Can I add more photos to a post after I share it?
No. You can reorder or remove photos and edit the caption, location and tags, but you cannot add new photos to a shared post. Delete the post and share it again.
Can I write a different caption for each photo?
Yes, on the phone app. After you tap Next, choose Multiple captions instead of Single caption.
Why are my photos cropped?
All photos in a post share one orientation, and Instagram crops photos outside the 1.91:1 to 3:4 range. Tap a photo in the editor and move it in the frame to choose the crop.
Can I post multiple photos from a computer?
Yes. Click Create, click Post, click Select from computer and choose up to 20 photos and videos.