September 24, 2026 · Carousai Team
How to make a TikTok photo carousel
TikTok Photo Mode is a carousel of still images that viewers can swipe at their own pace. You can add music, a caption, text, stickers, and other publishing details while keeping the content readable like a visual guide.
Photo Mode versus video
Video controls the pace; Photo Mode lets the viewer decide how long to spend on each idea. TikTok introduced Photo Mode for high-quality photo content that can advance automatically or be swiped manually.
Recommended slide sizes
| Format | Canvas | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 px | Primary TikTok format that fills a phone screen. |
| Vertical 3:4 | 1080 × 1440 px | Useful when adapting an Instagram carousel with extra safe space. |
| Square 1:1 | 1080 × 1080 px | Reusable assets, but with less screen presence. |
Safe zones: TikTok controls cover parts of the right and bottom edges. Keep headlines, faces, logos, and important details toward the center.
How many photos can you add?
The current TikTok posting guide allows up to 35 photos in one photo post. Treat that as a maximum, not a target. Five to ten strong slides are often enough for a focused tutorial or story.
A strong slide sequence
- Cover: make a specific promise or open a useful question.
- Reason to swipe: establish the problem, tension, or context.
- Main slides: use one step, mistake, example, or story beat per screen.
- Conclusion: summarize the result.
- Next action: invite a save, comment, or follow-up.
Ideas for TikTok carousels
- mistakes and step-by-step tutorials;
- before-and-after stories;
- tool, book, outfit, or destination collections;
- case-study breakdowns;
- photo diaries with short captions;
- educational posts that need more reading time than video allows.
Copy, design, and music
Use large type, short explanations, and high contrast. Keep the same fonts and colors while varying the composition enough to maintain attention. Choose music after the slide story works without it; the soundtrack should support the mood, not hide a weak structure.
Create the slides in Carousai
Use Carousai to turn a topic or draft into a sequence, choose 9:16, 3:4, or 1:1, apply a brand style, and add photos or video. Export the images in order, open TikTok's photo posting flow, and add the final music and caption there.