LinkedIn Carousel: Complete Guide to Creating, Posting & Optimizing (2026)

LinkedIn carousels are one of the most powerful content formats on the platform—but most people don't know how to use them effectively. This complete guide covers everything: what they are, why they work, how to create them, and how to optimize them for maximum engagement.

TL;DR: LinkedIn carousels are multi-page, swipeable PDFs that get 3-5x more engagement than single posts. Create a PDF with 5-7 pages (1080 x 1350 pixels each), upload it to LinkedIn, add a compelling caption, and engage with comments immediately. Use formats like tips, case studies, or personal stories for best results.

What is a LinkedIn Carousel?

A LinkedIn carousel is an interactive, multi-page content format that lets viewers swipe through your content one page at a time. Instead of a single image or text post, carousels keep users engaged by requiring them to interact with your content.

Key characteristics:

• Multi-page format – 3-10 pages per carousel
• Swipeable – Users scroll left/right to see each page
• PDF-based – Uploaded as a PDF file
• Mobile-optimized – Designed for phone viewing
• Interactive – Requires user engagement (swiping)

Carousel vs. Other LinkedIn Formats

Format	Pages	Engagement	Best For
Carousel	3-10	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highest	Tips, tutorials, case studies
Single Image	1	⭐⭐⭐ Medium	Quick tips, quotes
Video	1	⭐⭐⭐⭐ High	Demos, interviews
Text Post	1	⭐⭐ Low	Announcements, thoughts
Article	N/A	⭐⭐⭐ Medium	Long-form content

Bottom line: If you have multiple related ideas or steps to share, a carousel is your best choice.

Why Use LinkedIn Carousels?

1. Higher Engagement Rates

LinkedIn's algorithm prioritizes content that keeps users engaged. Carousels require interaction (swiping), which signals to LinkedIn that your content is valuable. Result: 3-5x more engagement than single posts.

Real data:

• Average carousel engagement: 2-4% CTR
• Average single image engagement: 0.5-1% CTR
• Carousels get more comments, shares, and saves

2. Better Reach

The more engagement your post gets, the more people see it. LinkedIn's algorithm shows your carousel to more people because:

• Users spend more time with it (longer dwell time)
• More people interact with it (swipe, comment, share)
• It signals quality content to the algorithm

3. Professional Presentation

Carousels look polished and intentional. They position you as someone who takes content seriously, which builds credibility and authority.

4. Storytelling Opportunity

With 5-10 pages, you can tell a complete story, not just one idea. This allows for:

• Step-by-step tutorials
• Before-and-after case studies
• Multi-point arguments
• Narrative arcs

5. Shareability

People are more likely to share carousels because they feel like complete, valuable pieces of content. A single tip might not be worth sharing, but a 7-page carousel with actionable tips is.

LinkedIn Carousel Specifications

Dimensions & File Format

Specification	Requirement
Page size	1080 x 1350 pixels
Aspect ratio	4:5 (portrait)
File format	PDF only
Total file size	Maximum 25 MB
Number of pages	3-10 pages
Color mode	RGB (not CMYK)
DPI	72 DPI (screen resolution)

Why these specs?

• 1080 x 1350 is optimized for mobile viewing
• PDF format preserves formatting across all devices
• 25 MB limit keeps file sizes manageable
• 3-10 pages is the sweet spot for engagement

Full specifications guide →

Text & Font Requirements

Element	Minimum	Recommended
Headlines	36pt	48-60pt
Body text	24pt	28-32pt
Captions	18pt	20-24pt

Why large text? Most LinkedIn users browse on mobile. Tiny text is unreadable on phones.

How to Create a LinkedIn Carousel

Step 1: Choose Your Format

What type of carousel will you create? Here are the most effective formats:

• Educational tips – "5 Ways to Increase LinkedIn Engagement"
• Thought leadership – "Why Remote Work Is Here to Stay"
• Case studies – "How We Increased Sales by 250%"
• Personal stories – "The Lesson That Changed My Career"
• Industry insights – "3 Trends Reshaping Marketing"
• Product launches – "Introducing Our New Feature"
• Comparisons – "Option A vs. Option B"
• Behind-the-scenes – "A Day in My Life"

See 10 carousel examples →

Step 2: Outline Your Content

Plan your carousel structure:

• Page 1: Hook (benefit or curiosity)
• Pages 2-7: Main content (one idea per page)
• Page 8: CTA or summary

Example outline for "5 LinkedIn Tips":

