A practical guide I compiled after testing and reviewing current best practices. It includes technical specs, Photoshop setup, tool recommendations, and accurate preview info. Based on multiple trusted sources.

creating-linkedin-carousels-2025.md

Ultimate Guide: Creating LinkedIn Carousels in Photoshop (2025)

1. Planning and Storyboarding

Define Your Objective

Decide if your carousel is for:

• Education
• Storytelling
• Brand awareness
• Lead generation

For best practices on goal setting and storyboarding, see [Expandi: LinkedIn Carousel Guide]¹.

Storyboard Your Content

• Each slide should focus on one clear idea
• Plan a logical sequence: Hook → Value → CTA
• Keep slides modular for screenshot sharing

Think Mobile-First

• Most views are on mobile (over 80% as of 2025)²³
• Use vertical (4:5) or square (1:1) formats²³

2. Technical Specifications

Aspect Ratios

• Recommended: 1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5)³²
• Alternative: 1080 x 1080 pixels (1:1)¹⁴⁵

Safe Margins

• Add guides 80px from each edge to avoid cropping on mobile²

Resolution

• Set to 72 PPI (DPI is not relevant for digital viewing)²

File Types

• Best: PDF (multi-page)²³
• Fallbacks: PNG (for images/graphics), JPEG (photos)²⁶
• Note: GIFs are not supported inside carousels on LinkedIn (except for static GIFs in ads, not regular document carousels)¹²

File Size

• Max size: 10MB per PDF (for best compatibility; LinkedIn technically allows up to 100MB for document posts, but 10MB is safest)⁷²³
  • Keep it smaller for faster loading

Slide Count

• Optimal: 3–10 slides for engagement⁷²
  • Minimum: 2 slides required²¹
  • Maximum: LinkedIn supports up to 300 pages (slides), but best practice is 5–15 for engagement²

3. Designing in Photoshop

Create a New Document

• File > New > 1080x1350px, 72 PPI, white background²³

Add Safe Margin Guides

• View > New Guide
  • Vertical: 80px, 1000px
  • Horizontal: 80px, 1270px

Design the First Slide

• Use layers for structure
• Headlines: ~40–60 pt (test at 25% zoom for mobile readability)³²
• Body text: ~24–36 pt³²
• Text Length: 10–15 words/slide for mobile readability²
• Maintain visual hierarchy and brand consistency³²
• Use icons, images, or diagrams to support messaging

Duplicate for More Slides

• Use Artboards to manage all slides in one file
• Keep layout consistent

Export Your Slides

Option 1:

• File > Export > Quick Export as PNG (assemble into PDF later)

Option 2:

• File > Automate > PDF Presentation (multi-page)

Alternative:

• Export PNGs, compress via TinyPNG/ImageOptim, combine with Adobe Acrobat or online tools (e.g., SmallPDF)

4. Uploading to LinkedIn

1. Log in to LinkedIn
2. Click “Start a post”
3. Click the document icon to upload PDF
   • If you don’t see the icon, click the + or More button
4. Add a descriptive title
5. Write a caption with context and hashtags
6. Click "Post" or use scheduling tools⁷²⁶

4a. LinkedIn Carousel Preview: What to Expect (2025)

When you upload a PDF for a LinkedIn document post (carousel), LinkedIn generates an interactive preview during the post creation process:

• You can click through all the slides/pages.
• You see how slides will be ordered and cropped.
• This preview is available on both desktop and mobile, before publishing.

Limitations:

• The preview does not show the exact in-feed navigation arrows or UI overlays.
• It is not a standalone simulator — you must be inside the post creation flow to access it.
• There may be subtle differences in font rendering or cropping on mobile.

Best Practice

LinkedIn provides an interactive preview of your entire PDF carousel during upload. This allows you to verify slide order, cropping, and layout before publishing. However, it does not fully replicate the experience users will have in the feed. To ensure maximum accuracy, review the final post on both desktop and mobile after publishing—or use a private group or test account when experimenting.²⁷

5. Best Practices

Branding

• Use consistent fonts, colors, and logos³²

Readability

• Simulate mobile view at 25% zoom
• Use large fonts and high contrast³²

Visual Cues & Navigation (2025 Update)

LinkedIn carousels now have highly visible built-in swipe buttons and navigation arrows on both mobile and desktop. You do NOT need to add "Swipe left" or arrow cues to every slide. Add subtle cues (like a small arrow or slide numbers, e.g., “Slide 3/8”) only if:

• Your audience is less familiar with carousels,
• You’re telling a story that benefits from progress tracking,
• Or you want to reinforce the action for a specific campaign.

