I used to think I knew how to make Instagram carousels. Pick some photos, add them to a post, done. For months, that was my approach. Then our designer started creating them instead.
The difference was eye-opening. Her carousels were getting saves and shares at rates I’d never seen. Mine had been fine, but hers were actually working. She used consistent branding on every slide, arrows to prompt swiping, high-contrast colors that stopped the scroll, and a “Save this carousel” reminder at the end. Every slide was intentional. I’m glad I got to watch and learn.
That’s when I realized how much more there was to carousels than I’d thought. I’d been treating them like multi-photo dumps when they’re actually a format with its own rules, its own psychology, and its own algorithm advantages.
I’m one of the co-founders at Viraly, so I’ve had a front-row seat to how thousands of accounts handle carousels. The data backs up what our designer showed me: carousels work incredibly well when you put intention into them. Most people aren’t putting in that intention, though. They’re approaching them the same way I used to.
This guide covers everything I learned from our designer, the data we’ve seen across Viraly users, and the specific techniques that turn carousels from “just another post” into a save magnet.
What Is an Instagram Carousel?
An Instagram carousel is a post containing multiple photos or videos that users swipe through horizontally. You’ve seen them: those little dots at the bottom indicating there’s more to see.
Instagram now allows up to 20 slides per carousel (they increased it from 10 in 2024). You can mix photos and videos in the same carousel, and each video can be up to 60 seconds long.
But here’s what makes carousels interesting from an algorithm perspective: if someone scrolls past your carousel without engaging, Instagram often shows it to them again later, this time starting with the second slide. So you effectively get two chances to grab their attention instead of one. Adam Mosseri’s team has confirmed this works because Instagram treats unseen slides as “new content.”
That built-in second chance is why carousels consistently outperform single-image posts, when you know how to use it.
Why Carousels Outperform Single Posts (The Data)
The numbers on carousel performance are wild once you see them side by side.
According to Buffer’s 2025 research, carousels deliver an average 10% engagement rate. Single-image posts? 7%. Reels? 6%. Carousels win.
A separate study found carousels generate 114% more engagement than single static posts. They’re also 12% more likely to be saved than Reels and get 22-23% more saves than single photos.
I’ll admit: I didn’t believe these numbers until I started paying attention to our own analytics. Once our designer took over carousel creation, we saw the difference firsthand. The carousels she made weren’t just prettier. They were getting saved at rates I’d never hit before.
Here’s why this matters: saves are one of Instagram’s strongest engagement signals. When someone saves your post, Instagram interprets that as high-value content and shows it to more people. Carousels, by their nature, encourage saves because they contain multiple pieces of useful information people want to reference later.
The format works because of behavior, not magic. Swiping takes more time. More time on post equals higher watch time signal. Higher watch time signals value to the algorithm. It’s a positive feedback loop.
How to Make a Carousel on Instagram (Step by Step)
Here’s the basic process for creating a carousel post on Instagram:
- Open Instagram and tap the + icon at the bottom center
- Select “Post”
- Tap the overlapping squares icon (this enables multi-select)
- Choose up to 20 photos or videos in the order you want them
- Edit each slide if needed (filters, crop, adjustments)
- Write your caption and add hashtags
- Tap “Share”
Pretty simple. But the difference between a carousel that flops and one that performs is in what happens before you open Instagram.
What I Learned from Our Designer (The Art of Carousels)
When our designer started making carousels, I watched closely. What she did differently wasn’t complicated, but it was intentional. Here’s what I picked up:
Every slide has visual cues to keep swiping
She added small arrows on every slide pointing right. Sounds obvious, but most people don’t do it. The arrows remind viewers there’s more. Without them, people often don’t realize it’s a carousel at all, especially if they’re scrolling fast.
Consistent branding on every slide
Every slide has our logo in the same position. Same fonts. Same color palette. This does two things: it reinforces brand recognition, and it makes the carousel feel cohesive rather than thrown together. When slides look like they belong together, people are more likely to swipe through all of them.
Short, punchy text that’s readable at a glance
People aren’t reading paragraphs on carousel slides. She kept each slide to one core idea, with text large enough to read without squinting. If someone has to zoom in, you’ve already lost them.
High-contrast colors that stop the scroll
This one surprised me. She used bold, contrasting colors that popped against Instagram’s typical content. The carousel needed to stand out in a feed of muted lifestyle photos. High contrast isn’t just aesthetic. It’s functional.
A clear call-to-action on the last slide
Her final slide always said something like “Save this for later” or “Share with someone who needs this.” Simple, but effective. It prompts the exact behaviors Instagram’s algorithm rewards.
