# How to post on Instagram in 2026: photos, carousels, stories and PC

Ana Ibáñez Lario · Published 18 Oct 2026 · Research

_How to post on Instagram, checked against Instagram's help center on 18 October 2026: the steps for photos, carousels, videos, stories, posting from a PC, reposting and collab posts, with sizes and fixes._

![How to post on Instagram: a potter in an apron photographs three handmade bowls and a yellow mug from above with her phone on a studio worktable](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/tz7vebuf/production/fe3b6bfc34286af17bbcda831580ae86731d87c0-3200x1800.jpg?w=1200&auto=format)

_How to post on Instagram: a potter photographs her new bowls on the studio worktable, ready to share them as a post._

## The short answer

To post on Instagram, tap Create (+), tap POST, pick a photo (or SELECT MULTIPLE for up to 20), tap Next, crop and filter, tap Next, write a caption and tap Share. On a computer, go to instagram.com and click Create, then Post, then Select from computer.

- Photos go up at 1,080 pixels wide, in any shape from 1.91:1 to 3:4. 1,080 x 1,440 takes the most room in the feed.
- Captions allow 2,200 characters but only 5 hashtags. More than 5 and the caption won't post.
- Stories can only be posted from the phone app. Photos, carousels and videos also work at instagram.com.
- Instagram's own Repost button shares public posts to a Reposts tab on your profile.
- Postdom makes Instagram posts from your website and posts the ones you approve. Starter is $39 a month for 30 posts; Starter, Growth and Scale start with a 7-day free trial.

Here's how to post on Instagram: open the app, tap Create (the + button) or swipe right from your Feed, then tap POST and pick a photo or video. Tap Next, crop it and add a filter, tap Next again, write a caption, add a location or tag people, and tap Share. It's live on your profile straight away.

If you post for a business, our top pick is [Postdom](https://postdom.com/), the AI social media tool. Paste your website and Postdom makes Instagram posts from it in your brand: short videos that go out as reels, slideshows that go out as carousels, and single images. You approve the ones you like and Postdom posts them to Instagram on your schedule, along with TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn and other platforms if you want. Paid plans start with [Starter at $39 a month for 30 posts](/pricing). Starter, Growth and Scale start with a 7-day free trial, and you can cancel anytime.

> **Skip the posting routine: get Instagram posts made from your website**
>
> Paste your website. Postdom makes the photo posts, carousels and reels in your brand, and posts the ones you approve. Starter: 30 posts a month for $39, with a 7-day free trial.
>
> [Make my first post](https://app.postdom.com/signup/website?src=blog:how-to-post-on-instagram-intro&utm_source=postdom_blog&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=how-to-post-on-instagram&utm_content=intro)

We checked every step and limit below against [Instagram's help center](https://help.instagram.com/442418472487929) on 18 October 2026, on the iPhone app and on instagram.com in a desktop browser. Android labels are the same or very close; menus can move after an app update.

## How to post on Instagram, step by step

These are the steps for a photo post in the Instagram app on iPhone or Android:

1. **Open Create.** Tap Create (+) at the top of your Feed, or swipe right anywhere in Feed.
2. **Tap POST.** It's one of the options at the bottom, next to STORY and REEL.
3. **Pick your photo.** Tap a photo from your phone's library, or tap Take photo to shoot a new one. Tap SELECT MULTIPLE if you want more than one.
4. **Crop it.** Pinch or drag to set how the photo sits in the frame, then tap Next.
5. **Edit it.** Tap a filter at the bottom, or use the edit tools to adjust the light and colour. Tap Next.
6. **Write a caption.** Tap Write a caption and add your text, mentions and up to 5 hashtags.
7. **Add the details.** Tap Tag people, Add location or Add music. Under More options you can write alt text.
8. **Tap Share.** The post goes to your profile and your followers' Feeds. To post it later instead, turn on Schedule this post under More options first.

Hashtags are capped at 5 a post: Instagram's [hashtag help page](https://help.instagram.com/351460621611097) says that if you include more than 5, the caption won't post. Captions can run to 2,200 characters, but the app cuts them after the first line or two, so the opening line has to do the work. Our [Instagram captions](/blog/instagram-captions) guide has examples and formulas for that first line.

