Instagram Carousel Dimensions: Best Guide And Tips For 2025

Established for the first time in 2017, Instagram carousel posts have become a highly popular content format in the world of social media todays and are used popularity. Therefore, if you want to take full advantages the power of Instagram carousel but don’t know what the best size and specs for your Instagram carousel post or ad would, read on. This comprehensive guide will delves into the world of Instagram carousel dimensions and equips you with the best tips to unlock the true power of Instagram carousels. You will also find great ideas to craft compelling carousels that stand out and leave a lasting impression.

What Are Instagram Carousels?

An Instagram carousel is a multi-content format that allows users to display multiple images and videos in a single post or ad. An Instagram carousel post works like an album of photos, allowing you to upload up to 20 images and videos in a single post. 

You can think of it simply as a mini slideshow that can keep your audience engaged and encourage them to swipe through for more, no matter you’re selling products, telling a story, or breaking down valuable tips.

• If you are a mobile viewer, you can swipe left and right through carousel cards to view each image/video.
• If you use a desktop, you can view an Instagram carousel by single-clicking the arrow button on the left and right sides of the post.

Why Use Instagram Carousels? Benefits Of The Carousel Format

Brands can benefit from Instagram carousels in different ways. Here are some reasons why you should use the Instagram carousel format.

• A goldmine of engagement: According to Social Insider, Instagram carousels receive the highest engagement rate on the platform (0.50%), outperforming reels (0.45%) and single images (0.40%).

• Storytelling potential: With a carousel, you can tell your brand story effectively through different slides and visuals.

• Double exposure: Another amazing benefit of the Instagram carousel format is that Instagram can show a carousel multiple times to a follower with different photos or videos within the carousel. That may explain why Instagram carousels usually have higher impressions than other content formats.

• Showcase multiple products: Carousel is a versatile content format. You can use it not only to tell a story but also to showcase multiple best-selling products or promote a new collection.

Understanding Instagram Dimensions

Before we go further and start to explore Instagram’s various post specs, let’s understand the basics: aspect ratio and pixel size.

Aspect Ratio

The aspect ratio is a metric that tells us how wide an image is in relation to its height. Some examples of different aspect ratios are:

• A 1:1 aspect ratio: This is a square image with equal sides.
• A 4:5 aspect ratio: This ratio indicates that the image is a bit taller than wide and is suitable for vertical posts 
• A 1.91:1 aspect ratio: This ratio means the image is much wider than tall, thus it is perfect for landscape or horizontal content.

Pixel Size

The pixel size representation is made up of small square units (pixels) that constitute the image. The more pixels, the higher the resolution and the better the image quality. Instagram suggests a 1080 x 1080 pixel size for square posts in order to keep up with the sharpness and clarity.

In summary, Aspect ratio is the determinant of the image or video shape. Pixel size is the determinant of the image clarity and quality. If you want to make superb Instagram posts, check that the aspect ratio and pixel size are set correctly.

Instagram Carousel Dimensions: Recommended Sizes And Specs (2025)

You can create an Instagram carousel in different sizes and ratios. It can be in square, landscape, or portrait formats. 

Just keep in mind that, Instagram will automatically reshape the rest images/videos based on the shape you select for the first slide. Therefore, you should use images/videos of the same size to ensure all slides are shown appropriately. Also, follow the recommended Instagram carousel dimensions to make your posts more professional and visually appealing.

Previously, a carousel on Instagram could have 10 images or videos at maximum. But the current limit is up to 20 cards in a single carousel. 

Now, let’s delve into the best sizes and specs for different media formats.

Instagram carousel dimensions for images

• Aspect ratios: Landscape (1.91:1), portrait (4:5), and square (1:1).
• Recommended image size: From 566 to 1350 pixels, depending on the orientation).
• Instagram carousel landscape size: 1080 x 566 pixels.
• Instagram carousel portrait size: 1080 x 1350 pixels.
• Instagram carousel square size: 1080 x 1080 pixels.
• File type: PNG or JPG.
• Maximum Size: 30MB

Related article: The Best Specs For Instagram Ads To Follow

Instagram video carousel specs

• Video length: Instagram carousel video length can range from 3 seconds to 1 minute. If your video is longer than 1 minute, it will be trimmed down automatically when uploaded to Instagram.
• Aspect ratios: Landscape (1.91:1), square (1:1), and vertical (4:5).
• Landscape: 1080 x 566 pixels.
• Portrait: 1080 x 1350 pixels.
• Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels.
• File type: MP4 and MOV.
• Maximum Size: 4GB.

Note: The first image or video in a carousel will automatically be cropped to a square thumbnail in grid view, so ensure that all the important content is visible within that square frame. 

Instagram Carousel Dimensions For Ads (2025)

If it is an Instagram carousel ad, the recommended specs will be a bit different. 

Instagram carousel ads can appear in different placements such as the Instagram feed, stories, reels, and the Explore page. Each ad placement requires different Instagram carousel dimensions for optimal viewing experience.

Below, I present the Instagram carousel ad specs for different placements.

Instagram feed carousel ads

• Ratio: 1:1.
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels.
• Slides: 2 to 10.
• Image maximum file size: 30MB.
• Video maximum file size: 4GB.
• Video length: 1 second to 2 minutes.
• File types: JPG, PNG, MP4, MOV, or GIF.

Instagram stories carousel ads

• Ratio: 9:16.
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1920 pixels.
• Slides: 2 to 10.
• Image maximum file size: 30MB.
• Video maximum file size: 4GB.
• Video length: 1 second to 15 seconds.
• File types: JPG, PNG, MP4, MOV, or GIF.

