How to Get the Carousel Feature on Instagram

Looking for a secret button to unlock the carousel feature on Instagram? The good news is, you don’t need one. The carousel feature, which lets you share up to 10 photos and videos in a single swipeable post, is a standard tool available to every Instagram user. The real question isn't how to get it, but how to master it. This guide will walk you through exactly how to create a carousel, and more importantly, share actionable strategies to turn this simple feature into one of your most powerful engagement tools.

What is an Instagram Carousel? (A Quick Refresher)

An Instagram carousel is a post containing multiple photos or videos that users can view by swiping left. Think of it as a mini-album or a slideshow right in the feed. Since its introduction, it has become a favorite format for creators and brands for a few simple but powerful reasons:

• Increased Dwell Time: When a user stops to swipe through multiple slides, they spend more time interacting with your post. This "dwell time" signals to the Instagram algorithm that your content is valuable, which can help increase its reach.
• Deeper Storytelling: A single image can only say so much. A carousel gives you the space to tell a full story, share a step-by-step process, or showcase a product from multiple perspectives.
• Educational Power: It's the perfect format for breaking down complex ideas into simple, digestible steps. You can create mini-tutorials, lists, or infographics that provide genuine value and encourage saves.

In short, carousels are engagement magnets. They encourage interaction beyond a simple "like" and give you a canvas to share richer, more detailed content than a standard photo post allows.

How to Create a Carousel Post on Instagram: The Simple Steps

If you've never created a carousel before, the process is incredibly straightforward. Let's walk through it step-by-step so you can post your first one in minutes.

1. Open the Instagram Composer

Tap the plus icon (+) at the bottom-center of your screen, just as you would to create any other post.

2. Select Multiple Files

In your phone’s gallery, you’ll see a small icon of layered squares on the right side of the preview window. Tap this "Select Multiple" icon. The circles next to your photos and videos will turn into selection bubbles.

3. Choose Your Content

Tap on the photos and videos you want to include in your carousel. You can select up to 10 files. A number will appear on each thumbnail indicating its order in the lineup. You can tap a selected image again to deselect it or change the order by selecting them in your desired sequence from the start.

4. Edit Your Slides

Once you've selected your content, tap "Next." Here, you can apply filters to all slides at once or tap on an individual slide to edit it separately. You can adjust brightness, contrast, crop photos, or trim videos for each slide individually, giving you full creative control over the final look.

5. Write Your Caption &, Add Details

After you’re done editing, tap "Next" again to move to the final screen. This is where you bring it all together:

• Write a compelling caption: Your caption should add context to the carousel. You can even refer directly to the slides (e.g., "On slide 3, you'll see...").
• Add relevant hashtags: Use a mix of broad and niche hashtags to help new audiences discover your post.
• Tag accounts: Tag any relevant people, brands, or collaborators.
• Add a location: If your post is location-specific, tag it to increase visibility in local searches.

6. Share It!

Once everything looks good, hit the "Share" button. Your carousel is now live in the feed for your followers to see and swipe through.

7 Creative Carousel Ideas to Boost Your Engagement

Knowing how to create a carousel is just the beginning. The magic happens when you use the format strategically. Here are seven proven ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

1. Tell a Cohesive Story

Use the sequential nature of carousels to build a narrative. This is incredibly effective for showing transformations or walking your audience through an experience.

• Example (Home Remodeler): Slide 1: The dated "before" photo. Slides 2-5: The demolition and construction process. Slides 6-9: Detailed "after" shots of the beautiful new space. Slide 10: A happy client testimonial.
• Example (Travel Creator): Slide 1: A stunning hero shot of a destination. Slides 2-9: A "day in the life" journey through that location, showing cafes, landmarks, and hidden gems. Slide 10: A map with recommendations pinned.

2. Create an Educational "How-To" Guide

Position yourself as an expert by teaching your audience something valuable. Break down a process into simple, visual steps that are easy to follow and, more importantly, easy to save for later.

• Example (Coffee Shop): A 6-slide carousel titled "Brew the Perfect V60 at Home." Each slide details one step: the grind size, water temperature, blooming process, and pouring technique.
• Example (Fitness Coach): A 10-slide guide to the "Perfect Squat Form," with each slide correcting a common mistake and showing proper alignment.