For most audiences, let LinkedIn’s interface handle navigation and keep your slides clean and uncluttered.²

Caption Strategy

• Treat the caption like a micro-blog
• Include intro + bullet points + CTA

Content Types

• How-tos / Frameworks / Myth-busting
• Visual storytelling or transformation journeys

5a. Accessibility Tips

• Use high contrast for legibility
• Don’t rely solely on color to convey meaning
• Avoid thin fonts; use sans-serif when possible

5b. Performance and Iteration

• Track performance metrics: views, comments, click-through
• A/B test:
  • First slide (curiosity vs. bold statement)
  • Slide count
  • Visual density

6. Tools for Creating LinkedIn Carousels (2025)

Tool	Type	Key Features	Pricing (2025)	Link
Canva	Free/Paid	Templates, branding kits, drag-and-drop	Free / Pro from $12.99/mo	canva.com
Figma	Free/Paid	Collaboration, vector editing, prototyping	Free / Pro from $12/mo	figma.com
aiCarousels	Free/Paid	AI-based slide generation and resize	Free / Pro from $14.95/mo	aicarousels.com
Taplio	Free/Paid	AI repurposing, smart editor	Free / Paid from $39/mo	taplio.com
CarouselMaker	Free/Paid	Prompt-based carousel generator	Free / Paid plans	carouselmaker.com
Draftly	Free	Simple tool, no sign-up needed	Free	draftly.so/linkedin-carousel-maker
Supergrow.ai	Free/Paid	AI content generation, team workflows	Free trial / Paid from $19/mo	supergrow.ai
Bannerbear API	Paid	Programmatic generation of branded slides	Paid via API usage	bannerbear.com
Postnitro	Paid	Text-to-carousel with templates	Paid from $14/mo	postnitro.com

Disclaimer

Prices and features may vary by region, plan, or promotional offers. Always check the official tool website for the most current pricing and details. Some tools may change their plans or introduce new features throughout the year.

For example, Taplio’s paid plans may start at $39/month for basic features, but higher tiers or team plans can cost more. Supergrow.ai’s starter plan is $19/month, with team plans up to $99/month. Postnitro’s pricing starts at $14/month according to recent comparisons. Canva and Figma offer free plans with Pro features starting at $12.99/mo and $12/mo, respectively.

All links and prices have been verified as of June 2025 using the latest available sources and official tool pages. Please note that some tools may have updated their pricing or plans since publication.

7. Advanced Tips & Tricks

• Design for Screenshot Circulation: Make every slide work on its own.
• Start Value on Slide 2: Slide 1 is previewed, but Slide 2 should deliver immediate value.
• Use Versioning: Create V1/V2 versions and monitor which format performs better.
• Include Micro-CTAs: Try "Save this for later" or "Try this tip."

8. References & Further Reading

• [Expandi: LinkedIn Carousel Guide]¹ – How to create effective carousels, best practices, and examples.
• [UseVisuals: Best Practices]³ – Technical specs, design tips, and trends for 2025.
• [RedactAI: Carousel Creation]⁷ – Step-by-step guide and technical requirements.
• [StoryChief: Carousel Strategy]⁴ – Content strategy and engagement tips.
• [LinkedIn Help: Carousel Ads Specs]² – Official LinkedIn advertising specifications.
• [Metricool: LinkedIn PDF Carousels]⁶ – Guide to creating and optimizing PDF carousels.
• [Magnettu: LinkedIn Sizes and Specs]⁸ – Up-to-date image and video specifications for LinkedIn.
• [PostNitro: Ultimate Professional Guide]⁵ – Detailed guide on LinkedIn carousel posts for 2025.
• [Sarah Socha: From Zero to Viral]⁹ – Practical tips for LinkedIn carousel success.
• [YouTube: Create a Carousel in 5 Minutes]¹⁰ – Quick tutorial for Photoshop workflow.

Note: The reference numbers in the guide above correspond to the numbered links at the bottom for clarity and easy navigation. This ensures every claim, best practice, and technical detail is verifiable and up-to-date for 2025.

Footnotes

1. https://expandi.io/blog/linkedin-carousel/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a427022 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³

3. https://usevisuals.com/blog/linkedin-carousel-post-best-practices ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹²

4. https://storychief.io/blog/linkedin-carousels ↩ ↩²

5. https://postnitro.ai/blog/post/linkedin-carousel-posts-ultimate-professional-guide-for-2025 ↩ ↩²

6. https://metricool.com/linkedin-pdf-carousels/ ↩ ↩² ↩³

7. https://redactai.io/blog/linkedin-how-to-create-carousel ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

8. https://www.magnettu.com/en/blog/sizes-and-specifications-of-images-and-videos-on-linkedin ↩

9. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-zero-viral-mastering-linkedin-carousels-minutes-sarah-socha-vbxze ↩

10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1Eb2PCSe_0 ↩

The information provided here is spot on!

Haha, curious to know which one is your favorite? :D

The information provided here is spot on!

Haha, curious to know which one is your favorite? :D

Thanks! I still use Photoshop for most of it — old habits. But Figma does seem to be the go-to for a lot of people now.

The information provided here is spot on!
Haha, curious to know which one is your favorite? :D

Thanks! I still use Photoshop for most of it — old habits. But Figma does seem to be the go-to for a lot of people now.

Figma is too good!

Ours is more focused towards helping non-designers or people who want to make graphics faster.

I will reach out to you to review our v2 :)