> **Doing these eight steps every day? Hand them to Postdom**
>
> Postdom makes each post from your website, writes the caption and schedules it once you approve. Starter: 30 posts a month for $39, with a 7-day free trial.
>
> [Get my posts made](https://app.postdom.com/signup/website?src=blog:how-to-post-on-instagram-steps&utm_source=postdom_blog&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=how-to-post-on-instagram&utm_content=steps)

## How to make a post on Instagram

Tapping Share is the easy part. How to make a post on Instagram that people stop for comes down to four choices you make before you open the app: the format, the size, the first line and the description.

### 1. Pick the format

- **Single photo:** one image in the feed. Quick to make, easy to skip past.
- **Carousel:** up to 20 photos and videos people swipe through, in one post. Best for steps, lists and before-and-after. See [how to make a carousel on Instagram](/blog/how-to-make-a-carousel-on-instagram).
- **Reel:** a vertical video, up to 20 minutes. It's the format Instagram recommends to people who don't follow you yet. See [how to make a reel on Instagram](/blog/how-to-make-a-reel-on-instagram).
- **Story:** a photo or video that disappears after 24 hours unless you save it to a highlight.

### 2. Size it before you post

Instagram shares photos at up to 1,080 pixels wide. Any shape between 1.91:1 (wide) and 3:4 (tall) is kept as it is, so a 1,080 x 1,440 portrait takes the most room in the feed, per Instagram's [image resolution page](https://help.instagram.com/1631821640426723). Stories and reels fill the screen at 9:16. Our [Instagram post size](/platforms/instagram/post-size) reference lists every format.

![Chart of Instagram post sizes: portrait 3:4 at 1080 x 1440, portrait 4:5 at 1080 x 1350, square 1080 x 1080, landscape 1080 x 566, and story or reel 1080 x 1920](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/tz7vebuf/production/f94b24b7ea1606fbc7fc4b0ea83f18940c2ed74b-3200x1800.png?w=1200&auto=format)

_Instagram post sizes for each shape, plus the limits that apply when you post: 20 items a carousel, 2,200 caption characters, 5 hashtags and 25 scheduled posts a day._

_Instagram post types, sizes and limits (Instagram Help Center, checked 18 October 2026)_

| Post type | Best size | Limit | Where to start |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Photo | 1,080 x 1,440 (3:4) or 1,080 x 1,350 (4:5) | Shape between 1.91:1 and 3:4 | Create, then POST |
| Carousel | Same shape for every slide | Up to 20 photos and videos | POST, then SELECT MULTIPLE |
| Reel | 1,080 x 1,920 (9:16) | Up to 20 minutes; over 3 minutes isn't shown to new audiences | Create, then REEL |
| Story | 1,080 x 1,920 (9:16) | Gone after 24 hours unless saved to a highlight | Create, then STORY |
| Caption | First line visible | 2,200 characters, 5 hashtags | Write a caption |
| Scheduled post | Any of the above except stories | 25 a day, up to 30 days ahead, public accounts | More options, then Schedule this post |

Text and faces near the edges can end up under Instagram's buttons on stories and reels. Our free [Instagram safe zone](/tools/instagram-safe-zone) overlay shows where to keep them.

### 3. Write the first line

The app shows the first line or two of a caption and hides the rest behind "more". Lead with the useful part: the tip, the price, the result. Stuck for words? Postdom's free [Instagram caption generator](/tools/instagram-caption-generator) reads your website and writes 3 captions for your business.

### 4. Describe the photo

Alt text is the description a screen reader reads out. Instagram writes one automatically, but you can replace it: before you share, tap More options, then Write alt text. After you've posted, tap Options (the three dots), Edit, then Edit Alt Text, per Instagram's [alt text help page](https://help.instagram.com/503708446705527).

## How to post multiple photos on Instagram

To post several photos as one post, make a carousel. Instagram's [carousel help page](https://help.instagram.com/269314186824048) lists the steps:

1. Tap Create (+) at the top of your Feed, then tap POST.
2. Tap SELECT MULTIPLE and pick up to 20 photos and videos, in the order you want them.
3. Tap each one to adjust its crop. The shape you choose (square, portrait or landscape) applies to every slide. Tap Next.
4. Tap a filter to apply it to all slides, or tap a single slide to edit it on its own. Tap and hold a slide to drag it to a new spot. Tap Next.
5. Choose Single caption for one caption, or Multiple captions to write one for each slide.
6. Tag people on each slide if you need to, add a location, and tap Share.

