How To Create A LinkedIn Carousel In 2026 [Examples + Tutorials]

In late 2023, LinkedIn removed native organic carousel uploads. However, LinkedIn carousels are still thriving in 2026, just in a different format.

Here’s what this means:

LinkedIn didn’t kill carousel-style content. It removed the native carousel post type. Today, carousels live on as document posts, where creators upload multi-page PDFs that render as swipeable slides in the feed.

This workaround has become one of the most effective organic content formats on LinkedIn far as content marketing goes.

PDF carousels consistently outperform plain text posts by holding attention longer, encouraging swipes, and driving deeper engagement. Especially for educational, step-by-step, and visual content. And the longer people spend on your posts (this is called dwell time), the more likely you’ll gain bigger reach and engagement.

To put this guide together, I looked at the best practices the biggest LinkedIn creators are using today, including how they structure carousel slides, write hooks, and design PDF documents that consistently drive engagement.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What is a LinkedIn carousel and how does it work?
• LinkedIn carousels in 2026 (native vs PDF method)
• LinkedIn carousel specs, sizes, and requirements (updated for 2026)
• How to post a LinkedIn carousel step by step
• 5 Proven LinkedIn carousel formats with examples
• 7 Best practices for LinkedIn carousels in 2026
• 3 Best tools to create quality carousels

Key Takeaways

How to post a LinkedIn carousel (PDF method)

1. Start a new post on LinkedIn.
2. Click Add a document.
3. Upload a multi-page PDF (each page becomes a swipeable slide).
4. Add a clear document title.
5. Write a short caption to introduce the carousel.
6. Publish.

Best practices to make your carousel perform

• Start with a strong hook: The first slide must stop the scroll and make people want to swipe.
• Keep one idea per slide: Simple, focused slides improve completion rate.
• Optimize for mobile: Use readable fonts and layouts that work on small screens.
• Use 3-10 slides: Short, concise carousels tend to outperform long documents.
• End with a clear CTA: Ask readers to comment, save, or share to boost engagement.

What Is a LinkedIn Carousel Post and How Does It Work?

A LinkedIn carousel post is a document-based post where a multi-page file (most commonly a PDF) is uploaded and displayed as swipeable slides directly in the LinkedIn feed. Each page of the document becomes a slide users can swipe through on desktop or mobile, creating the same interactive experience that native carousel posts once offered.

In practice, LinkedIn carousels are now PDF carousels. They are published as document posts, not image or text posts, but function the same way from a user’s perspective: swipe, scroll, engage.

This format works especially well for:

• Breaking down complex ideas into digestible steps.
• Sharing frameworks, checklists, or tutorials.
• Telling a story across multiple slides.
• Increasing dwell time on a post through swipe interactions. In general, the longer someone spends reading your post, the more likely LinkedIn is to push it to bigger audiences.

Because users must actively swipe to continue reading, carousel posts naturally encourage deeper engagement than single-frame posts. 

According to Buffer, carousels tend to outperform average posts in both impressions and click-throughs. After analyzing 1 million social posts sent through Buffer, they found that carousels earned 278% more engagement than videos, 303% more than images, and a massive 596% more than text-only posts

That’s why many top creators and B2B marketers still rely on carousels as a core LinkedIn content format in 2026.

Who should use LinkedIn carousels?

LinkedIn carousels aren’t for everyone. But for the right use cases, they’re one of the most effective content formats on the platform.

You should use LinkedIn carousels if you want to:

• Educate or explain something that’s hard to communicate in a single text post (frameworks, processes, step-by-step guides, breakdowns).
• Build authority in a niche by packaging expertise into skimmable, visual content.
• Increase dwell time and engagement through swipe-based interaction.
• Tell a structured story (problem → insight → solution → CTA).
• Repurpose long-form content (blogs, threads, presentations) into LinkedIn-native posts.
• Be instantly recognized by your brand or visuals.

Carousels work especially well for:

• B2B marketers and founders.
• Consultants and agency owners.
• Sales and GTM leaders.
• Creators focused on personal branding.
• Teams sharing insights, playbooks, or internal frameworks publicly.

