How To Make Seamless Instagram Posts With Canva

Your guide for seamless Instagram posts in 4 easy steps

*Seams*? We don’t know her.

Have you ever scrolled through Instagram and seen those gorgeous multi-image carousels? You know the ones. The ones that flow perfectly from one slide to the next. They stop your scroll and make you think, “Okay, that brand knows what they’re doing.”

If you’re nodding your head right now, you’re in the right place.

Why Seamless Instagram Posts Matter

Before diving into the how, let’s chat about the why.

Seamless carousel posts aren’t just pretty. They’re strategic. They increase engagement by encouraging users to swipe through all slides. And they boost your time spent metrics. Hello, algorithm love. They also showcase your brand’s attention to detail.

Plus, they’re just plain cool. And who doesn’t want to be cool on social?

How To Make Seamless Instagram Posts With Canva: Step-by-Step

Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of creating that perfect flowing carousel.

Step 1: Create Your Canvas With the Right Dimensions

Firstly, here’s the math (don’t worry, we did it for you):

1. Open Canva, and after that select “Custom Size”

2. For square posts: Multiply 1080 pixels by the number of slides you want

   1. 2 slides = 2160 x 1080 pixels

   2. 3 slides = 3240 x 1080 pixels

   3. 5 slides = 5400 x 1080 pixels

3. For portrait posts: Same width calculation, but use 1350 pixels for the height

Please note: Canva limits designs to 8000 pixels wide. So, you can create up to 7 slides max (7560 pixels).

Step 2: Add Your Guides

Now let’s set up the guides that’ll help us create perfect slides:

1. Turn on rulers and guides (File > View Settings > Show rulers and guides, or press Shift+R)

2. After that, click “Add guides” and select “Custom”

3. Enter the number of columns equal to your desired slides (like 5)

4. Then, set the gap to zero

5. Last, click “Add guides”

BOOM. Canva will create perfectly-spaced guides that show *exactly* where each slide will break.

Step 3: Design Your Seamless Creation

Here’s where the fun begins:

1. Add your design elements. For example: text, shapes, photos, etc.

2. Then, place elements across the guidelines to create that seamless effect

Here’s a design tip: If you’re using images of people or faces, avoid placing them directly on the seams. It can look weird when split. Instead, put the bulk of the image on one slide with just a small part extending to the next.

Step 4: Split Your Design Into Slides

Now here’s the magic moment where your long design becomes Instagram-ready slides:

1. Download your design as a PNG at *maximum* quality (super *important* for text clarity!)

2. Head over to an image splitting website like PineTools.com. After that, select “Split Image” under the Images section.

3. Then, upload your Canva design

4. After that, choose to split “horizontally”

5. Enter the number of slides you need (matching what you designed)

6. Then, click “Split Image”

7. Last, download all images as a ZIP file

And just like that, you’ve got perfectly separated slides. Ready to upload to Instagram as a carousel!

Why This Method Works Better

You might be wondering why we don’t just use Canva’s built-in multiple-page feature.

Here’s why our method rocks:

1. You can see your entire design at once. Making it easier to create truly seamless transitions.

2. No need to constantly flip between pages trying to line up elements

3. Everything stays perfectly aligned since you’re working on one canvas

4. It’s faster and less frustrating than the page-by-page method

Pro Tips for Scroll-Stopping Seamless Posts

Want to level up your carousel game even more?

• Add visual cues like arrows or hand icons to encourage swiping

• Create intrigue on the first slide by cutting off an element mid-design

• Keep text minimal and impactful

• Test different transition styles. Flowing shapes work great, but try photos, illustrations, or even animated elements.

• Remember that Instagram slightly compresses images. So, keep text large and clear.

Want Your Carousels To Look This Good Without Doing It Yourself?

At Scott Social, we take care of everything. From designing scroll-stopping carousels to managing your community and tracking what actually works. Our team of specialists crafts content that’s both beautiful AND performs. We’re designers, editors, copywriters: the works.

Because let’s be real. You’ve got better things to do than spend hours in Canva trying to align pixels perfectly.

*Drop* a note in our inbox and let’s get social *seamlessly*.

Read More Canva Tutorials ↓

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WRITTEN BY:

Halie Engler
Social Media Strategist + Copywriter