• Page 1: "5 LinkedIn Tips That Increase Engagement by 300%"
• Page 2: Tip #1 + explanation
• Page 3: Tip #2 + explanation
• Page 4: Tip #3 + explanation
• Page 5: Tip #4 + explanation
• Page 6: Tip #5 + explanation
• Page 7: Summary + CTA

Step 3: Design Your Carousel

Use one of these tools:

Canva (easiest)

• Pre-built LinkedIn carousel templates
• Automatic sizing (1080 x 1350)
• Drag-and-drop design
• Export as PDF with one click

PowerPoint (quick)

• Set page size to 1080 x 1350
• Design each page
• File > Export > PDF

Adobe InDesign (professional)

• Full design control
• Precise dimension settings
• Export as PDF with custom settings

Figma (collaborative)

• Design with your team
• Precise sizing
• Export as PDF

Lumeo (fastest)

• Pre-built templates for all formats
• Auto-sized to 1080 x 1350
• One-click PDF export
• Optimized for LinkedIn

Step 4: Export as PDF

Export settings:

• ✅ Format: PDF
• ✅ Dimensions: 1080 x 1350 per page
• ✅ Color mode: RGB
• ✅ DPI: 72
• ✅ File size: Under 25 MB

Step 5: Upload to LinkedIn

Step-by-step upload guide →

1. Go to LinkedIn home feed
2. Click "Start a post"
3. Click "Document"
4. Upload your PDF
5. Add title and caption
6. Click "Post"

LinkedIn Carousel Best Practices

Content Best Practices

1. Start with a strong hook
Your first page determines whether people swipe. Make it visually striking and benefit-driven.

❌ Bad: "LinkedIn Tips"
✅ Good: "5 LinkedIn Tips That Increased My Engagement 400%"

2. One idea per page
Don't cram multiple concepts on one page. Each page should focus on one idea or step.

3. Use consistent branding
Same colors, fonts, and logo on every page. This builds recognition and looks professional.

4. Make text large and readable
Minimum 24pt for body text. Remember: most people view on mobile.

5. Include visuals
Icons, charts, images, or illustrations. Text-only carousels get less engagement.

6. End with a clear CTA
Your last page should direct viewers to take action:

• Visit your website
• Comment with their thoughts
• Share the carousel
• Try your product

7. Use data and examples
Specific numbers and real examples are more credible than vague claims.

❌ Bad: "Increased engagement a lot"
✅ Good: "Increased engagement by 340% in 3 months"

Posting Best Practices

1. Post at the right time
LinkedIn engagement peaks on Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10 AM in your audience's timezone.

2. Write a compelling caption
Your caption appears above the carousel. Make it count:

• Include a hook or question
• Add 3-5 relevant hashtags
• Include a CTA ("Swipe," "Scroll," "Learn more")

Example caption: "Swipe through to discover the 5 carousel formats that actually work on LinkedIn 👇 Which one will you try first? #LinkedIn #ContentMarketing #SocialMedia"

3. Engage immediately
Reply to comments within the first hour. This signals to LinkedIn's algorithm that your post is generating conversation, boosting its reach.

4. Encourage interaction
Ask questions in your caption to prompt comments:

• "Which tip will you try first?"
• "What's your take on this?"
• "Share your experience in the comments"

5. Share to your network
Share your carousel in your personal network, company page, and relevant groups. This gives it an initial boost.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Impact	Solution
Weak first page	People don't swipe	Make page 1 visually compelling with a strong benefit
Too many pages (15+)	Users get bored	Keep it to 5-7 pages
Tiny text	Unreadable on mobile	Use minimum 24pt font
No CTA	Viewers don't know what to do	End with a clear call-to-action
Inconsistent branding	Looks unprofessional	Use same colors and fonts throughout
Uploading as image	Treated as single image	Always use "Document" option and upload PDF
Wrong dimensions	Content gets cropped	Use 1080 x 1350 pixels
File over 25 MB	LinkedIn rejects it	Compress images before exporting
No engagement	Algorithm deprioritizes it	Reply to comments within first hour
Posting at wrong time	Lower reach	Post Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10 AM

LinkedIn Carousel Examples & Ideas

Here are 10 high-performing carousel formats:

1. Educational Tips

"5 Ways to Increase LinkedIn Engagement by 300%"

• Page 1: Hook
• Pages 2-6: One tip per page
• Page 7: Summary + CTA

2. Thought Leadership

"Why AI Won't Replace Your Job (But This Will)"

• Page 1: Bold opinion
• Pages 2-4: Supporting arguments
• Page 5: Discussion question

3. Case Studies

"How We Increased Sales by 250% in 6 Months"

• Page 1: Challenge
• Pages 2-3: Solution
• Pages 4-5: Results
• Page 6: Lesson learned

4. Personal Stories

"I Quit My 6-Figure Job. Here's What I Learned."

