Export and Publishing

Once you've created and customized your carousel in Carousel Studio, the next step is exporting it and publishing it on your platform of choice. This guide covers the full process — from downloading your slides in Canva to uploading them on Instagram, LinkedIn, and other platforms.

Exporting from Canva

Carousel Studio creates your carousel directly inside Canva, so the export process uses Canva's built-in download feature.

Step-by-Step Export

Review your carousel — Scroll through all slides one last time. Make sure the copy reads well, the design looks consistent, and there are no typos or layout issues.
Click Share in the top right corner of Canva
Select Download
Choose your format:
- PNG — Recommended for most carousels. PNG preserves sharp text and clean graphics with no compression artifacts.
- JPG — Good for photo-heavy carousels where file size matters. JPG files are smaller but may show slight compression on text.
- PDF — Useful if you want a single file containing all slides (e.g. for LinkedIn document posts).
- MP4 — For video carousels (see Video Carousels section below).
Click Download — Canva will export each slide as a separate image file, or as a combined download depending on the format.

Your carousel slides are now saved to your device and ready to upload.

Choosing the Right Format

Format	Best For	Pros	Cons
PNG	Most carousels	Sharp text, no compression artifacts, transparent backgrounds	Larger file size
JPG	Photo-heavy carousels	Smaller file size, fast uploads	Slight compression on text and graphics
PDF	LinkedIn document posts	Single file, easy to share	Not suitable for Instagram
MP4	Video carousels	Motion and animation, high engagement	Requires Canva Video Editor

For the majority of Instagram and LinkedIn carousel posts, PNG is the best choice. It gives you the sharpest output with no visible quality loss.

Recommended Sizes by Platform

Different platforms have different requirements for image dimensions. Using the right size prevents your slides from being cropped, stretched, or displayed at the wrong resolution.

Instagram

Instagram supports several aspect ratios for carousel posts:

Square (1:1) — 1080 x 1080 pixels — The most common format for carousels. Works well in the feed and looks consistent across all slides.
Portrait (4:5) — 1080 x 1350 pixels — Taller format that takes up more vertical space in the feed. Good for grabbing attention because your post occupies a larger area on screen.
Landscape (1.91:1) — 1080 x 566 pixels — Wider format, less common for carousels. Can work for certain types of content but takes up less feed space.

Canva's default canvas size for Instagram carousels is 1080 x 1080, which works for most use cases. If you want to use the taller 4:5 format, set your canvas size to 1080 x 1350 before generating your carousel.

LinkedIn carousel posts (uploaded as multiple images) work best at:

Square — 1080 x 1080 pixels — Clean and consistent, works well in the LinkedIn feed
Document posts (PDF) — 1080 x 1080 or 1920 x 1080 — If you upload a PDF, LinkedIn renders it as a swipeable document post

LinkedIn's feed display is slightly different from Instagram's, but 1080 x 1080 is a safe default that works well on both platforms.

Other Platforms

Twitter/X: 1080 x 1080 for images, or up to 1200 x 675 for landscape
Facebook: 1080 x 1080 for carousels
TikTok (image carousels): 1080 x 1920 (9:16 portrait) for the carousel feature

Publishing to Instagram

Once you've exported your carousel slides, here's how to post them on Instagram:

Open the Instagram app on your phone
Tap the + button to create a new post
Select multiple images (the layered squares icon)
Choose all your carousel slides in the correct order — slide 1 first, then slide 2, slide 3, and so on
Tap Next
Apply any filters if desired (though your slides are already designed, so filters usually aren't necessary)
Tap Next again
Write your caption — summarize the carousel content, add a call-to-action, and include relevant hashtags
Add a location if applicable
Tap Share

Tips for Instagram Carousels

Slide order matters — Make sure you upload slides in the correct sequence. The first slide is what people see in their feed, so it needs to hook them.
Write a strong caption — The caption supports your carousel content. Summarize the key takeaway, ask a question, or include a call-to-action (save, share, follow).
Use 3-5 hashtags — Relevant hashtags help new audiences discover your content. Don't overdo it.
Post at peak times — Check your Instagram Insights to see when your audience is most active.

Publishing to LinkedIn

LinkedIn carousel posts can be uploaded as individual images or as a PDF document:

Option A: Upload as Images

Go to LinkedIn and click Start a post
Click the image icon in the post composer
Upload your carousel slides in order (slide 1, 2, 3, etc.)
Write your caption and post

Option B: Upload as PDF (Document Post)

Export your carousel from Canva as a PDF
Go to LinkedIn and click Start a post
Click the document icon (looks like a page)
Upload your PDF file
Add a title for the document
Write your caption and post

PDF document posts on LinkedIn display as swipeable carousels with a built-in slide counter, which can look more polished than individual images.

Tips for LinkedIn Carousels

Lead with value — LinkedIn audiences respond well to educational content, industry insights, and actionable tips
Keep text concise — LinkedIn users scroll quickly. Get to the point on each slide.
End with a CTA — Ask readers to comment, share their experience, or follow you for more content
Tag relevant people — If your carousel mentions tools, companies, or people, tag them to increase visibility

Video Carousels (V2)

Carousel Studio V2 supports video carousels, which add motion and animation to your slides. Video content tends to get higher engagement because movement catches the eye in a static feed.

How to Create and Export a Video Carousel

Generate your carousel content in Carousel Studio as usual
Open the design in Canva's Video Editor (not the regular design editor)
Add transitions, animations, or motion effects to your slides
Click Share > Download
Choose MP4 as your format
Set your preferred quality (1080p recommended)
Download the video file

Where to Post Video Carousels

Instagram Reels — Upload as a Reel for maximum reach
LinkedIn — Upload as a native video post
TikTok — Upload as a video or use TikTok's carousel feature
Twitter/X — Upload as a video post

Video carousels work particularly well for tutorials, before/after reveals, and content that benefits from visual transitions.

Troubleshooting

Slides Look Blurry After Posting

Make sure you exported at full resolution. For Instagram, your slides should be at least 1080px wide.
Use PNG instead of JPG — PNG preserves sharper text and graphics.
Avoid resizing or compressing your files after export. Upload the files directly as Canva exported them.
Check that you have a stable internet connection when uploading — interrupted uploads can sometimes result in lower quality.

Wrong Dimensions or Cropping

Different platforms crop images differently. Always use the recommended sizes listed above for each platform.
Preview your post before publishing. Both Instagram and LinkedIn show you a preview of how the carousel will look.
If your slides are being cropped unexpectedly, check that your Canva canvas size matches the target platform's dimensions.

Slides Appear Out of Order

When selecting multiple images for upload, make sure you pick them in the correct sequence (slide 1 first, then 2, 3, etc.)
If your exported files don't sort correctly, rename them with numbers (e.g. slide-01.png, slide-02.png, slide-03.png) so they sort in the right order.
Some platforms allow you to reorder images after selecting them — double-check the order before posting.

Export Fails in Canva

Check your internet connection
Try refreshing the Canva page and downloading again
If the issue persists, try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
Clear your browser cache and try again

Next Steps

Customize your design before exporting for the best results
Create carousels in your language for audiences around the world
Getting started — Full walkthrough from prompt to published post

Need help? Contact our support team.