Image sizes

Instagram carousel size (2026): exact dimensions

Instagram carousel size

1080 × 1350px

Aspect ratio

4:5

Make every carousel slide 1080 × 1350 px (4:5) — the first image locks the aspect ratio for the entire set.

Last verified June 2026

Carousels follow the same dimensions as regular feed posts with one critical rule: the first slide sets the aspect ratio, and every following slide is displayed to match it. Upload a square first and your portrait slides get cropped; mix shapes and Instagram pads them with spacing. Designing the whole set at 1080 × 1350 px (4:5) sidesteps all of it and gives you the tallest canvas the carousel feed supports.

All Instagram carousel specs

Instagram carousel dimensions, last verified June 2026.
VariantDimensionsRatio
Recommended slide1080 × 1350 pxUse for every slide in the set.4:5
Square slides1080 × 1080 px1:1
Landscape slides1080 × 566 pxAllowed, but weak — smallest on-screen presence.1.91:1
Video slides1080 × 1350 pxInstagram displays carousel videos in the set’s ratio; export to match your slides.4:5

Safe zones: what gets cropped

Carousel slides inherit the feed-post crops: the profile grid shows only the first slide, cropped to 3:4, so treat slide one as a cover and keep its title dead-center. Also leave margin on the right and left edges of each slide — the next-slide peek and the page-dot indicator sit near the edges, and full-bleed text there feels cramped. For seamless “panorama” carousels that split one image across slides, double-check the math: each slide must be exactly 1080 px wide or the seams drift.

File types & limits

  • Up to 20 slides per carousel (photos and videos can be mixed).
  • Photos: JPG or PNG; videos: MP4 or MOV.
  • One caption for the whole set — slides cannot have individual captions.
  • The first slide is the only one shown on your profile grid and in most feed previews.

Getting the most out of the format

Do: structure carousels like a story arc

Carousels earn the highest engagement of any Instagram feed format in most published studies because every swipe is an interaction and Instagram re-serves unswiped carousels with the next slide. Use that mechanically: slide 1 is a hook (big claim or question), slides 2–8 deliver one idea each, and the final slide carries the call to action. One idea per slide — if a slide needs two sentences of body text, split it.

Don’t: vary type sizes or ratios between slides

Swiping should feel like turning pages of one document, not flipping between posters. Lock a template — same margins, same font scale, same background system — and reuse it for every carousel. It is faster to produce and trains your audience to recognize your content mid-scroll.

Batch carousels — they are the most schedulable format

Because carousels are designed assets rather than in-the-moment captures, they suit batching perfectly: build four in one design session, then schedule them across the month. SocialKit publishes scheduled carousels natively to Instagram (and adapts the same content for other platforms), so the design session is the only manual step.

Quick questions

What size should Instagram carousel images be in 2026?

1080 × 1350 px (4:5) for every slide. The first image locks the ratio for the whole carousel, so making all slides identical avoids surprise crops and padding.

How many slides can an Instagram carousel have?

Up to 20 photos or videos per carousel. Engagement typically front-loads, so put your strongest material in the first three slides and the call to action on the last.

Can I mix photos and videos in one carousel?

Yes — but export videos at the same 4:5 ratio as your image slides so the set displays uniformly. Mixed-ratio sets get padded or cropped to match the first slide.

Sized right, scheduled once — on Instagram and 10 more

Upload your visuals at the right dimensions, preview exactly how each post will look, and let SocialKit publish to all 11 platforms on schedule.

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