Watching her work helped me see that carousels are a design format, not just a posting format. Once I understood that, everything clicked.
Instagram Carousel Size and Dimensions (2026)
Getting the dimensions right matters more than people think. If your slides are different sizes, viewers see awkward jumps while swiping. It looks unprofessional and breaks the flow.
The two main options for Instagram carousel dimensions:
- 1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5 aspect ratio) – The classic portrait format that takes up maximum vertical space
- 1080 x 1440 pixels (3:4 aspect ratio) – A newer format Instagram added in 2025, giving you about 7% more vertical space
Both work well. The key is making every slide the same dimensions so there’s no visual jumping as people swipe.
Square carousels (1080 x 1080) also work, but they take up less screen real estate. If you’re trying to maximize visibility in the feed, go with portrait.
Our designer uses 1080 x 1350 for most carousels because it’s become the standard. If you’re using Canva, their Instagram Carousel template makes this easy to set up. Whatever you pick, stick with it for consistency.
How Many Slides Should Your Carousel Have?
Instagram allows up to 20 slides, but more isn’t always better.
Here’s what the data suggests:
- Educational carousels: 8-12 slides work best. Enough to deliver value, not so many that people give up
- Deep guides or tutorials: 12-20 slides are fine when the content justifies it
- Photo dumps or storytelling: 5-10 slides feel natural
- Quick tips: 3-5 slides keep it snappy
The real metric to watch is completion rate: how many people swipe through to the last slide. You can see this in Instagram Insights. If most viewers are dropping off halfway through, you’ve got too many slides (or the content isn’t compelling enough to keep them swiping).
I used to think 10 slides was always the goal. Now I think about what the content actually needs. Sometimes 6 slides is perfect. Sometimes 15 is right. It depends.
The First Slide Is Everything
Your first slide is your hook. If it doesn’t stop the scroll, none of the brilliance on slides 2-10 matters because nobody will see it.
What makes a good first slide:
- A bold statement or question that creates curiosity
- Visually distinct from typical feed content
- Text that promises value (“5 mistakes killing your reach” beats “Instagram tips”)
- Enough intrigue that people want to see what’s next
Think of the first slide as a thumbnail. It needs to work at a glance, while someone is scrolling at full speed.
One trick our designer uses: she designs the first slide last. She builds the carousel content first, then asks “what headline would make someone want all of this?” That backwards approach tends to create better hooks than starting with “what sounds catchy?”
How to Make a Seamless Carousel on Instagram
You’ve seen those carousels where one image spans multiple slides, creating a panoramic effect as you swipe. They look impressive, but here’s my honest take: they’re often more work than they’re worth.
Seamless carousels work great for:
- Before/after reveals
- Timeline progressions
- Visual stories where the continuity adds meaning
But for educational content or tips, individual slides with distinct information usually perform better. People can screenshot specific slides they want to save, and the content is clearer.
If you do want to make a seamless carousel, Canva makes it relatively easy. Use their Instagram Carousel template, design one wide canvas, then split it into slide-sized chunks. There are also dedicated tools like Carousel Maker and Picsart that automate the splitting.
How to Schedule Carousels (and Why Timing Matters)
Carousels take time to create. You’re designing multiple slides, writing copy, thinking through the flow. The last thing you want is to rush the posting process.
That’s where scheduling becomes essential. Instead of scrambling to post carousels manually, you can batch-create them and schedule them for optimal times.
In the Viraly Instagram scheduler, carousel scheduling works like this: upload all your slides, arrange them in order, write your caption, set your posting time, and you’re done. The carousel posts automatically when your audience is most active.
One thing we’ve noticed across Viraly users: carousels posted during peak engagement windows get that crucial early traction that tells Instagram’s algorithm the content is worth showing to more people. The first 30-60 minutes matter. Scheduling lets you hit those windows consistently without being glued to your phone.
Common Carousel Mistakes (What I Was Doing Wrong)
Looking back at my old carousels, the problems are obvious now:
No visual cues to swipe
I assumed people would just know there were more slides. They didn’t. Those little dots at the bottom aren’t always obvious, especially if someone is scrolling quickly. Arrows, text prompts, or visual continuity between slides all help.
Inconsistent design
My slides looked like they came from different posts. Different fonts, different colors, different energy. It made the carousel feel random rather than intentional.
Weak first slide
I’d start with something generic like “Instagram Tips” instead of a hook that created curiosity. If slide one doesn’t stop the scroll, nothing else matters.
