You can add up to 10 photos or videos to one Instagram post, and the process takes about a minute
Instagram lets you bundle multiple images and videos into a single carousel post — that's the format where people swipe left to see the next photo. You can include up to 10 items total, mixing photos and videos however you want. The steps are the same whether you're using Instagram on your phone or the web version, though the phone app is faster.
The key difference from a single-photo post is that you'll select multiple files before you write your caption, rather than picking one and moving forward. Instagram arranges them in the order you select them, and you can rearrange them afterward if you change your mind.
Key Takeaways
- Open Instagram, tap the plus icon to create a new post, then tap "Select multiple" before choosing your photos instead of tapping just one.
- You can add up to 10 photos and videos combined, and Instagram will let you rearrange them by dragging before you post.
- Each photo or video in the carousel can have its own caption or sticker, or you can write one caption that applies to the whole post.
- Once you post a carousel, you cannot add or remove photos later, so double-check your selection before hitting Share.
How to select multiple photos on the Instagram app
Open Instagram and tap the plus icon at the bottom of your screen (or the plus icon in the top left if you're on an older version). You'll see a camera roll or gallery view showing your recent photos. Look for a button that says "Select multiple" — on most phones this appears in the top right corner of the screen, sometimes labeled as overlapping squares or a similar icon.
Tap "Select multiple" first, before you choose any photos. Once that mode is on, tap each photo or video you want to include. A checkmark will appear on each one you select. The order you tap them in is the order they'll appear in your post, so if you want a specific sequence, tap them in that order. You can select up to 10 items total.
After you've selected all your photos, tap "Next" at the bottom right. Instagram will show you a preview of your carousel with all the items in order. If you need to change the sequence, you can drag each photo to a new position by holding and dragging it left or right.
How to select multiple photos on Instagram's web version
Go to Instagram.com and log in. Click the plus icon at the top of the page to create a new post. You'll see a file browser open on your computer. Unlike the phone app, the web version doesn't have a "Select multiple" button — instead, you hold down Ctrl (on Windows) or Command (on Mac) while clicking each photo you want to add.
Click the first photo, then hold Ctrl or Command and click each additional photo. You can select up to 10 files this way. Once you've selected them all, click "Open" or "Select" (the button name varies by browser). Instagram will upload all of them and show you a preview of the carousel in the order they were selected.
Rearranging photos after you've selected them
After you tap "Next" on the phone app or upload files on the web, Instagram shows you a preview of your carousel. Each photo appears as a thumbnail, and you can drag them to change the order. On the phone app, hold your finger on a photo and drag it left or right to move it. On the web, click and drag a photo to a new position.
You can also delete a photo from the carousel at this stage by tapping or clicking the X icon on the thumbnail. If you delete a photo, the remaining ones shift to fill the gap. Once you're happy with the order, tap or click "Next" to move to the caption and editing screen.
Adding captions and edits to individual photos
After you arrange your photos, Instagram gives you the option to add captions, stickers, or filters to each individual photo. On the phone app, you'll see each photo in the carousel, and you can tap on it to edit just that one. You can add text, location tags, or stickers to specific photos without affecting the others.
You can also write one caption that applies to the entire post, which appears when someone first opens the carousel. This caption is separate from any text you add to individual photos. Most people use the main caption to introduce the series and add individual captions only if they want to explain a specific photo.
What happens if you change your mind after posting
Once you share a carousel post, you cannot add new photos to it or remove photos from it. You can edit the caption, delete the entire post and start over, or hide the post from your profile, but Instagram doesn't let you modify the carousel itself after it goes live.
This is different from Stories, where you can add photos to a series before posting. With carousel posts, make sure you've selected exactly the photos you want and arranged them in the right order before you hit Share. If you realize you left out a photo or included one by mistake, your only option is to delete the post and create a new one.
Carousel posts versus other multi-photo formats
Instagram offers a few ways to share multiple photos. A carousel post (what we've covered here) lets people swipe through photos one at a time, and it counts as a single post in your feed. An album or gallery post shows all photos in a grid on your profile, but people see them all at once rather than swiping. Stories let you upload multiple photos in sequence, but they disappear after 24 hours.
Carousel posts work best when you want to tell a story or show a sequence — a before-and-after, a day in photos, or a product from different angles. They get more engagement than single photos on average, partly because people spend more time looking at them. If you just want to share a bunch of photos without a narrative, an album might be simpler.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add videos to a carousel post along with photos?
Yes. You can mix photos and videos in the same carousel, up to 10 items total. Each video can be up to 60 seconds long. When someone swipes to a video, they can play it or skip to the next photo just like they would with a photo.
What size should my photos be for a carousel post?
Instagram works best with square photos (1080 x 1080 pixels) or vertical photos (1080 x 1350 pixels). If your photos are a different size, Instagram will automatically adjust them to fit, but you may see white borders or cropping. Most phone cameras take photos that work fine without resizing.
Can I rearrange photos after I've posted the carousel?
No. Once you share the post, the order is locked. If you need a different sequence, you have to delete the post and create a new carousel with the photos in the order you want.
Do carousel posts get more views than single-photo posts?
Carousel posts typically get more engagement because people spend more time looking at them. Instagram's algorithm tends to show them to more people, but this varies based on your followers and the time you post.
What's the maximum number of photos I can add?
Instagram allows up to 10 photos or videos per carousel post. If you try to select more than 10, the app will stop letting you add more and show a message that you've reached the limit.