How to make a carousel post, step by step

Step 1: Choose how to start

When you open the editor, you can start in three ways:

• From a template. Good when you want a finished layout and only need to swap in your own photos and words. Browse the template gallery by category, such as birthdays, travel, photo dumps, business or seasonal events.
• From your photos or videos. Pick a set of files and the editor places them on pages for you, ready to arrange.
• From a blank page. Best when you already have a clear layout in mind.

Every template is free to open and edit. Templates marked Pro only need Pro when you export.

Step 2: Set the aspect ratio and page count

Decide where the post will live before you design. A post can have 1 to 20 pages, and you can pick one of eight aspect ratios: 4:5, 1:1, 9:16, 3:4, 4:3, 16:9, 2:3 and 3:2. A portrait 4:5 or a square 1:1 is a common choice for feed carousels, while 9:16 suits full-screen formats. If you are unsure, read our guide to choosing an aspect ratio.

You can change the ratio later, but settling it early saves you from re-cropping every page.

Step 3: Build each page

Work through the pages one at a time:

1. Add photos, short video clips and text.
2. Move, scale and rotate items until the layout feels balanced.
3. Crop photos so the subject sits where you want it.
4. Set a background color for pages that need a calm base.
5. Use layers to bring text in front of a photo, or send a shape behind it.

Add, remove and reorder pages as the post takes shape. Undo and redo are always there, so it is safe to experiment.

Step 4: Check the flow

Before exporting, step through the pages in order as a viewer would. Ask yourself:

• Does the first page make someone want to swipe?
• Is the text readable at phone size?
• Does the style stay consistent from page to page?
• Does the last page feel like an ending?

Small fixes here, like trimming a sentence or swapping two pages, often make the biggest difference.

Step 5: Export

You have two export options:

• Images: one JPEG or PNG per page, downloaded together as a ZIP in page order. This is the usual choice for a swipeable carousel.
• Video: one MP4 file (H.264 with AAC audio). Photo-only pages last 2, 3 or 4 seconds, your choice, and pages with a clip last as long as the longest clip on that page.

Then upload the files to your platform in the same order.

A note on saving your work

The editor runs in your browser, and your photos and projects stay on your device rather than being uploaded to a server. That also means clearing your browser's site data deletes your projects, so download a backup file for anything you want to keep.