3. Showcase a Product in Detail

If you run an e-commerce business, carousels are your best friend. Ditch the single, flat product photo and give customers a 360-degree view.

• Showcase Features: Use each slide to highlight a specific feature or material.
• Show it in Action: Post photos and videos of the product being used in real-life settings.
• Display Different Variations: Show off all the colors or styles available.
• Share User-Generated Content (UGC): Feature photos from happy customers using your product to build social proof and trust.

4. Repurpose Your Best Content

Don’t let your great content from other platforms go to waste. Carousels are the perfect format for repackaging existing content for a visual-first audience.

• From a Blog Post: Turn the five main takeaways from your latest blog into a five-slide carousel. The last slide can prompt users to "Read the full post at the link in bio!"
• From a Tweet Thread: Each tweet becomes a screen-shotted or redesigned slide.
• From a Podcast: Pull out 3-4 powerful quotes from a recent episode and turn them into a visually appealing quote carousel.

5. Share a "Data Dump" or Listicle

People love lists. They're scannable, informative, and easy to digest. Use carousels to present interesting statistics, quick tips, or resource recommendations.

• Example (Marketing Agency): "5 Shocking Stats About Short-Form Video in 2024."
• Example (Bookstore): "Our Top 7 Staff Picks for Fall Reading."

6. Take Your Audience Behind the Scenes

Build authenticity and a stronger connection with your audience by showing them what goes on behind the curtain. B-roll content, team introductions, and process videos feel personal and trustworthy.

• Example (Artist): A time-lapse of a painting condensed into a few video slides, showing the journey from a blank canvas to a finished work.
• Example (Small Business): A "Meet the Team" carousel where each slide introduces a different team member with a fun fact.

7. User-Generated Content (UGC) Showcase

Celebrate your community by dedicating a carousel to content created by your fans and customers. It’s authentic, builds incredible social proof, and makes your customers feel valued.

• Example (Clothing Brand): A "How You Wear It" carousel featuring 10 different customer photos styled in the same piece of clothing.

Design Tips: Making Your Carousels Irresistible

A great idea deserves great design. Your goal is to make people stop scrolling and compel them to swipe all the way to the end. Here are a few design tips to make that happen.

1. Start with a Powerful First Slide

The first slide is auditioning for attention in a crowded feed. It needs a strong headline, an intriguing question, or a very compelling visual hook to earn the swipe. Write the headline just like you would for a blog post, focusing on the benefit or curiosity gap.

2. Add Visual Cues to Swipe

Never assume your audience knows to swipe. Explicitly guide them. On the first few slides, add visual elements like arrows, an ellipsis (...), or text like "Swipe left for more." You can also design 'seamless' carousels where one image stretches across multiple slides, creating a natural pull to see the rest of the picture.

3. Maintain Brand Consistency

Use your established brand fonts, colors, and logo placements throughout every slide. This creates a cohesive, professional look and reinforces brand recognition, even if a user only sees one slide shared in a Story.

4. End with a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

Don't leave your audience hanging on the last slide. Tell them exactly what you want them to do next. This is prime real estate to drive specific actions.

• "Save this post to reference later!"
• "Which tip was your favorite? Let me know in the comments."
• "Tag a friend who needs to see this."
• "Shop the collection at the link in our bio!"

Final Thoughts

In the end, accessing Instagram's carousel feature is easy - it’s built right into the app for everyone. The true skill lies in leveraging this multi-slide format to tell deeper stories, provide real value, and foster stronger engagement with your audience. By moving beyond single-image posts, you create more opportunities to connect, educate, and inspire.

We know that planning high-value, multi-part content like carousels can quickly get complicated, especially when you’re managing accounts across multiple platforms. At Postbase, we built our visual calendar to make planning this type of content feel intuitive, not overwhelming. You can easily visualize your multi-slide posts, drag and drop them to find the perfect spot in your schedule, and feel confident that they’ll publish reliably. Our goal is to handle the tedious parts of social media management so you have more time to focus on creating amazing content like the carousel strategies we just covered.