How to Make A Swipe Collage On Instagram (For Free!)
Create eye-catching carousel posts using free Canva tools!
Have you ever seen those super cool Instagram posts where you swipe through, and it feels like one long image just magically continues across each slide? That, my friend, is called a swipe collage (aka a seamless carousel), and it's a total vibe right now on IG. So, the key is knowing how to make a swipe collage.
The best part? You don’t need Photoshop, fancy skills, or a design degree to pull this off. Just you, your creativity, and good ol’ Canva (the free version, yes!).
In this post, I’m breaking down exactly how to make a swipe collage for Instagram — and yes, it’s easy-peasy lemon squeezy.
What’s a Swipe Collage Anyway?
How do you know how to make a swipe collage if you don’t know what it is? A swipe collage is a series of Instagram carousel posts that flow together visually when you swipe through them. It's like a mini panorama or storytelling scroll where each slide picks up exactly where the last one left off.
It’s eye-catching, super shareable, and an amazing way to boost engagement. And let’s be honest — it makes your feed look chef’s kiss 👩🍳💋.
Step 1: Decide Your Vibe
Before you dive into Canva, think about the story or look you want to create. Is it an aesthetic mood board? A product lineup? A mini blog post? Whatever it is, knowing your layout will help big time when designing.
Pro Tip: Stick to 3-5 slides for max swipeability. Instagram allows up to 10, but sometimes, less is more.
Step 2: Set Up Your Canva File
Here’s where the magic happens!
Head to Canva and hit “Create a Design.”
Click “Custom Size.”
For a standard Instagram post: each slide is 1080 x 1080 px.
So for a 3-slide collage, you’ll do 1080 x 3240 px (1080 width x number of slides in height).
If you’re doing a horizontal swipe, reverse it: 3240 x 1080 px.
Click “Create New Design.”
Now you’ve got a big ol’ canvas to design your swipe collage
Step 3: Design Like a Boss
Time to unleash your inner graphic designer by knowing how to make a swipe collage.
Add background colors, images, text, doodles — whatever matches your vibe.
Make sure important elements don’t get cut off between slides. (Each 1080 px section is its own slide!)
Use Canva’s guides or rulers to mark where each post begins and ends.
Want help spacing it perfectly? Drop in 1080x1080 squares as temporary guides to divide your design.
Pro Canva Trick: Use “Position” > “Tidy Up” to align and space things out evenly.
Step 4: Slice and Dice
Once your masterpiece is done:
Click Download and choose PNG or JPG.
Select Download the entire design as one image.
Go to PineTools or another free image splitter.
Upload your design and split it horizontally (or vertically if you did that format), depending on your layout.
Download your perfectly cropped carousel posts.
Step 5: Post It Like A Pro
Upload your slides to Instagram in the right order (super important!) as a carousel post.
✨ Optional but fun: Add a hook or mini headline on the first slide to grab attention and use captions to guide your followers through each part of your collage.
Boom. Swipe collage = posted. You're officially THAT creative friend on IG now who knows how to make a swipe collage.
Ready to Level Up Your Socials?
If you're loving this swipe collage game but wish someone could just handle it for you — say less. At Scott Social, we live for all things Instagram, design magic, and growing your brand without the burnout. From strategy to content to swipe-worthy carousels, we’ve got you covered.
👉 Slide into our DMs (see what we did there?) or visit Scott Socials website to get started!
Happy swiping!
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WRITTEN BY:
Avery Caudill
Intern