People see the first slide with a row of dots under it and swipe for the rest. After you post, you can still reorder or remove slides and edit the captions, but you can't add new ones. Videos inside a carousel aren't treated as reels, so they won't show in the Reels tab. Our [carousel guide](/blog/how-to-make-a-carousel-on-instagram) covers sizes, music and ideas that get saved.

## How to post a video on Instagram

On the current app, a single video you share goes out as a reel; Instagram's help center lists video posting under [Record a reel](https://help.instagram.com/2720958398006062). To post one:

1. Tap Create (+), then tap REEL.
2. Tap the camera roll in the bottom left and pick your video, or tap and hold Record to film a new one.
3. Tap Next. Trim the clip, then add music, text, stickers or captions.
4. Tap Next, choose a cover, write a caption and add up to 5 hashtags.
5. Tap Share.

Reels can be up to 20 minutes long, but Instagram says reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences. Upload vertical video at 9:16, at least 720 pixels and 30 frames per second. A video inside a carousel stays part of that post and doesn't become a reel. For editing, music, templates and ideas, see our full guide on [how to make a reel on Instagram](/blog/how-to-make-a-reel-on-instagram).

> **No time to film? Get reels made from your website**
>
> Postdom turns what's on your site into short videos with the hook on screen, music and captions, ready for you to approve. Starter: 30 posts a month for $39, with a 7-day free trial.
>
> [Make my first reel](/ai-reel-maker?utm_source=postdom_blog&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=how-to-post-on-instagram&utm_content=video)

## How to post a story on Instagram

Stories sit at the top of your followers' Feeds for 24 hours. Instagram's [story help page](https://help.instagram.com/1257341144298972) gives these steps:

1. Tap Create (+) at the top of your Feed, or swipe right anywhere in Feed.
2. Scroll to STORY at the bottom.
3. Tap Record to take a photo, or tap and hold to record a video. To use something you already have, swipe up anywhere on the screen to open your camera roll.
4. Tap Draw, Text or Sticker to add to it. Drag anything you don't want to the delete icon at the bottom.
5. Tap Your Story in the bottom left to share it.

A video up to 60 seconds plays as one story; longer videos are split into several clips. To keep a story on your profile after 24 hours, add it to a highlight. You can't post a story from a computer: Instagram's help center lists it as a phone app feature only.

## How to post on Instagram from PC

You can post photos, carousels and videos from any computer at instagram.com, in a browser. These are the steps from Instagram's [computer help](https://help.instagram.com/442418472487929):

1. Go to instagram.com and log in.
2. Click Create on the left, then click Post.
3. Click Select from computer, or drag files into the window. Photos can be JPG, PNG or HEIC. Pick more than one to make a carousel.
4. Choose the size (original, square, portrait or landscape) and click Next.
5. Click Filters or Adjustments to edit, then click Next.
6. Write your caption and add a location. Click Accessibility to write alt text, or Advanced settings to turn off comments.
7. Click Share.

The same steps work on a Mac. A computer can't post stories, and music and some effects are only in the app. To schedule from a computer, use Meta Business Suite; to schedule from your phone, see [how to schedule Instagram posts](/blog/how-to-schedule-instagram-posts).

## How to repost on Instagram

Instagram now has its own Repost button. Per its [repost help page](https://help.instagram.com/1743992069496286), the feature may not be available to everyone yet:

1. Open a public post or reel you want to share.
2. Tap Repost under it.
3. To add a note, tap the bubble by your profile picture in the bottom left, type it and tap Save.

The repost appears in a Reposts tab on your profile, and your followers may see it in their Feeds. You can only repost the original creator's post, not someone else's repost, and only if the creator allows reposts. To undo it, tap Repost again. To stop others reposting your own posts, go to your profile, tap Menu, then Sharing and reuse, and turn off Reposts on posts and reels.

### Share a post to your story instead

To put someone's post in your story, tap Share under it, tap Add to story, tap Next, then Share, following Instagram's [steps for sharing a post to your story](https://help.instagram.com/1013375002134043). It only works for public accounts that allow resharing, and everyone who sees it can tap through to the original.

