Organic Posts, Not Ads: The Facebook Carousel Size for Page Photos

What is the Facebook carousel size?

The Facebook carousel size for an organic Page post is not something Meta publishes: its documentation for multi-photo Page posts gives a file size limit per photo and no pixel size or ratio. The pixel figures that come up when people search for Facebook carousels belong to two other formats, carousel ads and link carousels.

Three things go by "carousel" on Facebook, and each has its own spec:

Format	What it is	Ratio	Size	Count	Meta source
Multi-photo Page post	Several photos in one organic post	Not published	Not published, 10MB per photo	Not published	Page Photos reference
Link carousel	A Page post with several link cards	1:1	458 x 458 minimum "for best display"	2 to 5	Page Feed reference
Carousel ad	A paid post with swipeable cards	1:1	At least 1080 x 1080	2 to 10	Meta Ads Guide

This page is about the first row: the organic post with several photos that scheduling tools publish to a Page and call a carousel. For the paid format, our Facebook carousel ad specs guide covers card copy, placements and the rest of the ad spec.

What rules does Meta set for photos in a multi-photo post?

Meta sets the same rules for each photo in a multi-photo post as for any Page photo: an accepted file type and a 10MB cap. The Page Photos reference lists the file types ".jpeg, .bmp, .png, .gif, .tiff" and reads: "Files can not exceed 10MB. For .png files, we recommend not exceeding 1MB or the image may appear pixelated."

The same reference says what happens after upload: "Facebook strips all location metadata before publishing and resizes images to different dimensions to best support rendering in multiple sizes." Facebook resizes every photo it receives. What you control is the shape, the sharpness and the file weight you send.

The API builds a multi-photo post in two steps. Each photo is uploaded to the Page with published set to false, and the returned photo IDs are then attached to one post on the Page feed. We found no photo count for an organic multi-photo post in Meta's developer reference or in the Facebook Help Centre.

What size should images in a Facebook carousel be?

Images in a Facebook carousel should share one shape, and 1080 x 1080 pixels is the size to use, because it matches the minimum resolution Meta sets for carousel ads and the 1:1 ratio it gives for both of its carousel formats. Meta prints no size for the organic post, so this recommendation is ours, built from the formats Meta does document.

Two Meta figures point at the square:

• Carousel ads. The Ads Guide's Facebook Feed carousel spec lists "Ratio: 1:1" and "Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels," with an aspect ratio tolerance of 3%.
• Link carousels. The Page Feed reference describes each card's picture as "1:1 aspect ratio and a minimum of 458 x 458 px for best display."

A 1080 x 1080 JPEG of a photo sits well under the 10MB cap. A 1080 x 1080 PNG of the same photo can run past the 1MB Meta recommends for PNGs, so save photographs as JPEG and keep PNG for flat graphics with text.

If the post is portrait content, 4:5 at 1440 x 1800 is the ratio and resolution Meta's Ads Guide gives for single images in Facebook Feed. It is a valid choice too. The point is to pick one shape for every image in the post.

What happens when carousel images have different shapes?

Mixed shapes in one Facebook multi-photo post leave the layout to Facebook, and Meta does not document how it arranges them. Its developer reference describes how to attach photos to a post and nothing about how the feed lays them out.

That gap is the reason for the one-shape rule. With every image at 1:1, there is no ratio for Facebook to reconcile, and a square crop of a square image changes nothing. With a mix of portrait, landscape and square images, any crop Facebook applies can cut into the subject of one of them, and you cannot predict which.

There is a second reason. If the same images also go to Instagram as a carousel, square slides sit inside Instagram's accepted range too. Our guide to text overlays on Instagram carousels shows how to place text on square slides.

Mixed shapes or one shape

Mixed shapes

• Facebook decides the layout
• Meta does not document how it arranges them
• A crop can cut into the subject of any image
• You cannot predict which image it hits

One shape, 1080 x 1080

• No ratio for Facebook to reconcile
• A square crop of a square image changes nothing
• Subject and text stay clear of the edges

How many images can a Facebook carousel have?

A Facebook carousel can have 2 to 10 cards as an ad and 2 to 5 cards as a link carousel, while Meta publishes no count for an organic multi-photo post. The Ads Guide lists "Number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10." The Page Feed reference says of link carousels: "Minimum 2 and maximum of 5 objects. If you set multi_share_optimized to true, you can upload a maximum of 10 objects but Facebook will display the top 5."

For the organic post, the count you can use is the one your publishing tool allows. Through AdaptlyPost, that is 2 to 10 images, covered below.

How do you prepare images for a Facebook carousel?

