Instagram

Schedule Instagram carousels

Carousels are the Instagram format people save and share. Postika lets you upload up to 10 images, set their order and schedule the post like any other.

Instagram carousel publishing specs

Characters

2,200

Images per post

Photo or video

Required

Limits Postika checks before scheduling

Images per post	20 developers.facebook.com
Caption length	2200 developers.facebook.com
Image formats	JPEG developers.facebook.com
Image size	320–1440 px developers.facebook.com
Aspect ratios	4:5–1.91:1 developers.facebook.com
Max file size	JPEG 8 MB developers.facebook.com
Alt text	1000 developers.facebook.com

Official limits from the network's documentation (checked November 5, 2026). Postika enforces its own limits where they are lower.

Step by step

1
Design the slides at the same ratio, ideally 4:5 portrait (1080 x 1350 px), saved as JPEG under 8 MB each.
2
Create a post in the brand's project on the day you want and select the Instagram channel.
3
Upload the images, up to 10, and put them in order: slide one is the cover.
4
Write one caption for the whole carousel.
5
Preview and schedule, or leave it pending approval for a teammate or client.

What makes a carousel worth scheduling

A carousel post is a set of images people swipe through. On Instagram they are the go-to format for tips, step-by-step guides, before and after, product ranges and mini case studies, because every swipe is a small commitment and saves are common.

The first slide does the work of a thumbnail: one bold promise ("5 mistakes that kill your Reels"). The last slide asks for something: save, follow, visit the link in your profile. Everything in between should be readable without the caption.

Limits: Instagram's and Postika's

Instagram's API accepts carousels of up to 20 items. Postika allows up to 10 images per post today, which covers the vast majority of carousels (most brands stay between 5 and 10 slides anyway).

Other rules from Instagram's documentation:

Images are JPEG, between 320 and 1440 pixels wide, up to 8 MB each.
Aspect ratio between 4:5 and 1.91:1. Use the same ratio for every slide so the carousel looks consistent.
One caption for the whole carousel, up to 2,200 characters. Individual slides do not get their own captions.
A carousel counts as one post towards Instagram's daily publishing limit.
Alt text is supported on images in Instagram.

A carousel workflow that scales

Write the slide text first, in a doc or with your AI.
Design the slides in your design tool from a template so every carousel looks like your brand.
Upload the exported images to a Postika post, in order.
Leave it pending approval if a client or manager needs to see it.
Approve and it publishes at the scheduled time in the project's time zone.

The same images often work as a LinkedIn multi-image post (up to 9 in Postika) or a TikTok photo carousel (up to 35), with a rewritten caption.

Your AI writes the slides, you add the images

An AI connected through Postika's MCP server can't upload the images, but it can do the thinking: outline the slides, write the caption and place a draft on the calendar. Prompt: "Outline a 7-slide Instagram carousel on how to price a coaching package, write the caption, and create a draft for Thursday at 12:00." You design the slides, add them to the draft and schedule. More in the Instagram scheduler guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can you schedule a carousel on Instagram?

Yes. In Postika, add several images to an Instagram post (up to 10) and schedule it. Instagram's own app and Meta Business Suite can also schedule carousels one by one.

How many slides can an Instagram carousel have?

Instagram's API accepts up to 20 items. In Postika the limit is 10 images per post.

Can each slide have its own caption?

No. Instagram uses one caption for the whole carousel. Put slide-specific text on the images themselves.

What size should carousel images be?

Use one ratio for all slides. 4:5 portrait at 1080 x 1350 pixels takes the most space in the feed; JPEG under 8 MB per image.