Instagram Carousel Design Templates and Examples
Carousels are the Instagram posts people swipe through, save and share, which is why they often get more reach than single images. Below are 36 Instagram carousel examples you can edit, for business, tips, fashion, beauty, food and travel. We also cover the carousel format and sizes, the design trends for 2026 and the best practices that make people swipe to the last slide.
Every carousel on this page:
- 5 designed slides as a layered PSD, editable in Adobe Photoshop or free in Photopea (photopea.com, runs in your browser)
- 1080 px wide slides, with text, colors and photos on separate layers
- Free fonts. Preview photos are not included in the download.
Contents
- What is an Instagram carousel?
- Instagram carousel format and size
- Business and marketing carousel examples
- Tips, career and education carousel examples
- Fashion carousel examples
- Beauty, wellness and fitness carousel examples
- Food, travel and lifestyle carousel examples
- Instagram carousel design trends for 2026
- Carousel best practices
- How to choose the right template
- FAQ
What is an Instagram carousel?
An Instagram carousel is a single post with several images or videos that people swipe through, left to right. Small dots under the post show how many slides there are. Carousels are used for tips and tutorials, product launches, before and after stories, lookbooks and anything that tells a story in steps.
Carousel design means planning those slides as one piece: a first slide that stops the scroll, middle slides that deliver one idea each, and a last slide with a clear call to action.
Instagram carousel format and size
| Setting | What to use |
|---|---|
| Number of slides | Up to 20 photos or videos in one carousel |
| Square | 1080 x 1080 px (1:1) |
| Portrait | 1080 x 1350 px (4:5), the best choice for most feeds |
| Tall portrait | 1080 x 1440 px (3:4), which matches the current profile grid |
| Aspect ratio | All slides use the ratio of the first slide, so design them all at the same size |
| File type | JPG or PNG for images, MP4 for video slides |
Instagram changes its limits from time to time, so check the app if a size is rejected. Keep important text away from the edges of each slide; the profile grid crops the first slide, and the app’s buttons cover the bottom of the screen.
Business and marketing carousel examples
Carousels for agencies, startups and B2B brands: services, statistics, client results and a clear call to action on the last slide.
1. Digital Agency Carousel
Sky blue and navy with sparkle icons, a “98.2%” results slide and a team photo. Ends on a QR code slide, which works well for agencies collecting leads.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
2. Digital Business Carousel
White and yellow with black accents, numbered steps and a “300+ projects” badge. A clean explainer format for business tips and services.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
3. Green Digital Business Carousel
Deep green with neon highlights and “Next level business with AI solutions”. A tech look for software and AI companies.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
4. Market Value Carousel, Purple
Purple and yellow with “What does market value really mean?” on the first slide. Built as a question-and-answer explainer, ending with a register slide.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
5. Real Estate Carousel
Lavender and navy with house photos, prices and “30% off” badges. Made for property listings and market updates.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
6. Business Marketing Carousel
Blue and orange with a quote slide, numbered marketing goals and a follow slide. A good fit for consultants and coaches.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
7. Businessman Carousel
Black and white with orange line accents and portraits. “Achieve business success with us” opens, “Please register yourself” closes.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
8. Marketing Agency Carousel
Bright red and blue with flower shapes and team photos. A bold, friendly design for social media and marketing agencies.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
9. Social Media Strategy Carousel
Navy, green and white with numbered steps and a quote slide. Made for posting a strategy as a step-by-step guide.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
10. Growth Business Carousel
Black, white and hot pink with bold numbers across the slides. High contrast that stands out in the feed.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
Tips, career and education carousel examples
The most saved carousel format: a promise on slide one, one tip per slide, and a summary or follow slide at the end.
11. Career Tips Carousel, Black and Pink
Black with hot pink and red, an “Error 404” slide and digital marketing tips. Modern and techy for career and job advice accounts.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
12. Purple Career Carousel
Purple and white with yellow sticker shapes: learn relevant skills, practice self-care, set goals. Friendly and colorful for coaches.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
13. Starting Your Career Carousel
Teal and orange with quote marks and photos. A calm, readable layout for longer tips and quotes.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
14. Follower Growth Tips Carousel
Purple and black with “Let’s increase followers quickly” and a numbered “Tips to try” slide. Made for social media educators.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
15. Growth Strategy Carousel
Purple and green with large slide numbers that run across the swipe. “Are you ready?” and “Visit now” make the call to action clear.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
16. Business App Carousel
Navy and electric blue with “Step 1” style slides. A good format for app walkthroughs and product tutorials.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
Fashion carousel examples
Lookbooks, new collections and sales. Fashion carousels let the photos lead and keep text to a headline per slide.
17. Fashion Sale Carousel, Pink
Black and hot pink with black and white model photos, “This month edition” and a “Let’s shop now” last slide.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
18. Women Fashion Sale Carousel
Deep raspberry with “Daily fashion at party”, outfit photos and a new collection slide.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
19. Fashion Stylist Carousel
Olive and cream with serif headings, “Get your style” and a 40% off badge. Calm and editorial for stylists and boutiques.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
20. Fashion Brand Pro Tips Carousel
Dark green and purple with “Pro tips” and “Your sub headline here” slides. A brand-building format for fashion labels.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
21. Made in the 90s Carousel
Red, yellow and blue with comic “Wow!” bursts and “All about 90’s”. Loud and nostalgic for streetwear and retro brands.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
22. Let’s Talk About Fashion Carousel
Olive and cream with arch photo frames and “Best model this week”. Soft and elegant for fashion bloggers.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
23. Outfit Trend Carousel
Sage green with “Top 5 fashion style” and “Outfit trend” in thin serif type. A minimal layout for outfit roundups.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
Beauty, wellness and fitness carousel examples
Routines, product benefits and before-and-after stories, with soft colors and close-up photos.
