An Instagram carousel is a single feed post that holds up to 20 photos and videos, which people swipe through. This guide covers what a carousel is, how to make one step by step, what you can and cannot change after sharing, slide-planning advice and ideas for the content.
An Instagram carousel is one feed post that holds up to 20 photos and videos. People swipe sideways to move through it. To make one in the app, tap Create, choose Post, tap Select multiple, pick your photos and videos, and tap Share. Your feed and your profile show only the first item until someone swipes, so plan the post around that first item.
What is an Instagram carousel?
A carousel is a post with more than one photo or video. Instagram's Help Center describes it as "a single post" with up to 20 photos and videos, "also known as a carousel". You will also see it called a carousel post or an IG carousel.
How it behaves:
- In the feed, you see the first photo or video with a row of dots below it. The dots tell people there is more to swipe through.
- On your profile, the post shows its first photo or video with a small icon in the top right corner.
- Likes and comments belong to the whole post, not to a single slide.
- A video inside a carousel is not a Reel. It does not appear in the Reels tab and does not get Reels features. For video made as a Reel, see the Instagram Reel size guide.
What you can change after you share
A shared carousel cannot grow. You can still reorder it, remove items, and edit the caption, location and tags.
| Action | Before you share | After you share |
|---|---|---|
| Add photos or videos | Yes, up to 20 | No |
| Reorder | Yes | Yes |
| Remove | Yes | Yes |
| Edit the caption, location and tags | Yes | Yes |
After sharing, open the three-dot menu on the carousel, choose Edit, and long press an item to reorder it. To add a slide you have to delete the post and share it again.
How to make an Instagram carousel
These are the steps for the phone app, from Instagram's Help Center. The iPhone and Android steps are the same.
- 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. To change how an item is cropped, tap it and touch the screen to move it in the frame. Tap Next.
- Tap a filter at the bottom to apply it to everything, or tap one item to edit it on its own.
- To change the order, tap and hold an item 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 for a caption on each item. Add one location, and use Tag People to tag someone in a specific photo.
- Tap Share.
On a computer, click Create, click Post, then click Select from computer and choose up to 20 photos and videos. You can reorder, add filters, write one caption and tag people before you click Share.
Instagram notes that posts with several videos may take longer to upload, so use a reliable connection. You can add music to a carousel in the phone app, but not when the carousel contains a video, and not on a computer.
If you only want to add a few photos to a post or a Story, the beginner guide to posting multiple photos on Instagram covers both.
One orientation for every slide
Instagram applies the orientation you choose, square, portrait or landscape, to every photo and video in the carousel. You cannot give each slide its own orientation. If you design the slides yourself, make them all the same size. The pixel sizes and the aspect ratios Instagram supports are in the Instagram post size guide.
Planning your slides
This section is editorial advice. Instagram does not publish a recommended structure. It rests on three facts from the Help Center: the feed and your profile show the first item, every slide shares one orientation, and you cannot add slides after you share.
Slide 1, the cover
The cover is what the feed and your profile show, so it has to make sense alone. Say what the carousel is about in a few words, and keep the text large enough to read on a phone. Leave introductions for the caption. To spread one wide picture across several slides, see the seamless carousel guide and the free image splitter.
Middle slides, the body
Give each slide one idea: a step, a tip, a before and after, or one photo with one line of context. If a slide needs a paragraph, split it into two slides. Keep the style the same across slides so the set reads as one piece.
Last slide, the close
End with the one thing you want people to do next, such as save the post, read the caption or visit the link in your bio. Add a summary here only if the carousel is long.
Settle the order of all slides before you start. You can reorder and remove slides later, but you cannot add one.
Captions
Instagram gives you two options: one caption for the whole post, or a caption on each item. A single caption suits a carousel that works as one piece, because the caption can carry the context. Multiple captions suit a recap where each photo needs its own line.
Seamless carousels
Some creators design one wide image that continues from slide to slide. The Help Center does not describe this as a feature. Instagram only receives separate photos or videos that share one orientation, so anyone making one has to cut the image into equal slides before uploading. Check the cut points on the crop screen, where you can drag each item in the frame.
Common mistakes and problems
- A weak first slide. If the cover only makes sense as part of the set, it gives people no reason to swipe.
- Mixed sizes. Because one orientation applies to every slide, a slide in a different shape is cropped to fit. Drag each item in the frame to check the crop before you continue.
- Too much on a slide. Small text and long sentences are hard to read on a phone. Split the slide.
- Planning to add a slide later. A shared carousel cannot grow, so a missing slide means deleting the post and starting again.
- Expecting Reels behavior from video slides. Videos in a carousel do not show in the Reels tab.
- Adding music to a carousel with a video. Music is not available in that case.
- A slow upload with several videos. Instagram says these posts may take longer, so stay on a reliable network.
Instagram carousel ideas
A carousel works when the content has an order. The Help Center does not say which formats perform best, so these are starting points, not proven winners:
- How-to or step list: one step per slide, with the result on the last slide.
- Before and after: start with the finished look and show the change step by step.
- Tips or mistakes: one tip per slide with a short reason.
- Event or trip recap: a set of photos with a one-line caption on each, using multiple captions.
- Product or portfolio set: one item per slide, with the details in the caption.
- Myth and fact: a claim on one slide and the answer on the next.
- Summary of something longer: the main points of an article or video, one point per slide.
If you are posting to LinkedIn instead, a multi-slide post there is a document post, usually a PDF or slide file, with its own limits. See the LinkedIn post size guide.
Sources
The facts about how carousels work come from Instagram's Help Center and Instagram's own announcement, read on October 19, 2026:
- Share a post with multiple photos or videos on Instagram
- Add music to a post with multiple photos on Instagram
- New: Share Up to 10 Photos and Videos in One Post (Instagram blog, February 22, 2017)
- Upload and share documents on LinkedIn (LinkedIn Help)
Instagram can change its limits and menus, so check the Help Center if a detail matters to you.
Frequently asked questions
What is a carousel post on Instagram?
It is a single post with more than one photo or video. People swipe sideways to see each one. Instagram's Help Center uses the name carousel for a post with up to 20 photos and videos.
How many photos can an Instagram carousel have?
Up to 20 photos and videos. Instagram launched the feature in 2017 with a limit of 10, so you may still see that number on older pages. The Help Center now says 20.
How many slides should a carousel have?
Instagram sets a maximum of 20 and gives no recommended number. Use as many slides as the content needs. Because you cannot add a slide after sharing, settle the count before you post.
Can I add more photos to a carousel after I post it?
No. After you share a carousel you can reorder or remove photos and videos and edit the caption, location and tags. You cannot add new ones. To add more, you would delete the post and share it again.
Can a carousel mix photos and videos?
Yes. A carousel can hold up to 20 photos and videos together. Videos in a carousel are not Reels.
Can I add music to an Instagram carousel?
Yes, in the phone app, when the carousel contains only photos. Instagram says music cannot be added to carousels with videos, and the feature is not available on computers.
Can I make an Instagram carousel on a computer?
Yes. Click Create, click Post, click Select from computer and choose up to 20 photos and videos. Music for carousels is only available in the phone app.
Do carousels get more reach than other posts?
Instagram's Help Center does not say so, and this guide found no official figure. Claims of a reach or engagement advantage come from third-party benchmark reports, not from Instagram. To see what works for you, compare your own carousels with your other posts.
What size should carousel slides be?
Pick one orientation, square, portrait or landscape, and use it for every slide. See the Instagram post size guide for the sizes.