How to make a carousel for Instagram and LinkedIn

Why carousels work

A carousel is a series of images people swipe through inside a single post. It holds attention longer than a single image: every swipe is a small act of engagement, and the networks notice. It is the ideal format to explain a method, tell a before / after story, show a series or walk through a list of tips.

It has a less known advantage too: a well-built carousel often gets saved to be read again later, which weighs heavily in how far a post travels.

The right format, and sticking to it

• Instagram: up to 20 images, all with the proportions of the first one. Choose 4:5 portrait (1080 × 1350 px), which takes up the most room in the feed, or 1:1 square (1080 × 1080 px).
• LinkedIn: a swipeable carousel is posted as a PDF document. Export your images, gather them into one PDF (Preview on a Mac: select the images, then “File › Export as PDF”; on Windows: “Print › Microsoft Print to PDF”), then post it with the “Document” option. 4:5 and square work very well there too.
• TikTok: photo carousels are shown full screen, in vertical 9:16 (1080 × 1920 px).

Whatever the network, keep the same format from start to finish: an image with other proportions would be cropped automatically.

Building the thread

Think of a good carousel as a small booklet:

1. The cover: a clear promise, in large type, readable in one second. It is what makes people swipe.
2. One idea per image: a tip, a step, an example. If an image needs two paragraphs, split it in two.
3. A visual rhythm: same background, same typeface, same place for the title from one image to the next; only an accent color or a number changes.
4. The last image: a summary or an invitation (“save it for later”, “link in bio”).

Five to eight images are enough most of the time. Beyond that, attention drops.

The seamless carousel: one image that unrolls

This is the effect that surprises people most: one very wide visual cut into several images that join up perfectly as you swipe. A pattern, a gradient or a shape flows from one image to the next without a seam, and pulls people through to the end.

In the pixisgood generators, choose the “Carousel” format in the export panel, then the number of images (2 to 6) and their format (4:5 portrait or square). The preview shows the whole panorama, with dotted lines where the joins are. The “Download the carousel” button then saves the images one by one, already numbered in posting order.

Two rules make the effect work:

• Never cut a text in two: keep words inside one image, away from the dotted lines.
• Let something cross over: a curve, a band of color or a pattern that straddles the joins creates the continuity.

Backgrounds that hold the series together

For an explanatory carousel, the background should stay quiet and constant, so the eye focuses on the text. A soft gradient with light grain, or a low-contrast abstract texture, does the job very well. For a seamless carousel, on the contrary, the background is the subject: a flowing gradient or a pattern that runs across the whole width.

For technical carousels (fact sheets, figures, numbered steps), Techgood’s graphic plates bring a clear structure: frames, markers and numbers, like an instruction manual.

A graphic designer’s tips

• Design the cover last: once the content is written, the promise is easier to phrase.
• Export at ×2 to keep fine text sharp; choose JPEG if your images are mostly a photo, for lighter files.
• Keep your settings: save the series’ style in “My settings” to make the next carousel in minutes.
• Check on a phone: swipe through your images for real before posting, to feel the rhythm.

For the sizes of every other format, see our guide Social media image sizes, and to keep a consistent style from one carousel to the next, A consistent visual identity on social media.