Instagram Carousel Size 2026: Pixels, Ratio, Safe Zones
The Instagram carousel size to use in 2026 is 1080 by 1350 pixels, a 4:5 portrait ratio, for every slide. Square (1080 by 1080) still works, 9:16 (1080 by 1920) is for stories and Reels covers, and the one rule that matters more than any number is that all slides in a carousel must share the same ratio, because Instagram crops the whole set to the first slide. Here is the full picture, with the safe zones that keep text from hiding under the interface.
What is the right size for an Instagram carousel?
| Ratio | Pixels | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 4:5 portrait | 1080 x 1350 | Feed carousels. Takes the most screen height without cropping. |
| 1:1 square | 1080 x 1080 | Feed carousels that also go to networks that prefer square. |
| 9:16 vertical | 1080 x 1920 | Stories, Reels covers, TikTok photo posts. Not for the feed carousel. |
| 1.91:1 landscape | 1080 x 566 | Allowed, rarely a good idea; the smallest slide in the feed. |
Instagram accepts widths from 320 to 1080 pixels and ratios between 1.91:1 and 4:5 for feed posts. Upload at 1080 wide; anything larger is downscaled and anything smaller is upscaled and softened.
Why 4:5 and not square?
Screen height. In the feed, a 4:5 post is about 25 percent taller than a square at the same width, so the hook slide has more room and the post stays on screen longer during a scroll. There is no reach bonus for the ratio itself; the bonus comes from the extra height making the text readable and the post harder to flick past. LinkedIn’s carousel PDFs favor the same ratio for the same reason, which is why 4:5 is the format to standardize on if you post in both places.
Does the first slide decide the crop for all slides?
Yes. When you upload slides with different ratios, Instagram uses the first slide’s ratio and crops the others to match. A 4:5 cover followed by square slides means the square slides lose their top and bottom. Make every slide the same size before uploading, and if you are unsure, open the carousel in the preview and swipe through it before posting.
Where are the safe zones on a carousel slide?
The feed shows the full image, but the interface sits on top of parts of it in some views:
- Bottom 250 pixels (on a 1350-tall slide): the caption and action bar can cover this area when the post is opened full screen. Keep the closing call to action above it.
- Top 150 pixels: the account name overlays when a post is viewed from the profile grid in some layouts.
- Right 100 pixels: the slide counter dots and the share arrow sit near the right edge.
- Grid preview: the profile grid shows posts as 3:4 (since 2025) or square depending on your settings, cropped from the center. Keep the hook’s key words in the central 1080 by 1080 area so the grid preview still makes sense.
A simple layout that respects all of this: 80 to 100 pixels of padding on every side, a title in the upper third, body text in the middle, and the handle or footer inside the padding at the bottom.
What text size is readable at carousel size?
On a 1080-pixel-wide slide, a title between 64 and 96 pixels tall and body text between 36 and 44 pixels reads comfortably on a phone. Below 32 pixels, body text becomes a caption people skip. The amount of text follows from that: around 90 characters for a title, around 400 for a body, and three to five short items for a list. How much text fits on a carousel slide works through the limits in detail. Karou sizes text automatically within those ranges and tells the AI when a slide has too much, so a cut-off line never ships.
What file format and compression?
Export PNG or high-quality JPEG at 1080 wide, sRGB. Instagram re-compresses everything, and flat colors with sharp text survive that better than gradients and photos. Avoid thin hairlines under 2 pixels; compression smears them.
How many slides can a carousel have?
Up to 20 since 2024. How many slides an Instagram carousel should have is a different question, and the answer is usually six to ten.
What about carousels with a video slide?
Mixed carousels (images and videos) are allowed, and the video slides follow the same ratio as the first image. A video slide longer than 60 seconds is cut. For an explainer carousel, keep the video slide short and put the explanation in text slides, which can be read at any speed.
A checklist before uploading
- Every slide is 1080 x 1350 (or every slide is 1080 x 1080).
- The hook slide’s key words sit in the central square.
- The call to action on the last slide sits above the bottom 250 pixels.
- Body text is 36 pixels or larger.
- The slide order is right (Instagram keeps the order you select them in).
Karou renders 4:5 at 1080 by 1350, 1:1 and 9:16 from the same slides, with the padding and text sizes above baked into every template, so the checklist is mostly a check of the words, not the pixels.
FAQ
Is 1080 x 1350 the same as 4:5?
Yes. 1080 divided by 1350 is 0.8, which is 4:5.
Can I use 1080 x 1440 (3:4)?
Instagram’s feed still crops it to 4:5. Design at 4:5 to see exactly what will show.
Do stories accept carousels?
Stories are one 9:16 frame at a time; a “carousel” there is several story frames in a row, each 1080 x 1920.
Did the size change in 2026?
The feed ratios have been stable since 4:5 arrived; the recent change is the 3:4 profile grid preview, which affects how the cover is cropped on your profile, not in the feed.