24. Beauty Tips Carousel
Cream and terracotta with leaf shapes and “About skin care”. A gentle, natural look for skincare brands.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
25. Natural Cosmetic Carousel
Peach and white with serif type, product photos and a 30% off slide. Made for cosmetic shops and launches.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
26. Facial Treatment Carousel
Dusty blue with mustard circles and “Best treatment for you”. For clinics, spas and facialists.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
27. Healthy Hair Carousel
Lilac with pink accents, “About caring for healthy hair” and a follow slide. For salons and hair care brands.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
28. Skin Care Carousel
Olive and beige with step-by-step slides: know your skin type, find the right skincare. Ideal for routine guides.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
29. Fitness Carousel
Black and teal with orange arrows: shape your body, start today, get your personal trainer. Built for gyms and trainers.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
Food, travel and lifestyle carousel examples
Menus, destinations and places, with big photos and short captions.
30. Food Favorite Carousel
Black and yellow with dish photos, “Your tips” and “Healthy menu”. Good for restaurants and food creators.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
31. Food Special Offer Carousel
Red and green with pizza and pasta photos and “Special offer”. A promo format for pizzerias and delivery.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
32. Coffee Taste Carousel
Coffee brown and black with “Premium coffee beans” and “Good taste, good day”. Warm and cozy for cafes and roasters.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
33. Coffee Vlogger Carousel
Cream and brown with “How to make a coffee milk” and recipe steps. Made for food bloggers and baristas.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
34. Best Hotel Carousel
Navy and orange with resort photos, a quote slide and “Big promo”. For hotels, villas and travel agents.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
35. Country Destination Carousel
Navy and teal with landmark photos and a 50% discount badge. For tour operators and travel deals.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
36. Modern Home Design Carousel
Black and orange with house photos and “30% off”. For architects, interior studios and property developers.
5 slides · layered PSD · Photoshop or Photopea (free)
Instagram carousel design trends for 2026
- Text-led slides. Big, bold headlines on plain or textured backgrounds, so the slide reads like a page from a magazine.
- Seamless panoramas. One image or graphic that runs across several slides, so the swipe feels continuous.
- Numbered steps. Large numbers (01, 02, 03) that show progress and promise a payoff at the end.
- Photo-first lookbooks. Full-bleed photos with a single short caption, for fashion, food and travel.
- Bold color blocking. Two strong brand colors and lots of contrast, which stand out in a muted feed.
- Native, lo-fi touches. Sticker shapes, hand-drawn arrows and screenshot frames that feel less like an ad.
- Save-worthy summaries. A last slide that sums up the whole carousel, so people save it to come back to.
Carousel best practices
- Hook on slide one. A clear promise (“5 mistakes that kill your reach”) and a hint to swipe, such as an arrow or a cut-off element.
- One idea per slide. A headline and one or two short lines. If you need a paragraph, split it across two slides.
- Keep a consistent template. Same fonts, colors and margins on every slide, so the carousel feels like one piece.
- Design for the phone. Test the text at actual size on your phone; anything under about 24 px is too small.
- End with a call to action. Follow, save, comment, visit the link in bio, or book a call. One action, clearly stated.
- Add alt text and a caption. Alt text helps accessibility and search; the caption repeats the hook for people who don’t swipe.
- Reuse what works. When a carousel performs well, keep the template and change the topic.
Pick fonts that stay readable on small screens with our fonts for Instagram guide, and match your carousels with our Instagram story templates.
How to choose the right template
| If you post… | Choose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| services, results and offers | Business carousel | Digital Agency, Market Value, Real Estate |
| tips, tutorials and guides | Numbered tips carousel | Purple Career, Follower Growth Tips, Business App |
| new collections and sales | Fashion carousel | Fashion Sale, Fashion Stylist, Made in the 90s |
| routines and treatments | Beauty carousel | Skin Care, Facial Treatment, Healthy Hair |
| menus, places and promos | Food or travel carousel | Food Favorite, Coffee Vlogger, Best Hotel |
Frequently asked questions
What is a carousel post on Instagram?
A single post with several photos or videos that people swipe through. It is used for tips, tutorials, product launches and stories told in steps. See the section above.
How many slides can an Instagram carousel have?
Up to 20 photos or videos. Most effective carousels use 5 to 10 slides: enough to deliver value, short enough that people reach the end.
What size should an Instagram carousel be?
1080 x 1350 px (4:5) works best for most feeds. 1080 x 1080 px (1:1) and 1080 x 1440 px (3:4) also work. All slides take the ratio of the first slide.
How do I post a carousel on Instagram?
Tap the plus button, choose Post, tap the select multiple icon, pick your slides in order, then add a caption and share. Export each slide of the template as a separate JPG or PNG first.
Can I edit these carousel templates without Photoshop?
Yes. They are layered PSD files, so you can open them for free in Photopea, a browser-based editor at photopea.com, as well as in Adobe Photoshop. Change the text, colors and photos, then export each slide as a JPG or PNG. They are not Canva templates.
Need more designs?
Browse all Instagram templates, including posts, stories and carousels.