Home »Blog»How to»How to Post Multiple Pictures on Instagram: Your Ultimate Guide to Carousels

How to Post Multiple Pictures on Instagram: Your Ultimate Guide to Carousels

Posted on 2nd May, 2025.

TL;DR (The Short Version)

An Instagram carousel (known as a photo dump) lets you upload up to 10 images and videos in one post.
Instagram carousels can help boost engagement and allow you to tell a story.
Uploading Instagram carousels is easy - just follow the steps below.
Read on for more tips!

Back in the day, you could share on solitary picture on an Instagram post and Stories didn't even exist. Now? Reels rule the roost, and nobody posts only one pic at a time anymore. You need to curate the science of the 'photo dump' AKA, an Instagram carousel.

Instagram lets you share up to 10 photos or videos in a post known as a carousel, but colloquially referred to as a photo dump. If you want to share multiple photos from an event, share what you've been up to, or simply curate the vibes for your post, a carousel is the answer.

Carefully curating your photo dumps can help you boost your Instagram followers by pulling users in through interesting content. So, let's get into how to create an Instagram carousel and top engagement tips to pull in the likes.

What is an Instagram Carousel?

An Instagram carousel is a single post that contains multiple photos or videos which users can swipe through horizontally. Introduced in 2017, carousels have since become one of the most versatile content formats on the app. They appear in your followers’ feeds just like regular posts, but with a little stacked icon in the top-right corner of the thumbnail, indicating more content.

Why Use Instagram Carousels?

Before diving into the how-to, it’s worth understanding why carousels are such a powerful tool:

More storytelling space: You’re not limited to one image or video. You can craft a narrative, step-by-step tutorial, or product showcase.

Higher engagement: Posts with multiple images tend to have higher engagement rates. Instagram often re-serves carousel posts to users who didn’t engage the first time, but with a different slide as the thumbnail.

Better visual variety: You can mix and match photos, videos, graphics, and text slides to keep things interesting.

Now we've done the why, let's dive into the how.

How to Upload an Instagram Carousel

How to Post Multiple Pictures on Instagram (Using the Mobile App)

Step 1: Open Instagram and Tap the Plus (+) Icon

Start by opening the Instagram app on your phone. Tap the + icon at the bottom of the screen (or top-right, depending on the app version).

Step 2: Select ‘Post’

Choose ‘Post’ from the pop-up options (you may also see options for Reel, Story, or Live).

Step 3: Tap the ‘Select Multiple’ Icon

In your gallery, tap the icon that looks like two overlapping squares. This is the ‘select multiple’ option that enables carousel creation.

Step 4: Choose Up to 10 Photos or Videos

Now, tap on up to 10 images or videos in the order you want them to appear. You can rearrange them later if needed, but it’s best to select them in your preferred sequence.

Step 5: Tap ‘Next’

Once you’ve made your selection, tap Next in the top-right corner.

Step 6: Edit Each Slide (Optional)

You can apply filters and edits individually to each image or video. Tap each slide to edit it separately, or apply a filter to the whole set at once.

Step 7: Write Your Caption and Add Details

Now comes the finishing touches: Write your caption, tag people, add a location, and set accessibility settings (e.g., alt text for each image).

Step 8: Share Your Post

Once you’re happy, tap Share, and your carousel will be live!

Tips for Creating Engaging Instagram Carousels

1. Start With a Hook

Your first image or video should catch attention immediately. Think of it as your post’s thumbnail, and make it bold, relevant, and visually appealing. But don't forget to make every single upload in the carousel worth looking at - Instagram will show pics/videos further along in the carousel on the Feed when your followers refresh.

2. Tell a Story

Use the carousel format to take your audience on a journey. This could be a how-to guide, before-and-after series, or a travel diary.

3. Use Consistent Aesthetics

Ensure your images look cohesive in terms of colour, lighting, and style. Use similar filters or editing presets to keep the visuals unified. Scrolling through a carousel where every image or video has a different style can harm your personal brand.

4. Mix Up the Media

Don’t be afraid to include videos, infographics, or quote graphics in between your photos. The variety keeps users swiping, as long as they're all engaging, that is.

5. Include a Call to Action (CTA)

Encourage users to engage:

“Swipe to see more…”

“Which look is your favourite?”

“Let us know in the comments!”

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I put multiple pics in one post on Instagram?

To add multiple pictures in one Instagram post, tap the plus (+) icon to create a new post, then tap the ‘Select Multiple’ icon (two overlapping squares). Choose up to 10 photos or videos, edit them if needed, write your caption, and tap ‘Share’ to publish the carousel. Follow our in-depth how-to guide above to put up multiple pics in one Instagram post as a carousel.

Why does Instagram cut off photos when posting multiple?

Instagram crops photos in carousel posts to maintain a consistent aspect ratio, usually square (1:1) or portrait (4:5). If your selected images have different sizes, Instagram will crop them to match the first one you selected.

This is something to bear in mind when uploading a photo dump - try and aim for images that are the same size and aspect ratio to avoid some pictures getting cropped.

Instagram carousels are one of the best ways to tell a fuller story, boost engagement, and provide real value to your audience. Whether you’re a seasoned content creator or just looking to share more with friends and family, learning how to post multiple pictures on Instagram is a skill well worth having.