Instagram Carousel Size: Why Slide One Decides Everything
Quick answer
Build every Instagram carousel slide at the same size, 1080 x 1350 for portrait. Meta documents that all carousel images are cropped based on the first image, defaulting to 1:1, so slide one sets the ratio for the whole set and mismatched slides are cut rather than resized.
Every Instagram carousel size
| Use | Dimensions | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait carouselUse thisNot published by InstagramInstagram does not publish a recommended carousel size; this is the working convention. | 1080 x 1350 | 4:5 |
| Square carouselMeta documents 1:1 as the default carousel ratio. | 1080 x 1080 | 1:1 |
| Cropping behaviourMeta documents that all slides are cropped based on the first image in the carousel. | Set by the first image | — |
Items via the API
Up to 10
Format accepted by the API
JPEG only
What the table does not tell you
- Meta documents the rule plainly: every slide is cropped based on the first image. Slide one is not just the cover, it is the specification the other nine are forced into.
- The default is 1:1. A portrait set that opens with a square slide by accident loses the top and bottom of everything behind it.
- Export the whole set from one artboard size. Mixing a 4:5 slide into a 1:1 carousel does not resize it, it cuts it.
- Ten is the documented API limit. If a carousel is being scheduled through a tool rather than the app, that is the number that applies.
Stop resizing the same asset five times
Crowbert formats one upload for every platform it publishes to, so a single carousel goes out at the right dimensions everywhere without a round trip through a design tool.
Common questions
What size should an Instagram carousel be?
One size for every slide, commonly 1080 x 1350. What Meta documents is the behaviour rather than the number: all slides are cropped to match the first image, with 1:1 as the default.
Why are my carousel slides cropped?
Because they do not match slide one. Meta crops every image in a carousel to the first image's aspect ratio rather than scaling it to fit.
How many slides can an Instagram carousel have?
Meta documents 10 images, videos or a mix for carousels created through the publishing API.
Other Instagram sizes
Master Instagram next
Sizes on other platforms
Where these numbers come from
Figures marked “not published by Instagram” are working conventions rather than documented specifications. Everything else comes from the documentation above.
Checked against the documentation above on September 22, 2026.