Prepare images for a Facebook carousel by fixing the shape first, then the file type and weight, then the order. This works in any editor:

1. Set every canvas to 1080 x 1080. One shape for every image in the post.
2. Keep the subject and any text away from the edges. Facebook resizes every photo, and the edges are where a crop lands.
3. Export photographs as JPEG. Keep each file under 10MB for Meta, and under 4MB if you publish through AdaptlyPost.
4. Keep any PNG under 1MB. Meta warns that heavier PNGs "may appear pixelated."
5. Export in sRGB. Instagram's API converts other color spaces to sRGB, so starting there keeps both networks the same.
6. Put the strongest image first. Decide the order before you upload.
7. Count the images. Keep the post between 2 and 10.

For the full scheduling walkthrough on both networks, see how to schedule carousel posts on Instagram and Facebook.

How does AdaptlyPost handle Facebook carousel size?

AdaptlyPost publishes a Facebook carousel as one Page post with 2 to 10 images, and it does not resize uploaded media, so each image has to be uploaded at the size Facebook requires. Through the post to Facebook via API page, a carousel is contentType CAROUSEL with 2 to 10 images in a single Page post. Files must be image/jpeg, image/png or image/webp and stay under 4MB each, with no GIF and no HEIC. That 4MB ceiling is tighter than Meta's 10MB, so size files for AdaptlyPost's limit.

A carousel outside the 2 to 10 range fails with a 400 on the create call, before any post exists. A carousel sent as a Story also comes back as a 400. A carousel that includes a video can go only to Instagram, Threads and Telegram, so a Facebook carousel is images only. In the dashboard, the Facebook post scheduler schedules single or multi-image posts next to videos and Reels. Ten 1080 x 1080 JPEGs under 4MB each go through without changes. For when a carousel is the right pick at all, see what a carousel post is good for.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Facebook carousel size?

1080 x 1080 pixels for every image in the post. Meta publishes no size for organic multi-photo posts, and 1080 x 1080 matches the 1:1 ratio and minimum resolution Meta gives for carousel ads. Use one shape for every image.

What aspect ratio should a Facebook carousel use?

1:1. Meta's Ads Guide sets 1:1 for carousel ads, and the Page Feed reference sets 1:1 for link carousel pictures. Meta gives no ratio for organic multi-photo posts, so pick one shape and use it for every image.

What is the file size limit for Facebook carousel images?

10MB per photo, according to Meta's Page Photos reference, which recommends keeping PNGs under 1MB. AdaptlyPost's Facebook API sets a tighter 4MB per image. Carousel ad images can go up to 30MB in the Ads Guide.

How many photos can a Facebook carousel have?

Carousel ads take 2 to 10 cards and link carousels 2 to 5. Meta publishes no count for an organic multi-photo post. AdaptlyPost publishes Facebook carousels of 2 to 10 images.

Can a Facebook carousel include videos?

Not through AdaptlyPost. A carousel with a video can go only to Instagram, Threads and Telegram, so a Facebook carousel is images only. Carousel ads in Meta's Ads Guide accept video cards.

Does Facebook crop carousel images?

Meta's reference says Facebook "resizes images to different dimensions to best support rendering in multiple sizes," and it does not document the layout of a multi-photo post. Square images at the same size give Facebook nothing to reconcile. Keep subjects and text away from the edges.

Should I use JPEG or PNG for Facebook carousel images?

Use JPEG for photographs and keep PNG for flat graphics with text. Meta recommends keeping PNGs under 1MB or the image may appear pixelated, and a 1080 x 1080 PNG of a photo can run past that. Through AdaptlyPost, files can be image/jpeg, image/png or image/webp, each under 4MB.

Can I mix portrait and square images in one Facebook carousel?

Meta does not document how Facebook arranges mixed shapes, and any crop it applies can cut into the subject of one image. Pick one shape for every image instead. Use 1080 x 1080, or 4:5 at 1440 x 1800 if the content is portrait.

Is the organic carousel size the same as the carousel ad size?

Meta publishes no size for an organic multi-photo post. Carousel ads need a 1:1 ratio, at least 1080 x 1080, with 2 to 10 cards, and link carousels use 1:1 at a minimum of 458 x 458 with 2 to 5 cards. We use 1080 x 1080 for organic posts because it matches the ad minimum.

Does AdaptlyPost resize images for a Facebook carousel?

AdaptlyPost does not resize uploaded media, so each image has to arrive at the size you want. Files must be image/jpeg, image/png or image/webp and stay under 4MB each, with no GIF and no HEIC. Ten 1080 x 1080 JPEGs under 4MB go through without changes.