## How to collab post on Instagram

A collab post appears on two profiles at once and shares one set of likes and comments. It's how brands, venues and creators co-publish a launch or an event.

1. Make your photo post, carousel or reel as usual, up to the caption screen.
2. Tap Tag people, then tap Invite collaborator.
3. Search for the account, select it and tap Done.
4. Tap Share. The other account gets an invite, and once they accept, the post shows on their profile too.

Menus vary by account, so if you don't see Invite collaborator, update the app. One limit is official: Instagram's [scheduling help page](https://help.instagram.com/439971288310029) says collaborative posts can't be scheduled, so share collab posts live.

## Ways to post on Instagram, compared

There are four common ways to post on Instagram. Postdom is our top pick for businesses, because it makes the posts as well as posting them, so all you do is approve.

_Ways to post on Instagram, compared (checked 18 October 2026)_

| Way | Best for | What you do | Cost |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Postdom (top pick) | Businesses that want to post every week without making each post | Paste your website, approve the posts you like. Postdom makes them and posts them on your schedule | Starter $39 a month for 30 posts, with a 7-day free trial |
| 2. The Instagram app | One-off posts, stories and reels you film yourself | Make, edit and post each one by hand; schedule up to 25 a day | Free |
| 3. instagram.com on a computer | Photos and videos already on your computer | Create, then Post, then Select from computer. No stories | Free |
| 4. Meta Business Suite | Scheduling from a computer | Upload and schedule posts you've already made | Free |

Postdom posts to professional Instagram accounts (business or creator), which is what Meta's publishing API supports. Personal accounts can't be connected.

> **Want the posts made, not just scheduled?**
>
> Postdom reads your website and makes posts in your colours, fonts and logo, then posts each one you approve to Instagram. Starter: 30 posts a month for $39, with a 7-day free trial.
>
> [Make posts from my website](https://app.postdom.com/signup/website?src=blog:how-to-post-on-instagram-compare&utm_source=postdom_blog&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=how-to-post-on-instagram&utm_content=compare)

## Post on Instagram every week with Postdom

[Postdom](https://postdom.com/) reads your website and makes Instagram posts about what you sell: short videos with the hook written on screen, music and captions; slideshows that publish as carousels; and single images. Each one comes in your brand, with a caption written for it. You approve, edit or reject each one, and Postdom learns from what you choose.

Approved posts go out to Instagram on the schedule you set, and to TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and other platforms if you connect them. Nothing goes out until you approve it. Once 9 of your last 10 posts of one kind go through without edits, Postdom offers to post that kind for you.

- **Starter, $39 a month:** 30 posts a month on up to 3 accounts, and you can turn the watermark off.
- **Growth, $99 a month:** 60 posts a month on up to 10 accounts.
- **Free trial:** 7 days on Starter, Growth and Scale. Cancel anytime.

Prefer to design a carousel yourself first? Postdom's [carousel maker](/carousel-maker) makes one from your website for free.

## When and how often to post on Instagram

Buffer's study of 9.6 million Instagram posts advises posting 3 to 5 times a week. For timing, the one window where Sprout Social, Hootsuite and Buffer all agree is Tuesday between 3 and 7pm in your audience's local time. Our guide to the [best time to post on Instagram](/blog/best-time-to-post-on-instagram) breaks it down by day and timezone.

You don't have to be online at that time. Public accounts can schedule up to 25 posts a day, up to 30 days ahead, straight from the app: before you share, tap More options, turn on Schedule this post and pick a time. Our guide on [how to schedule Instagram posts](/blog/how-to-schedule-instagram-posts) has the full steps, including how to change a scheduled post.

> **Post 3 to 5 times a week without making every post**
>
> Postdom fills your Instagram schedule with posts made from your website. You approve them in a few minutes a week. Starter: 30 posts a month for $39, with a 7-day free trial.
>
> [See plans](https://postdom.com/pricing?utm_source=postdom_blog&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=how-to-post-on-instagram&utm_content=cadence)

## What to check before you tap Share

Our own studies of short videos and photo carousels (data collected September to October 2026) point to a few habits worth checking on every post:

- **Make lists and steps into carousels.** In our study of what people save, 565 TikTok photo carousels, the same swipe format as Instagram carousels, drew a median 51 saves per 100 likes against 11 for videos. [What people save](/blog/what-people-save-on-tiktok) has the method.
- **Use 5 to 7 slides.** Across 1,018 TikTok slideshows from 129 accounts, posts with 5 to 7 slides drew 1.71 times the views of the same account's other slideshows; 2 to 4 slides drew 0.40 times.
- **Put a reel's hook on screen, near the top.** On the 35 Reels in our study with the hook written in the top part of the frame, views were 1.58 times the same account's other Reels.
- **Keep the sales pitch off the last slide.** Slideshows that ended on a hard ask such as "book now" drew 0.52 times the account's usual views. Put the offer in the caption.
- **Check the crop.** Look at the post in the preview, on the shape you chose, before sharing.