Instagram reels carousel ads

• Ratio: 9:16.
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Slides: 2 to 10.
• Image maximum file size: 30MB.
• File types: JPG or PNG

Instagram Explore carousel ads

• Ratio: 1:1.
• Resolution: 1080 x 1080 pixels.
• Slides: 2 to 10.
• Image maximum file size: 30MB.
• Minimum width: 500 pixels
• Minimum aspect ratio: 400 x 500
• Maximum aspect ratio: 191 x 100
• File types: JPG or PNG.

How To Create An Instagram Carousel Post

Posting an Instagram carousel is super easy. Follow these steps:

• Start by opening the Instagram application on your mobile phone.
• Now, hit the “+” icon and choose “Post.”
• To enter carousel mode, click on the multi-image icon (two overlapping squares) on the right side.
• Now, choose the videos and the pictures that you want in your carousel.
• Slide each one to the left and edit it separately – apply filters to it, crop it, and arrange it in the order that you like.
• Let the options be saving as a draft, scheduling for later, or publishing immediately.

By selecting the images or videos, the numbers will show on each thumbnail indicating their position in the carousel; thus, you can easily manage your content.

If you do it via Meta Business Suite on your PC, you can create carousel posts by uploading multiple images and following the same steps.

Beyond Dimensions: How To Craft Compelling Instagram Carousel Posts?

Now that you understand the basic requirements and steps for Instagram carousels, it’s time to level up the game. Beyond following the recommended dimensions, try these practices to craft captivating Instagram carousel posts.

• Structure your carousel properly: Think of your Instagram carousel like a children’s book. It often has only 10-15 pages, and a few words per page, but still conveys a complete and meaningful message. To structure a carousel post, you can follow this suggestion: 
  • Use a catchy title for the first slide.
  • Include a recap of all the content you share on the 2nd page.
  • Reveal your content in the next slides. Remember to minimize text.
  • Add a call to action in the final slide. Example: Comment to get a discount code.
• Showcase your products: You can use the carousel format to showcase your products effectively in different ways: share a new product line, show different color options, highlight multiple features,… all in a single post. This will lengthen the engagement time and increase chances for conversions because consumers can view your products from multiple angles or in different contexts.
• Instruct step-by-step: With step-by-step instructions through carousel cards, customers can use your products or services effectively. This not only enriches user experience but also makes your brand a useful source of information and knowledge, drives customer loyalty, and boosts sales.
• Tell a story: Storytelling is your best strategy when crafting Instagram carousels! You can use it to tell a compelling brand origin story that captures your vision, mission, and values. This builds customer relationships and strengthens your brand presentation.
• Leverage UGC: User-generated content (UGC) can help boost your brand authenticity, community engagement, and potential sales. 
• Before and Afters: Instagram carousels also work well for before and after pictures (e.g.: the after and before photos of customers’ haircuts or weight loss journey).

Previous post: Guide To Adding Captions To Instagram Reels: 2 Easy Ways For 2025

Best Tips For Instagram Carousel Dimensions (2025)

You can get the most out of your Instagram carousel posts by applying these strategies for adjusting carousel dimensions.

• Powerful first slide: With the powerful first slide you can get users’ attention right away and keep it with a great picture or video. The aesthetic will be so captivating that users would be forced to stop scrolling and interacting with your post at least somehow. 
• Consistency: Use the same ratio to create all your images/videos so they will look good as a whole and there will be no cuts and bleeding. Moreover, you will have to connect all the slides and make a clear and united story.
• Invite feedback: Always incorporate interactive features in your carousel posts such as queries, surveys, or a statement directing action on the last slide to motivate your audience to discuss and interact with your content.
• Safe area: Always the main message of the image/video should be in the sacred area of the picture (the square in the middle) as it might be cut off in the previews on Instagram feed.
• Carousel card counts: Instagram gives the option of a maximum of 20 cards per carousel post and 10 cards for carousel ads. Therefore, be selective in using them.
• High-resolution media: Power the visuals by uploading images or videos in the highest quality which in turn might even get you the priority from the Instagram algorithm.
• Test & Analyze what is best for you: Different content, styles, and formats can be tried to see what is the most liked by your audience. Instagram insights should be used for engagement metrics analysis and approach to future, even better, carousel posts refinement.

Troubleshooting Common Issues With Instagram Carousel Dimensions

Here’s how to troubleshoot common issues related to Instagram carousel dimensions to ensure your carousels shine.

• Blurry images: Follow the recommended resolution (1080 x 566 px, 1080 x 1350 px, or 1080 x 1080 px. Upload images/videos with high resolution. Use JPG for images and MP4 for videos to optimize media quality.
• Unexpected cropping: Don’t put important content near the edges of the image to prevent it from being cropped in the grid view. Use the 1:1 aspect ratio to avoid unexpected cropping. You can preview your carousel before posting to see what it will look like in the feed preview.
• Inconsistent look: Use the same ratio, same filters, and same editing styles for all images or videos in the same carousel. Stick to your brand guidelines for a cohesive and professional look.

Conclusion

Mastering Instagram carousel dimensions is not just about following recommended sizes and specifications, it’s a critical skill to elevate user experience. By adhering to the platform’s recommendations and my practical tips, you can create visually and content-appealing carousel posts and ads that drive meaningful engagement and results.

If you want to empower your Instagram carousel campaigns, I highly recommend you use advertising ad accounts. They are more reputable and stable, providing you freedom to scale your business campaigns without limits. Feel free to contact us for more information on this amazing tool.

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