How to Post on Instagram Without Losing Quality (Sizes, Carousel, Order)

How to post a photo on Instagram (app)

1. Tap + (Create) and choose Post.
2. Pick the photo from your gallery or take a new one.
3. Choose the crop: square, portrait or landscape. Pinch and drag to frame it.
4. Tap Next, then apply a filter or adjust brightness, contrast and the rest.
5. Tap Next again and write your caption. Add a location, tag people and, if you want, write alt text (more on that below).
6. Tap Share.

Need help with the words? Our list of captions for Instagram has ideas by mood and occasion.

How to post on Instagram from a computer

Instagram's web version works for posting too, and it's handy when your edited photos live on a laptop:

1. Click Create on the left, then Post.
2. Click Select from computer or drag the file into the window. Supported formats are JPG, PNG and HEIC/HEIF.
3. Select the size, then click Next.
4. Use Filters or Adjustments, then click Next.
5. Write a caption, add a location, click Accessibility to write alt text, and use Advanced settings if you want to turn off comments.
6. Click Share.

How to post multiple photos (carousel)

A carousel puts several photos and videos in one post. Instagram's current limit is up to 20 photos and videos per carousel.

1. Tap + and choose Post.
2. Tap the select multiple option and choose up to 20 items, in the order you want them to appear.
3. Adjust each crop, tap Next, and apply one filter to all or edit each photo separately.
4. Write one caption and one location for the whole post. You can tag different people on each photo.
5. Tap Share.

Three things to know before you share:

• One orientation for the whole carousel. Instagram says the orientation you pick (square, portrait or landscape) applies to every photo and video in the post. You can't mix a landscape photo with a portrait one. Export everything at the same size before you start.
• Likes and comments count for the whole post, not for each photo.
• Videos inside a carousel aren't reels. They won't show in the Reels tab or get reels features.

How to change the order of photos in a carousel

Before posting: while selecting, press and hold a photo, then drag it to a new spot. On a computer you can also remove an item from the post on the same screen.

After posting: Instagram lets you reorder, remove photos or videos, and edit the caption, location and tags:

1. Open the post and tap the three-dot menu.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Press and hold a photo to drag it into a new position.
4. Tap Done to save.

What you can't do: add new photos to a carousel after it's shared. If you forgot one, your options are to repost or delete the post and start over.

Write alt text for your photos

Instagram creates automatic alt text with object recognition, so people using screen readers hear a description. You can replace it with a better one.

• Before posting: on the final screen, open Accessibility and write the description. On the phone it may sit under Advanced settings.
• After posting: open the post, tap the options menu, then Edit, then Accessibility, and write the text. Tap Done.

Good alt text says what matters in the photo in one or two plain sentences: "Woman holding a ceramic mug of coffee by a sunny window" works better than "photo of me."

Settings that protect quality

• Turn on high quality uploads. Recent versions of the app include an Upload at highest quality toggle in Settings, in the section about data usage and media quality. With it on, uploads can take longer but are compressed less. Menu names change between versions, so search Settings for "quality" if you don't see it.
• Update the app. Instagram itself lists using the latest version as one of the steps for posting at 1080 pixels wide.
• Post the original file, not a screenshot, and not a copy sent through a messaging app, which often compresses images on the way.
• Export at exactly 1080 pixels wide from your editor, in the ratio you chose. Bigger files don't help, since Instagram resizes them anyway.
• Use a good, stable connection when posting several photos or videos in one carousel. Instagram notes that posts with multiple videos may take longer to upload.

Why your Instagram photo looks blurry

Quick diagnosis:

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
Top or bottom cut off	Ratio taller than 3:4	Export at 1080 x 1440 or 1080 x 1350
Soft or pixelated	Image under 1080 pixels wide, or screenshot	Use the original file at 1080 wide
Sharp on phone, soft after posting	Highest quality upload off, weak signal	Turn the setting on, post on Wi-Fi
Carousel photos cropped differently than planned	Mixed orientations	Export all slides at the same size

Make each post work beyond the feed

A great photo gets people to your profile. What they find there decides what happens next. Two small habits help:

• Keep your bio link current. A post that mentions a shop, a portfolio or a booking page only works if the link in your bio goes there. A page you control, like a VisuLink on VISU, lets you update links without touching your profile. The free plan includes 5 links plus 5 social icons. See how creators use VisuLink.
• Keep your account safe. All that work lives in one login. If a login code ever fails to arrive, our guide to fixing Instagram not sending a verification code walks you through every option.

Quick recap

• Best size: 1080 x 1440 (3:4). Also safe: 1080 x 1350, 1080 x 1080, 1080 x 566.
• Carousel: up to 20 photos and videos, one orientation for all.
• Reorder: press and drag before posting; after posting, use Edit from the three-dot menu.
• Quality: original files, 1080 wide, high quality upload on, good connection.

Your photos deserve a home that shows all your work in one place. Create your free VisuLink at visu.to.