LinkedIn Carousel Ads: Specs, Examples and Setup
A LinkedIn carousel ad is a sponsored post with 2 to 10 cards the viewer swipes through. Each card is a square image, 1080 by 1080 pixels recommended, up to 10 MB, with its own headline and link. The introductory text above the cards can run to 255 characters, but LinkedIn recommends staying under 150 so it isn’t cut off on phones. You build it in Campaign Manager by picking the carousel image ad format. Below are the full specs, card structures that work, the setup steps, and a fast way to make the card images when your copy comes from an AI.
What are the LinkedIn carousel ad specs?
From LinkedIn’s carousel ad specs, as of October 2026. LinkedIn updates its ad specs from time to time, so check the help page before you upload.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Cards | 2 to 10 |
| Recommended image size | 1080 by 1080 pixels (1:1) |
| Max file size | 10 MB per card |
| Image files | JPG or PNG (the help page also lists non-animated GIF) |
| Introductory text | Up to 255 characters; under 150 to avoid truncation |
| Card headline | Up to 2 lines before it’s cut off (LinkedIn’s ad page says 45 characters) |
| Per card | Image, headline, destination link |
The card is square, and it shows small in the feed. Text on the image has to be large and short: one line, a number, or a label. Anything longer belongs in the card headline or the intro text.
How is a carousel ad different from an organic LinkedIn carousel?
People say “LinkedIn carousel” for two different things:
| Carousel ad | Organic carousel (document post) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Sponsored, in the feed of your target audience | Your feed and your followers’ |
| What you upload | 2 to 10 square images | One PDF |
| Size | 1:1, 1080 by 1080 | 4:5 (1080 by 1350) or 1:1 |
| Links | One per card | No clickable links on the pages |
| Built in | Campaign Manager | The post composer |
An organic carousel is a PDF uploaded as a document post. How to post a carousel on LinkedIn covers that version, and LinkedIn carousel PDF size has the page sizes. The ad version is a set of images instead, which is why the specs above are different.
What are good LinkedIn carousel ad examples?
Five card structures that fit the format. Each one is a pattern, not a template to copy word for word.
- The step series. Card 1 names the outcome (“Close the books in 3 steps”), cards 2 to 4 are one step each, the last card is the offer. Works when your product is the shortcut through the steps.
- The feature lineup. One feature per card, each with its own link to the matching page. Works for a product with several distinct uses.
- The stat sequence. One number per card, from a report or survey you published, with the source on the card. Works for content offers like a report download.
- The before and after. Card 1 is the problem state, card 2 the result, the rest show how. Works when the change is visible in a screenshot.
- The objection breaker. One common objection per card (“Too expensive?”, “No time to set up?”) with a short answer, and a trial offer last.
Whatever the structure, card 1 does the most work. It is the only card most people see, so it needs the hook. Carousel hook ideas has 40 first-slide lines you can adapt.
How do you set up a carousel ad in Campaign Manager?
- Create a campaign in Campaign Manager and pick the objective (website visits, leads, and so on).
- Choose the ad format “Carousel image ad” in the campaign settings.
- Write the introductory text. Under 150 characters, so it reads in full on a phone.
- Upload the cards, 2 to 10 images at 1080 by 1080, under 10 MB each.
- Add a headline and a destination URL to each card. A different page per card is allowed and often the point.
- Preview on mobile, then launch.
If the ad’s goal is leads, LinkedIn’s lead gen forms can be attached instead of a landing page, so people sign up without leaving LinkedIn.
How do you make the card images quickly?
The cards are where the work piles up: up to ten images in the same layout, each with short text. Two ways to do it:
- In an editor such as Canva. Make one 1080 by 1080 master, duplicate it per card, change the text. Canva carousel template covers the routine.
- From your AI chat. If you write the ad copy with Claude or ChatGPT, Karou renders the cards in the same chat. Ask for a 1:1 carousel with one short line per card, and you get a PNG per card at 1080 by 1080, plus a ZIP of all of them.
Karou renders text cards (hook, text, list, quote, stat and closing layouts), so screenshots and product photos still come from your own files. It doesn’t create or run ads: you upload the PNGs in Campaign Manager yourself. What it saves is the layout work. Every card comes out in the same template, so the ad reads as one piece. The type and contrast rules in carousel design matter even more at ad size.
FAQ
How many cards can a LinkedIn carousel ad have?
From 2 to 10. Three to five is enough for a story; a product lineup can use more.
What size are LinkedIn carousel ad images?
1080 by 1080 pixels (1:1) is the recommended size, at up to 10 MB per card.
Can I use a PDF for a LinkedIn carousel ad?
No. A carousel ad takes separate images. A PDF is for the organic document post, or for LinkedIn’s separate document ad format.
How long can the text on a LinkedIn carousel ad be?
The introductory text allows up to 255 characters, but LinkedIn recommends 150 or fewer so it isn’t truncated on some devices. Card headlines are cut off after two lines.
Is Karou free for LinkedIn ad images?
The free plan renders 3 carousels a day with a small karou.si watermark, which works for drafts and tests. For live ads you’ll want Pro, so another brand’s watermark doesn’t run in your paid placements. Pro has no watermark: $12 a month or $97 a year (plans).
Start free and render your next LinkedIn ad’s cards in the chat where you write the copy.