Instagram Carousel Size (2026)
Use 1080 × 1350 px (4:5) for every slide. Up to 20 slides per post.
Every slide in an Instagram carousel works best at 1080 × 1350 pixels (1080×1350) in a 4:5 portrait ratio. You can include anywhere from 2 to 20 slides in a single post. This format fills the mobile feed, avoids awkward cropping, and gives your content the strongest visual presence on smartphones.
Why 1080 × 1350 px (4:5) is the only size you need
- 4:5 portrait takes up the most screen space in the feed, so more people stop. When someone scrolls through Instagram on a smartphone, a 4:5 portrait image covers about 25% more vertical height than a traditional 1:1 square post. More screen area makes your typography easier to read and pushes competing posts below the fold.
- The first slide sets the shape for the whole carousel, so pick one size and stick to it. Instagram locks the aspect ratio of the entire carousel to whatever shape you choose for your first slide. If slide 1 is 4:5 portrait and later slides are square or wide, Instagram forces those later slides into a 4:5 crop, slicing off parts of your images.
- 1080 px wide is what Instagram displays, so bigger files don't look sharper. Instagram resizes any upload wider than 1080 pixels down to 1080 pixels. Uploading oversized images only triggers heavy compression, which often makes crisp typography and clean diagrams look soft and blurry.
| Shape | Resolution | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 4:5 portrait | 1080 × 1350 px (1080×1350) | Best for most posts (maximum feed height) |
| 3:4 tall | 1080 × 1440 px | Matches the profile grid |
| 1:1 square | 1080 × 1080 px | Easy to reuse on LinkedIn |
4:5 Portrait vs. 1:1 Square in Mobile Feed
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing sizes — later slides get cropped to match the first. If you upload a mixture of square, portrait, and wide landscape images in one post, Instagram trims later slides to match slide 1 without warning. Always export every slide in your carousel at the exact same 1080 × 1350 dimensions.
- Text too close to the edges — the profile grid shows posts at 3:4 and trims the sides of 4:5 covers; check with the free Safe Zone tool. Instagram displays your profile grid in a 3:4 ratio, slicing roughly 34 pixels off the left and right edges of 4:5 cover slides. Keep titles, handles, and logos inside safe margins, and preview your layout with our free Social Safe Zones tool.
- Splitting one wide image by hand — use the free splitter tool for seamless carousels. Slicing panoramic swipe graphics by hand in general design software often creates misaligned edges, blurry text, and visible seams between slides. Use our free Instagram Carousel Splitter to slice any wide graphic into seamless 1080 × 1350 slides in one click.
The hard part isn't the size — it's the slides
Knowing the specs takes a minute; making 7-10 good-looking, on-brand slides every week is the real work. Setting up clean layouts, choosing font pairings, picking color palettes, and keeping branding consistent slide after slide takes hours of repetitive manual effort. If you are new to multi-slide posts, see our overview on what a carousel post is and why it works.
EasySociable turns a prompt into a branded carousel that is already the right size for Instagram — ask your AI agent (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor) or use Studio, built on 29 proven viral formulas and 48 templates; you edit the words and download PNGs.
Free plan includes 3 downloads per month with zero watermark. No credit card required.
Proven viral formulas ready for your next carousel
Pick a formula below, paste the prompt into your AI agent or open it in Studio, and generate a 1080 × 1350 carousel in seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size is an Instagram carousel?
Use 1080 × 1350 px (4:5) for every slide. This portrait size fills mobile screens and gives your carousel the most space in the feed.
How many slides can a carousel have?
Up to 20 slides per post. Decks with 7 to 10 slides usually get the best balance of engagement and completion.
Can I mix square and portrait slides?
No. The first slide sets the aspect ratio for the entire carousel. Instagram crops all later slides to match that first slide.
What's the fastest way to make carousel slides?
Ask your AI agent with EasySociable or use Studio. Your slides come out already formatted at 1080 × 1350 px and styled to your brand.
Sources (as of October 2026): PixelSpec, CarouselPost, and SocialBee.