If your content relies on clarity, structure, and value density, carousels give you more surface area to communicate without overwhelming the reader.

But keep in mind, you need a strong content strategy to succeed. And carousels tend to take longer than regular text posts. So, if you’re going to be posting carousels, you’ll need to make sure they’re:

• Visually consistent.
• Follow your brand.
• Visually high quality (Canva or designer).

Do LinkedIn Carousels Still Exist? (Native vs PDF Method)

In short, yes, LinkedIn carousels still exist in 2026, but not in the same way they used to.

If you look up LinkedIn carousel post examples, you might see people talking about how the feature has been long gone since 2023. 

Here’s the important distinction:

In late 2023, LinkedIn removed native organic carousel uploads. This means you can no longer upload images directly and have them appear as a swipeable carousel post.

However, carousels did not disappear from the platform.

What was removed

• Native image-based carousel uploads for organic posts.
• The ability to upload multiple images and swipe through them as a carousel.

What still works (and works well)

• Document posts using PDFs.
• Each page of a PDF is rendered as a swipeable slide, creating the same carousel experience.
• Carousel ads were never removed and are still fully supported.

This PDF-based approach is now the standard and officially supported way to create LinkedIn carousel posts organically.

The key difference is how you create and upload them, not how they appear in the feed.

LinkedIn Carousel Specs & Requirements (Updated for 2026)

LinkedIn carousel performance depends on how your carousel is designed and structured.

So, it’s important you get this step right.

Below is a clear breakdown of official limits versus recommended design specs according to LinkedIn

Official LinkedIn document (carousel) limits

These are the hard limits enforced by LinkedIn:

Requirement	Limit
Supported file types	PDF, PPT, PPTX, DOC, DOCX
Maximum file size	100 MB
Maximum pages	300 pages
Upload method	Document post (“add a document”)
Organic carousels	PDF/document method only
Carousel ads	Still supported separately

Even though LinkedIn allows very large documents, most high-performing carousel posts use far fewer pages.

Recommended LinkedIn carousel design specs and sizes

Just because you can upload a 300 page LinkedIn carousel, doesn’t mean you should as that would be very hard and not UX-friendly to navigate through.

These are performance-driven recommendations for LinkedIn carousels

Design element	Recommendation
Slide per carousel	3-10 slides
Slide format	Square (1:1) or vertical
Recommended dimensions	1080×1080 px or 1080×1350 px
Text per slide	One clear idea per slide
Font size	Large enough to read on mobile
File type	PDF (most reliable)

Here’s why this matters:

Most LinkedIn users browse on mobile, around 70%+, according to Analyzify.

Slides that are easy to read, visually consistent, and quick to swipe through tend to generate higher completion rates and more engagement.

Important notes to avoid common mistakes

• Don’t confuse allowed limits with what performs well. A 50-slide PDF may upload fine, but most likely will underperform.
• Avoid tiny text or dense slides. If it’s hard to read on a phone, people won’t swipe.
• Keep margins consistent so text doesn’t get clipped in preview mode.
• Always preview your PDF before posting to ensure spacing and alignment render correctly.

Once you have the specs right, the next step is understanding what types of carousel content perform well.

How to Post a LinkedIn Carousel: Step-by-step

1. Start a new post on LinkedIn.
2. Click Add a document.

3. Upload a multi-page PDF (each page becomes a swipeable slide).

4. Add a clear document title (this appears above the carousel).
5. Write a short caption to introduce the carousel.
6. Publish.

That’s it. LinkedIn will then automatically display each PDF page as a carousel slide in the feed.  

LinkedIn Carousel Examples (What Performs Well)

Not all LinkedIn carousels perform the same. The highest-engaging carousel posts follow clear structural patterns that make people swipe, stay longer, and interact.

Below are some proven LinkedIn carousel formats used by top creators and B2B teams in 2026, with explanations for why they work and when to use them.

1) Step-by-Step / How-To Carousels

Example structure:

• Slide 1: Strong hook (“How to do X without Y”).
• Slides 2-6: Clear steps or actions.
• Final slide: CTA (comment, save, follow, DM).

