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    Schedule & Publish Instagram Multi-Photo (Carousel) Posts

    Dallas
    • Updated

    In this Article:

    With Later, you can schedule Multi-Photo (carousel) posts to Instagram for Auto Publish or notification publishing. 

    This article covers how to schedule and publish Instagram posts that contain multiple images, videos, or a combination of both. For other Instagram post types, see the following articles:

    Important:

    • Scheduling Instagram Multi-Photo posts is available on current paid plans
    • While Instagram supports up to 20 images or videos in a carousel post natively in their app, they only allow a maximum of 10 images or videos to be included in a post scheduled through third-parties like Later
      • This is due to API limitations set by Instagram
      • If you want to publish a Multi-Photo post that contains more than 10 images or videos, it must be done directly through Instagram at this time

    Schedule a Multi-Photo Post to Instagram

    Before you can schedule an Instagram post through Later, you’ll need to connect your Instagram business or creator profile. This authorizes Later to securely schedule posts on your behalf.

    Once connected, you can schedule Multi-Photo Instagram post through Later as follows:

    Desktop

    You can schedule Multi-Photo Instagram posts through Later for desktop as follows:

    1. Through Later for desktop, select your Instagram profile from the top of your Calendar:
    2. From the left sidebar, select Create Post
       You can also create a post by dragging multiple media items to a time slot on the Calendar, or by selecting multiple media items in the Side Library and then selecting Multi-Photo Post.
    3. Choose your desired publishing method (Auto Publish or notification publish) from the dropdown menu, and select the date and time:
    4. Select Add Media
    5. Once you’ve added the first media item, you can drag additional items to the lower section to create a Multi-Photo post:
      • Dragging a new media item to the upper section will replace the current item
      • From the lower section, you can also rearrange the media items by dragging & dropping, or remove them by selecting the X that appears when you hover over them
      Note: You can add up to 10 media items to Multi-Photo Instagram posts that are scheduled through Later. While Instagram allows up to 20 media items in their app, their API limitations restrict third-parties like Later to a maximum of 10 at this time.
    6. Once you’ve added all your media items, select Save Changes
    7. If needed, correct any formatting errors (for example, cropping to meet Instagram’s requirements) by selecting the highlighted (in red) media item(s) in the Post Builder > Edit Image:
    8. When you’re done adding media, select Save Changes
      • You can get back to your media items by selecting Change Media from the Post Builder

    iOS

    You can schedule Multi-Photo Instagram posts through Later’s iOS app as follows:

    1. From the Schedule tab of Later’s iOS app, tap your Instagram profile from the options at the top of the screen:
    2. Select the create post icon near the bottom right:

      You can also create a post by long-pressing any open time slot in the Calendar view.
    3. Tap the + icon to select or upload your media items
    4. Tap your media items to select them
    5. Tap Add x Media Items:
    6. If needed, correct any formatting errors (for example, cropping to meet Instagram’s requirements) by tapping the highlighted (in red) media item(s) in the Post Builder:
    7. Enter a caption for your post > Done
    8. [Optional] Configure the following under More Options:
      Note: Some of these options are available for Auto Publish posts only (not notification publishing). Some options that are only available on Later for desktop, such as adding collaborators, won’t be shown.
    9. Tap Change next to the publishing method to update it, if desired:
    10. Tap Change next to No Time Selected to choose a date and time for publishing:
      • Alternatively, tap Now under Select a Time to publish now
    11. Tap Schedule Post
      • Alternatively, tap Save as Draft to save your post as a draft and come back to it later

    Android

    You can schedule Multi-Photo Instagram posts through Later’s Android app as follows:

    1. From the Schedule tab of Later’s Android app, tap your Instagram profile from the options at the top of the screen:
    2. Select the create post icon near the bottom right:

      You can also create a post by long-pressing any open time slot in the Calendar view.
    3. Tap the + icon to select or upload your media items
    4. Tap and hold on your first media item to select it
    5. Once the first item is selected, select the remaining media items
    6. Tap Add x Media Items:
    7. If needed, correct any formatting errors (for example, cropping to meet Instagram’s requirements) by tapping the highlighted (in red) media item(s) in the Post Builder:
    8. Enter a caption for your post > Save
    9. [Optional] Configure the following under More Options:
      Note: Some of these options are available for Auto Publish posts only (not notification publishing). Some options that are only available on Later for desktop, such as adding collaborators, won’t be shown.
    10. Tap Change next to the publishing method to update it, if desired:
    11. Tap Change next to No Time Selected to choose a date and time for publishing:
    12. Tap Save
    13. Tap Schedule Post
      • Alternatively, tap Save as Draft to save your post as a draft and come back to it later

    Publish an Instagram Multi-Photo Post Using Notification Publishing

    If you schedule your Multi-Photo Instagram post using Auto Publish, there is no further action required—your post will be published automatically at its scheduled time. 

    If you schedule it for notification publishing, you’ll need to open the notification sent to your device at your post’s scheduled time and complete the publishing process, as follows:

    iOS

    You can publish an Instagram Multi-Photo post through notification publishing on iOS as follows:

    Important: Make sure you are logged in to the correct Instagram account before publishing your post.
    1. Open the push notification on your iOS device:

      Note: If you miss your post notification, you can still access and publish your post through Later’s mobile apps. See Missed Post Notifications for details.
    2. In the Later app, tap Open in Instagram
      Note: At this stage, you may be prompted to allow Later access to your Photo Library—if so, tap Allow Full Access (this is so you can access the media items for your post).

      You may also be prompted to Allow Paste from Later (this allows you to easily paste your post captions, which Later will automatically copy for you).
    3. In the Instagram app, tap the + new post icon
    4. Tap Instagram’s carousel post icon to select multiple media items:
    5. Select your post’s media items by tapping them
      • Your media items will have been automatically downloaded to your Camera Roll
      • You’ll know when to stop when you reach the Later graphic with the blue hand:
    6. Tap Next
    7. Make any desired media edits from the Instagram app, and tap Next
    8. When you reach the caption screen, you can paste your post’s caption which Later will have automatically copied for you
    9. [Optional] Apply any other Instagram edits, such as tagging people and locations or adding music
    10. When you’re ready to publish, tap Share

    Android

    You can publish an Instagram Multi-Photo post through notification publishing on Android as follows:

    Important: Make sure you are logged in to the correct Instagram account before publishing your post.
    1. Open the push notification on your Android device:

      Note: If you miss your post notification, you can still access and publish your post through Later’s mobile apps. See Missed Post Notifications for details.
    2. In the Later app, tap Open in Instagram
      • Confirm you are logged in to the right Instagram profile, and tap OK
      Note: At this stage, you may be prompted to allow Later access to photos, media, and files on your device—if so, tap Allow (this is so you can access the media items for your post).
    3. In the Instagram app, tap the + new post icon
    4. Tap Select Multiple or Instagram’s carousel icon to select multiple media items:
    5. Select your post’s media items by tapping them
      • Your media items will have been automatically downloaded to your image gallery
      • You’ll know when to stop when you reach the Later graphic with the blue hand:
    6. Tap Next
    7. Crop or edit your photo if desired, then tap Next or →
    8. Make any other desired media edits from the Instagram app, and tap Next
    9. When you reach the caption screen, you can paste your post’s caption which Later will have automatically copied for you
    10. [Optional] Apply any other Instagram edits, such as tagging people and locations or adding music
    11. When you’re ready to publish, tap Share

     

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