Too much text
Some of my slides looked like blog posts crammed onto an image. People don’t read walls of text on Instagram. Short, punchy, one idea per slide.
No call-to-action
I’d end carousels without asking for anything. No “save this,” no “share with a friend,” no “follow for more.” The people who made it to the last slide were my most engaged viewers, and I was just… letting them leave.
The fix for all of these is simply being more intentional. Carousels reward planning. The time you spend designing before you post shows up in the results.
Carousel Ideas That Actually Perform
If you’re not sure what to make carousels about, here are formats that consistently work:
- Tutorials and how-tos: Step-by-step instructions work perfectly for the swipe format
- Myth-busting: “5 things you think are true about [topic] that aren’t”
- Before/after: Transformations, progress, improvements
- Lists and tips: Each slide = one tip. Clean and savable
- Behind the scenes: Show your process across multiple slides
- Data and stats: Present research findings slide by slide
- Story arcs: Beginning, middle, end told across slides
The common thread: all of these give people a reason to swipe to the next slide. Each slide should create enough value or curiosity that viewers want to see what’s next.
Carousels vs. Reels: When to Use Each
This is a question we get a lot. Both formats work, but they’re suited for different things.
Use carousels when:
- You want people to screenshot or save information
- Your content is text-heavy or educational
- You’re building a library of evergreen content
- You want higher save rates and longer shelf life
Use Reels when:
- You want maximum reach and discovery
- Your content works better as video (demonstrations, personality)
- You’re trying to reach new audiences outside your followers
- Trending audio or formats are relevant to your content
The data shows carousels get higher engagement rates, but Reels often get more raw reach. It’s not either/or. Most successful accounts use both, letting each format do what it’s best at.
Writing Captions for Carousels
Your carousel slides do the heavy lifting, but the caption still matters.
A few things I’ve learned:
- Keep the first line compelling. It’s what people see before hitting “more.” Hook them.
- Add context the slides don’t cover. Why did you make this? What’s the story behind it?
- Include a CTA. Ask people to save, share, or comment. Be specific about what you want.
- Consider posting hashtags as the first comment instead of cluttering the caption. Some accounts find this keeps the caption cleaner. In Viraly, you can schedule the first comment automatically with your hashtags.
One pattern that works well: use the caption to expand on slide content without repeating it. If the slides give “what,” the caption can give “why.”
Tracking Carousel Performance
Instagram Insights gives you data specific to carousels. Pay attention to:
- Saves: The #1 metric for carousel success. High saves = high-value content.
- Shares: People sending your carousel to friends is a strong signal.
- Completion rate: Are people swiping to the last slide? If not, you’re losing them somewhere.
- Profile visits: Carousels should drive people to check out who made this content.
Compare these metrics across your carousels to find patterns. Which topics get more saves? Which formats have higher completion rates? The data will tell you what to make more of.
FAQ: Instagram Carousels
How many photos can you put in an Instagram carousel?
Instagram allows up to 20 photos or videos per carousel. This limit was increased from 10 in 2024.
Can you schedule Instagram carousels?
Yes. Both Instagram’s native scheduler (through Meta Business Suite) and third-party tools like Viraly support carousel scheduling. You upload all slides, arrange them in order, and set your posting time.
What is the best size for Instagram carousels?
The recommended size is 1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5 aspect ratio) or 1080 x 1440 pixels (3:4 aspect ratio). Both maximize vertical screen space and look professional. Make sure all slides use the same dimensions.
Can you edit a carousel after posting?
You can edit the caption after posting, but you cannot add, remove, or reorder slides. Once published, the slides are locked. This is why previewing your carousel order before posting matters.
Do carousels perform better than single posts?
According to multiple 2025 studies, carousels get 10% engagement rates compared to 7% for single-image posts. They also get significantly more saves. The multi-slide format encourages more interaction, which signals value to Instagram’s algorithm.
Carousels Reward Intentionality
Carousels aren’t just a feature. They’re a format with their own design principles, their own psychology, and their own algorithm advantages.
The biggest shift in my thinking was realizing that carousels reward intentionality. Every slide needs to pull its weight. The first slide hooks. The middle slides deliver value. The last slide asks for something.
It took watching a professional designer work to see what I’d been missing. Now that I know what goes into a high-performing carousel, I can’t unsee it. The good news is that none of this is complicated. It just requires treating carousels as a designed experience rather than a photo dump.
Start with your next carousel. Plan it out. Make the slides consistent. Add visual cues to swipe. Put a call-to-action at the end. See what happens. The results speak for themselves.