Instagram Carousels

Instagram Carousels

Turn any tall image into a perfect Instagram carousel post.

Why Carousels?

Instagram carousels consistently outperform single image posts:

• 3x higher engagement than single images
• More time on screen as users swipe
• Better algorithm visibility due to increased interaction
• Tell a story across multiple slides

Instagram Requirements

Requirement	Value
Maximum slides	10
Aspect ratio	1:1 (square) or 4:5 (portrait)
Recommended size	1080×1080 or 1080×1350
File format	JPEG or PNG
Maximum file size	30MB per image

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Prepare Your Image

Create or export your content as a tall vertical image:

• Width: 1080px (Instagram’s preferred width)
• Height: Any length up to ~10,800px for 10 squares

Design tips:

• Leave some margin at potential cut points
• Avoid putting text at the very top or bottom of sections
• Consider how the content flows between slides

2. Import into ImageChunker

1. Open ImageChunker
2. Drop your image onto the window
3. Or use File → Open (⌘O)

3. Configure for Instagram

Recommended Settings:

Setting	Value
Mode	Regular (for consistent squares)
Chunk width	1080px
Chunk height	1080px
Format	JPEG
Quality	90%

For portrait carousels (4:5 ratio):

• Chunk height: 1350px

4. Preview Your Chunks

Before exporting:

1. Review each chunk in the preview panel
2. Check for text cut off mid-sentence
3. Ensure visual flow between slides
4. Verify no important content is at edges

5. Export

1. Click Export (⌘E)
2. Choose output folder
3. Naming pattern: carousel_001.jpg
4. Click Export

6. Upload to Instagram

1. Open Instagram
2. Create new post
3. Tap the multiple image icon
4. Select your chunks in order (001, 002, 003…)
5. Post!

Pro Tips

Seamless Transitions

For content that flows across slides:

• Use 0px overlap for clean cuts
• Or add 10-20px overlap for slightly overlapping content

Text Placement

• Keep important text centered in each section
• Leave padding above/below text
• Use Smart Chunking to detect text and avoid mid-line cuts

Visual Continuity

Create visual interest by:

• Using gradient backgrounds that span multiple slides
• Including recurring design elements
• Maintaining consistent typography

Numbering Strategy

Use a naming pattern that makes order obvious:

carousel_001.jpg
carousel_002.jpg
carousel_003.jpg

Or include total count:

slide_1_of_8.jpg
slide_2_of_8.jpg

Example Workflow

Infographic Carousel

Original image: 1080×5400px

ImageChunker settings:
- Mode: Smart
- Chunk size: 1080×1080
- Format: JPEG 90%

Output: 5 perfectly sized slides
Each slide is a complete section of the infographic

Tutorial Carousel

Original: Step-by-step tutorial (1080×7000px)

ImageChunker settings:
- Mode: Smart (detects step boundaries)
- Chunk size: 1080×1080
- Text detection: ON

Output: 6-7 slides
Each slide contains complete steps
No text cut mid-sentence

Troubleshooting

Chunks not square

• Check chunk width and height are both 1080
• Ensure “Maintain aspect ratio” is off

Quality looks degraded

• Increase JPEG quality to 95%
• Or export as PNG

Instagram shows black bars

• Your chunks might not be exactly 1:1
• Check dimensions are exactly 1080×1080

Upload order got mixed

• Instagram sorts by filename
• Ensure naming is numeric (001, 002, not 1, 2)

Templates

Square Carousel (1:1)

Mode: Regular
Width: 1080px
Height: 1080px
Format: JPEG
Quality: 90%

Portrait Carousel (4:5)

Mode: Regular
Width: 1080px
Height: 1350px
Format: JPEG
Quality: 90%

High Quality (for ads)

Mode: Smart
Width: 1080px
Height: 1080px
Format: PNG
Quality: 100%