• Page 1: Hook
• Pages 2-4: Story
• Pages 5-6: Lessons
• Page 7: Reflection

5. Industry Insights

"3 Trends Reshaping Marketing in 2026"

• Page 1: Hook
• Pages 2-4: One trend per page
• Page 5: Implications

6. Product Launches

"We Just Launched Our New AI Tool"

• Page 1: Announcement
• Pages 2-3: Problem it solves
• Pages 4-5: Features
• Page 6: Pricing + CTA

7. Comparisons

"Freelance vs. Full-Time: Which Is Right for You?"

• Page 1: Hook
• Pages 2-4: Option A
• Pages 5-7: Option B
• Page 8: Recommendation

8. Recruitment Posts

"We're Hiring: 5 Reasons to Join Our Team"

• Page 1: Hook
• Pages 2-3: Culture
• Pages 4-5: Open roles
• Page 6: Benefits
• Page 7: How to apply

9. Behind-the-Scenes

"A Day in My Life as a Startup Founder"

• Page 1: Hook
• Pages 2-5: Different moments
• Page 6: Lessons
• Page 7: Invitation to connect

10. Toolkits & Resources

"5 Free Tools That Saved Me 10 Hours/Week"

• Page 1: Hook
• Pages 2-6: One tool per page
• Page 7: Where to find them

See detailed examples with tips →

How to Optimize Your Carousel for Maximum Engagement

1. A/B Test Your Hooks

Try different first pages and see which gets more swipes. LinkedIn shows you swipe rate in analytics.

2. Monitor Your Analytics

LinkedIn provides data on:

• Impressions – How many people saw your carousel
• Clicks – How many people clicked to view
• Engagement rate – Comments, shares, reactions
• Swipe rate – How many people swiped through pages

Use this data to improve future carousels.

3. Repurpose Your Content

Turn one carousel into multiple posts:

• Share individual tips as single posts
• Create a blog article based on your carousel
• Turn it into a video
• Share it in your newsletter

4. Build a Series

Create a series of related carousels:

• "LinkedIn Tips: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3"
• "Marketing Trends: Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4"
• "Founder Stories: Episode 1, 2, 3"

Series build anticipation and keep your audience coming back.

5. Update and Repost

After 2-3 months, update your carousel with new data and repost. LinkedIn will treat it as new content.

Create Professional Carousels Faster with Lumeo

Creating carousels manually is time-consuming: designing each page, ensuring correct dimensions, exporting as PDF, checking file size. Lumeo automates all of this.

What Lumeo does:

• ✅ Pre-built templates for all carousel formats
• ✅ Automatic sizing (1080 x 1350)
• ✅ One-click PDF export (always under 25 MB)
• ✅ Professional designs optimized for LinkedIn
• ✅ Mobile preview to check how it looks on phones
• ✅ Customizable colors and branding
• ✅ No design experience needed

Time savings:

• Manual design: 30-60 minutes
• Lumeo: 3-5 minutes

Try Lumeo Free →

FAQ: LinkedIn Carousel

Q: What's the maximum number of pages in a LinkedIn carousel?
A: LinkedIn allows up to 10 pages per carousel.

Q: Can I edit a carousel after posting?
A: No, you'd need to delete and repost. Always proofread before publishing.

Q: What file formats does LinkedIn accept?
A: Only PDF. PowerPoint, Word, and image files won't work for carousels.

Q: How long does it take for a carousel to appear after posting?
A: Usually instantly, but it may take a few seconds for LinkedIn to process it.

Q: Do carousels get more engagement than single posts?
A: Yes, typically 3-5x more engagement because they're interactive.

Q: Can I add clickable links inside a carousel?
A: No, you can't add links within the carousel pages. Add your CTA in the caption instead.

Q: What's the ideal carousel length?
A: 5-7 pages is the sweet spot. Long enough to provide value, short enough to keep people engaged.

Q: Can I post a carousel on mobile?
A: Yes, but it's easier on desktop. Mobile offers less control over formatting.

Q: How often should I post carousels?
A: 1-2 times per week is a good starting point. Test and adjust based on your audience's response.

Q: Can I repost the same carousel?
A: Yes, but wait at least 2-3 months and update the content slightly.

Q: Which carousel format gets the most engagement?
A: Educational tips and personal stories typically perform best.

Q: What's the best time to post a carousel?
A: Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10 AM in your audience's timezone.