Instagram is a powerhouse for visual storytelling, and sometimes, one photo just isn’t enough to capture the full picture. Whether you want to showcase different angles of a product, tell a story through a series of images, or simply share a collection of memories, Instagram allows you to post multiple photos in a single post. This feature, known as a carousel post, is a fantastic way to boost engagement and provide your audience with richer content.
This guide will walk you through the simple steps on How To Post More Than One Photo On Instagram, covering both the mobile app and the web application. We’ll also touch upon posting multiple photos in Instagram Stories and creating engaging photo collages.
Creating Instagram Carousel Posts: Sharing Multiple Photos in One Post
Instagram carousel posts are perfect for when you have several images or videos that thematically belong together. They appear as a single post in the feed, but users can swipe left to view additional photos and videos, up to a maximum of ten. Here’s how to create one:
Using the Instagram Mobile App to Post Multiple Photos
The Instagram mobile app is the most convenient way to upload content directly from your smartphone. Here’s a step-by-step guide to posting multiple photos:
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Start a New Post: Open the Instagram app and tap the “+” icon located at the bottom center of your screen. This will take you to your phone’s photo and video library.
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Access Your Library: By default, Instagram may open to your recent photos. Ensure you are in your main photo library or gallery view. Look for the library icon, usually in the lower-left corner, and tap it if needed to see all your albums and folders.
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Enable “Select Multiple”: Once you are viewing your photo library, look for the “Select Multiple” button. This is typically located near the bottom of the screen, above your photo previews. Tap this button to activate multi-selection mode.
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Choose Your Photos: Now you can select up to 10 photos and videos to include in your carousel post. Simply tap on each image you want to add. As you select them, you’ll see a blue circle with a white number appear in the top right corner of each selected image, indicating the order in which they will appear in your post. You can tap images again to deselect them or change the order.
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Edit and Filter: After selecting your media, tap “Next.” You’ll be taken to the editing screen where you can apply filters and make adjustments to each image individually or to all of them at once. Swipe left and right to navigate between the selected photos. You can apply a consistent filter to all photos by choosing a filter on the first image and then tapping “Apply to All” at the bottom.
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Add Captions and Details: Tap “Next” again to reach the final share screen. Here, you can write a caption that applies to the entire carousel post. You can also tag people, add a location, and add alt text to each image for accessibility and SEO purposes. To add alt text to individual images, tap “Advanced Settings” at the bottom, then “Accessibility,” and then “Alt Text.” Here you can customize alt text for each photo in your carousel by swiping through them.
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Share Your Post: Once you’re satisfied with your captions, tags, location, and alt text, tap “Share” in the top right corner to publish your carousel post to your Instagram feed.
Posting Multiple Photos on Instagram Using the Web Application
For users who prefer working on a computer, or need to upload photos directly from their desktop, Instagram’s web application offers a convenient alternative. While the web app has some limitations compared to the mobile app, it fully supports creating carousel posts. Here’s how:
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Go to Instagram Website: Open your web browser and navigate to the Instagram website (www.instagram.com) and log in to your account.
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Create a New Post: On the Instagram homepage, look for the “+” icon in the top navigation bar and click it. This will open a window where you can drag and drop photos or select them from your computer.
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Upload Photos: You have two options to upload multiple photos:
- Drag and Drop: Open the folder on your computer containing the images you want to post. Select up to 10 images and drag them into the upload box on the Instagram website.
- Select from Computer: Click the “Select from computer” button in the upload box. This will open your computer’s file explorer. Navigate to the folder with your photos. To select multiple images, hold down the Shift key (for consecutive images) or Ctrl key (for non-consecutive images) while clicking on each photo you want to upload. Then, click “Open.”
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Crop and Adjust: Once your images are uploaded, you’ll be prompted to crop them. You can choose between the original aspect ratio, square, or other options. After cropping, click “Next” in the top right corner.
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Apply Filters and Edit: On the next screen, you can add filters and make other adjustments to your photos. You can apply the same filter to all images or edit them individually. After editing, click “Next.”
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Add Caption, Alt Text, and Share: In the final step, you can write your caption for the carousel post. To add alt text on the web application, click on “Accessibility” at the bottom right before posting. Enter your alt text for each image in the provided fields. You can also add location and tags. Finally, click “Share” to publish your carousel post.
Posting Multiple Photos to Instagram Stories
While Instagram Stories are primarily designed for ephemeral content, they also support posting multiple photos. You can create engaging stories using several images, either by adding them individually to separate story frames or by using layout features within stories.
Here’s how to add multiple photos to your Instagram Story:
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Open Instagram Stories: Swipe right from your Instagram feed or tap your profile picture with the “+” icon at the top left to open the Stories camera.
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Access Your Photo Library: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen or tap the photo library icon (usually in the bottom left corner) to access your phone’s photos and videos from the last 24 hours or your camera roll.
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Select the First Photo: Tap on the first photo you want to add to your story. It will appear as the first frame of your story.
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Add More Photos: To add more photos, tap the “sticker” icon at the top of the screen (it looks like a square with a smiley face). In the sticker menu, look for the “photo” sticker (it might be a recent photo preview or a camera roll icon). Tap on the “photo” sticker. This will open your recent photos or camera roll again. Select the next photo you want to add. You can repeat this process to add more photos to your story frames. Each photo will be added as a separate sticker that you can resize, rotate, and position on your story frame.
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Customize Your Story: Enhance your story frames with text, drawings, stickers, GIFs, and music. You can add different elements to each frame to make your story more engaging.
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Share Your Story: Once you’ve added all your photos and customized your story frames, tap “Your Story” at the bottom left to share your story with your followers.
Creating Photo Collages on Instagram
For a more creative way to present multiple photos in a single story frame, you can use collage layouts directly within Instagram Stories.
Here’s how to create a photo collage on Instagram Story:
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Open Instagram Stories: Access the Instagram Story camera as described above.
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Select “Layout”: Look for the “Layout” option in the left-hand menu within the Stories camera interface. It usually looks like a grid icon. Tap “Layout.”
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Choose a Grid Layout: Instagram offers various grid layouts for your collage. Tap the grid icon at the bottom to cycle through different layout options (2 photos, 3 photos, 4 photos, etc.). Choose the layout that suits the number of photos you want to include.
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Add Photos to the Layout: Tap each placeholder in the selected grid layout to add a photo. You can either take a new photo by tapping the shutter button or tap the photo library icon to select an existing photo from your camera roll.
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Customize and Share: Once you’ve filled all the placeholders in your collage layout, you can further customize your story frame with text, stickers, and other creative elements. When you are happy with your collage, tap “Your Story” to share it.
Posting multiple photos on Instagram is a versatile way to enrich your content and engage your audience. Whether you choose carousel posts for your feed, stories to share moments, or collages for creative expression, Instagram offers various tools to showcase your visuals effectively. Start experimenting with these methods to enhance your Instagram presence today!