# How to schedule an Instagram carousel > Pick the Carousel format, attach 2 to 10 images or videos, write the caption, & set a time. DunSocial publishes it for you. Flat $20/mo, 14-day trial. - Published: 2026-10-02 - Last updated: 2026-10-02 - Author: Sanju (Founder & CEO @ DunSocial) - Topics: instagram, how-to --- To schedule an Instagram carousel, choose the carousel format, attach 2 to 10 images or videos in the order you want them shown, write one caption, & pick a date & time. DunSocial publishes the whole carousel as a single post at that time. The point of scheduling a carousel is that the slides go out together, in order, without you holding the phone at the right minute. ## Schedule a carousel in DunSocial You connect your Instagram professional account once. After that, each carousel takes a few steps in the composer: - **Choose the Carousel format.** Instagram is not one content type. DunSocial also handles single-image feed posts, Reels, & stories. - **Attach 2 to 10 media items.** DunSocial requires at least 2 & allows at most 10. You can mix images & videos in one carousel. - **Order the slides.** The first slide is the one people see in the feed, so lead with your strongest. - **Write the caption.** One caption covers the whole carousel, up to 2,200 characters. - **Pick the time.** The carousel lands on the same calendar as your other networks. A human confirms every AI-written caption before it publishes. Nothing goes out on its own. ## The limits that matter Instagram's publishing API caps a carousel at 10 images, videos, or a mix of the two, & needs at least 2. Meta also notes that carousel images are cropped to match the first item, with a 1:1 square as the default. So prepare every slide in the shape of slide one, or the later ones get cut. DunSocial's own checks run before you schedule: - **2 to 10 media items per carousel.** Outside that range, the post is flagged instead of failing at publish time. - **Caption length of 2,200 characters.** - **At most 5 hashtags & 20 @ mentions in a caption.** These are DunSocial's checks, so you find out while you are still writing. - **Up to 3 collaborators** on a post. ## Write a caption that works for a swipe A carousel caption supports the slides. It does not repeat them. Put the hook in the first line, since that is what shows before the "more" cut. Then tell people what is on the next slides & what to do after the last one. If your captions come out generic, DunSocial's AI Memory & Voice Presets feed your own product facts & tone into the draft. See [stop AI posts sounding generic](/blog/stop-ai-posts-sounding-generic). For what drives reach on Instagram once the post is live, read [Instagram algorithm 2026: how reach works](/blog/instagram-algorithm-2026-how-reach-works). ## Batch a week of carousels Because carousels need more prep than a single image, scheduling pays off most when you batch. Export a week of slides in one sitting, write the captions, & spread them across the calendar. Our guide to [batching a week of social posts in one sitting](/blog/batch-a-week-of-social-posts-in-one-sitting) covers the workflow. ## Schedule from a terminal or an AI assistant The web app is the simplest route. The same workspace & calendar are reachable through the DunSocial CLI, API, & MCP, with the same confirmation before go-live. See [post & schedule from the terminal with the DunSocial CLI](/blog/post-and-schedule-from-the-terminal-with-the-dunsocial-cli). For the full picture of Instagram in DunSocial, read [best social media scheduler for Instagram](/blog/best-social-media-scheduler-for-instagram). ## Schedule your next carousel $20/mo flat, or $192/yr, with a 14-day trial & every feature unlocked from day one. Connect Instagram, attach your slides, & pick a time. [Start the trial](https://app.dunsocial.com/login). ## FAQ ### How many slides can a scheduled Instagram carousel have? Instagram's publishing API allows up to 10 images, videos, or a mix, & a carousel needs at least 2. DunSocial enforces the same range when you schedule. ### Can I mix photos & videos in one carousel? Yes. A carousel can combine images & videos, up to 10 items in total. ### Why are my later slides cropped? Meta crops carousel images to match the first item, with 1:1 as the default. Prepare every slide in the shape of your first one. ### Does the caption apply to every slide? Yes. A carousel has one caption for the whole post, up to 2,200 characters in DunSocial. ### Can I review before go-live? Yes. Every AI draft needs your confirmation before it publishes, & you can check the carousel on the calendar before its time. ## Sources - [Content Publishing, Instagram Platform, Meta for Developers](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/instagram-platform/content-publishing) --- ## About this document This is the Markdown representation of https://www.dunsocial.com/blog/how-to-schedule-an-instagram-carousel. The HTML version of the same page is at the same URL. You can also request Markdown from any page by sending `Accept: text/markdown`. Machine-readable summary of the whole site: https://www.dunsocial.com/llms.txt ## Company - Product: DunSocial, https://www.dunsocial.com - Legal entity: THISUX PRIVATE LIMITED, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India - Support: support@dunsocial.com - Open the app: https://app.dunsocial.com/login