Why this works:

Step-by-step carousels create natural momentum. Each slide promises progress, which increases swipe completion and dwell time.

Best for:

• Tutorials.
• Playbooks.
• Processes.
• Educational B2B content.

2) Problem → Insight → Solution Carousels

Example structure:

• Slide 1: Call out a painful or relatable problem.
• Slides 2-4: Explain why it happens / common mistakes.
• Slides 5-7: Offer a clear solution or framework.
• Final slide: Soft CTA.

Why this works:

This mirrors how people think. You validate the problem before offering value, which builds trust and keeps readers engaged.

Best for:

• Thought leadership.
• Consulting and agency content.
• Sales, marketing, and GTM topics.

3) Checklist / Framework Carousels

Example structure:

• Slide 1: “The X-point checklist for Y”.
• Slides 2-8: One checklist item per slide.
• Final slide: “Save this” or “Share with your team”.

Why this works:

Checklists are inherently skimmable and save-worthy. They perform well because people want to come back to them later.

Best for:

• Best practices.
• Audits.
• Reviews.
• Templates and frameworks.

4) Myth vs Reality Carousels

Example structure:

• Slide 1: “Everyone thinks X about [topic]”
• Slides 2-6: Myth → Reality comparisons.
• Final slide: CTA to comment or share opinion.

Why this works:

Contrarian angles trigger curiosity and discussion. These carousels often generate comments, not just likes.

Best for:

• Challenging industry assumptions.
• Personal brand positioning.
• Driving debate and engagement.

5) Story-Based / Before-After Carousels

Example structure:

• Slide 1: Outcome-focused hook.
• Slides 2-5: The struggle or starting point.
• Slides 6-8: What changed + lessons learned.
• Final slide: CTA.

Why this works:

Stories humanize your content. People stay longer because they want the ending.

Best for:

• Founder content.
• Case studies.
• Personal brand storytelling.

Regardless of the format, strong LinkedIn carousel posts usually:

• Open with a clear hook.
• Focus on one idea per slide.
• Use short, readable text.
• Encourage swiping (with visuals like an arrow pointing to the next slide button).
• End with a clear CTA.

Once you understand these patterns, you can reuse them across different topics without reinventing your content every time.

Next, let’s look at the best practices top creators use to increase swipe-through rate and engagement.

7 Best Practices for LinkedIn Carousels (2026)

High-performing LinkedIn carousels often follow predictable patterns. Below are the best practices top creators use in 2026 to increase swipe-through rate, dwell time, and engagement.

If you want to improve your LinkedIn carousel’s performance for 2026, best practices include:

• Starting with a hook.
• Focusing on visual simplicity.
• Telling a story.
• Not forgetting the slide count.
• Keeping it human.
• Keeping it consistent.
• Ending with a CTA.

1. Start with a hook slide

Your first slide is the most critical. It needs to stop the scroll and grab attention.

While visuals help, you also need to have text that gets your audience to continue reading.

This is where principles of copywriting come in:

• Use bold, clear headlines.
• Add an intriguing question or promise value.
• Incorporate eye-catching visuals or colors.

Example: “Want to [outcome] in [timeline] or less? Try one of these # [things]”

2. Focus on visual simplicity

It’s easy to get carried away when designing your LinkedIn carousel.

But keep in mind, less is more.

Cluttered slides with many elements overwhelm the reader. 

You don’t need to be an expert graphic designer for this.

But keep in mind what your branding looks like when designing carousels (see how below).

• Use large fonts and limit text to a few words per slide.
• Stick to one main point per slide to maintain clarity.
• Use consistent branding (colors, fonts, and logos). Define what your branding looks like in terms of main colors.

Once you have a template (see tools below), the process becomes much more straightforward.

3. Tell a Story

You should structure your carousel like a mini-narrative:

• Problem Slide: Introduce a pain point or question.
• Value Slides: Present actionable tips or insights.
• CTA Slide: End with a clear call-to-action (comment, share, or visit a link).

