Instagram Expands Carousel Posts: Users Can Now Add Up to 20 Photos and Videos

Instagram, the popular social media platform owned by Meta, has introduced a significant update that allows users to include up to 20 photos or videos in a single carousel post. This marks the first time since the feature’s launch in 2017 that Instagram has increased the limit, doubling the previous cap of 10 items per post.

Carousel posts have become a staple of Instagram’s user experience, enabling users to share multiple images or videos in a single post, which followers can swipe through. With the new limit, users have greater flexibility and space to tell more comprehensive stories—whether it’s showcasing a vacation, a month’s highlights, or simply sharing a collection of favorite moments. Instagram’s announcement on its official channel encouraged users to “level up your photo dump game,” emphasizing the creative potential unlocked by the expanded carousel capacity.

Competing with TikTok

This update also appears to be a strategic move to keep pace with TikTok, which currently allows up to 35 images in similar posts. By doubling the carousel limit, Instagram is narrowing the gap between the two platforms in terms of content capacity. This could potentially boost user engagement, as users now have more room to share extensive content without the need to split it across multiple posts.

Global Rollout and Additional Features

The new feature is rolling out globally across all devices, both Android and iOS, making it accessible to all Instagram users. This expansion comes alongside other recent updates from Instagram, such as the introduction of multi-audio tracks in Reels, which allows users to add up to 20 tracks to a single reel. These updates reflect Instagram’s ongoing efforts to enhance its platform’s multimedia capabilities and offer more creative tools to its users.

Instagram’s decision to increase the carousel limit is a welcome change for users who enjoy sharing detailed visual stories. By providing more space for photos and videos in a single post, Instagram not only enhances the user experience but also positions itself as a strong competitor in the ever-evolving landscape of social media platforms.