These numbers compare posts within the same account, from samples that include each account's best and worst posts, so trust the direction more than the exact size of each effect.

## Why you can't post on Instagram

If Share does nothing or a post is stuck, work through these:

- **Stuck on uploading:** switch from mobile data to Wi-Fi or the other way round, then try again. Carousels with several videos take longest.
- **Caption won't post:** count the hashtags. More than 5 and Instagram won't post the caption.
- **Photo cropped:** the shape is outside 1.91:1 to 3:4. Resize to 1,080 x 1,350 or 1,080 x 1,440 and upload again.
- **Can't schedule:** scheduling needs a public account, and collab posts, product tags, sponsored posts and fundraisers can't be scheduled.
- **Can't post a story from a computer:** stories are phone-only. Use the app.
- **No Repost button:** Instagram is still rolling it out, and creators can switch reposts off. Share the post to your story instead.
- **Something else:** update the app, restart your phone and try again on a different connection.

Need to fix a post that's already live? Tap Options (the three dots) on it, then Edit, to change the caption, alt text, location or tags, per Instagram's [caption help page](https://help.instagram.com/1490745927855762). To post the same way on TikTok, see our guide on [how to post on TikTok](/blog/how-to-post-on-tiktok).

> **Get your next month of Instagram posts made from your website**
>
> Paste your website and Postdom makes reels, carousels and single images in your brand, then posts the ones you approve to Instagram. Starter: 30 posts a month for $39, with a 7-day free trial.
>
> [Make my Instagram posts](https://app.postdom.com/signup/website?src=blog:how-to-post-on-instagram-end&utm_source=postdom_blog&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=how-to-post-on-instagram&utm_content=end)

## FAQ

**How do you post on Instagram step by step?**

Tap Create (+) at the top of your Feed, tap POST, pick a photo or tap SELECT MULTIPLE for up to 20, and tap Next. Crop and add a filter, tap Next, write a caption, add tags or a location, then tap Share.

**What is the easiest way to post on Instagram?**

In the app: tap Create, tap POST, pick a photo, tap Next twice, write a caption and tap Share. If you post for a business, the easiest way to post every week is Postdom: paste your website, approve the posts it makes, and it posts them to Instagram for you. Starter is $39 a month for 30 posts, with a 7-day free trial.

**How many photos can you post on Instagram at once?**

Up to 20 photos and videos in one carousel post, as of October 2026. They all share one shape: square, portrait or landscape.

**Can you post on Instagram from a computer?**

Yes. Go to instagram.com, click Create, click Post, then Select from computer. You can post photos, carousels and videos, but not stories.

**How do you repost on Instagram?**

Tap Repost under a public post or reel, and add a note if you like. It appears in a Reposts tab on your profile. The feature isn't available to everyone yet, and creators can turn it off. You can also tap Share, then Add to story.

**Can you edit an Instagram post after posting?**

Yes. Tap Options (the three dots) on the post, then Edit. You can change the caption, alt text, location and tags, and reorder or remove carousel slides, but you can't add new photos.

**How many hashtags can you use on Instagram?**

Up to 5 a post. If a caption has more than 5, Instagram won't post it.

**What is the 5-3-1 rule on Instagram?**

It's an informal content-mix rule, not an Instagram setting: for every 9 posts, about 5 give something useful, 3 start a conversation and 1 promotes what you sell. Instagram doesn't publish a rule like it, so treat it as a starting point and keep what your own numbers back up.

**How often should you post on Instagram?**

Buffer's study of 9.6 million Instagram posts advises 3 to 5 posts a week. Posting regularly matters more than posting a lot.

---

Canonical: https://postdom.com/blog/how-to-post-on-instagram