Example Flow:

1. Slide 1: “Why Most LinkedIn Posts Fail 💡”
2. Slide 2: “Tip 1: Keep It Short”
3. Slide 3: “Tip 2: Use Visuals”
4. Slide 10: “Which Tip Was Your Favorite? Comment Below!”

Example hook:

“My X-step checklist for creating LinkedIn posts.

4. Don’t forget the slide count

While LinkedIn allows up to 300 pages per document, carousels perform best when concise.

Aim for 3-10 slides and include visual elements that guide the reader through other pages.

5. Keep it human and relatable

LinkedIn is a B2B platform. But that doesn’t mean your audience is faceless entities.

So, you need to keep your carousel relatable and human.

• Speak their language: Use conversational tone and simple words.
• Tap into emotions: Address their challenges or desires directly.
• Use anecdotes: Stories about personal wins or lessons learned can hook your audience and build trust.

You can also use real images of yourself so that people can immediately tell who it is from.

6. Keep it consistent

Don’t expect to post one carousel and watch your engagement skyrocket.

You should also:

• Create and share other forms of content (text posts, videos, GIFs).
• Experiment with other content strategies based on your audience’s pain points and awareness)
• Leverage analytics to see what’s working and what isn’t (if something didn’t work, compare it to what did and see what was different).

7. End with a CTA (call-to-action)

Finally, every LinkedIn carousel should guide your audience towards the next step. 

Without a clear CTA, you miss the chance to turn engagement into meaningful interactions.

Some examples of effective CTAs include:

• Encourage discussion: “Which tip are you trying first? Comment below!”
• Prompt sharing: “Found this helpful? Share it with your network!”
• Invite exploration: “Want to dive deeper? DM me for more info!”
• Drive action: “Need help implementing this? Let’s connect!”

3 Top Tools To Create Quality LinkedIn Carousels In 2026

Creating a LinkedIn carousel doesn’t require advanced design skills or expensive software. 

You don’t need to be a graphic designer either.

Here are some accessible tools that make the process simple and efficient, depending on your skill level.

Canva

Canva is a versatile design platform with pre-built templates, ideal for creating professional-looking slides.

• Features: Drag-and-drop design, branding kits, animations.
• Who is it for: Ideal if you’re not a designer yourself and/or you’re managing a team since everyone can log in and use your templates.
• Pricing: Free plan available; Pro starts at $12.99/month.

Figma

Figma is a collaborative design tool great for creating branded and pixel-perfect carousels.

• Features: Vector editing, team collaboration, prototyping. Not just for carousels.
• Who is it for: Ideal if you have a team or a designer to collaborate with. More powerful than Canva but easy to get the hang of.
• Pricing: Free for individual use; Professional plan starts at $12/month.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a versatile AI tool you can use for just about anything.

When it comes to LinkedIn, it’s ideal for brainstorming ideas, creating content, editing, refining carousels, and more.

• Features: Generate engaging copy, brainstorm hooks, outline slide flows, and polish your messaging.
• Who is it for: Ideal for marketers, creators, and professionals who need assistance with content creation but want to maintain a conversational tone.
• Pricing: Free tier available; Pro plans (with GPT-4 access) start at $20/month.

For more info on using this AI for LinkedIn, see our full guide on ChatGPT tool use cases.

FAQ – LinkedIn Carousels in 2026

Conclusion

LinkedIn carousels are still one of the most effective organic content formats in 2026.

While native carousel uploads are gone, the PDF document method gives creators even more control over structure, storytelling, and value delivery.

When done right, carousels help you slow the scroll, increase dwell time, and communicate ideas that simply don’t fit into a single text post. If you’re serious about using LinkedIn as a growth channel, carousels shouldn’t be a one-off tactic. They work best as part of a consistent content strategy alongside text posts, video, and thoughtful engagement.

And once your content starts attracting attention, turning that visibility into real conversations matters just as much. 

Tools like Expandi can help you follow up with the right people, nurture connections, and scale outreach in a way that stays aligned with LinkedIn’s limits.

Wondering if Expandi is right for you?
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