LinkedIn Carousel Ads Specs and Dimensions (2026)

TL;DR: LinkedIn Carousel Ads use 1080x1080px square images (recommended) or 1200x627px horizontal. 2-10 cards per carousel. Max 5MB per image. 255 character headline, 70 character description per card. Introductory text: 150 characters. File formats: JPG, PNG, GIF (non-animated).

Quick Reference Table

LinkedIn Carousel Ad Image Specifications

Primary Recommendation: Square (1:1)

Dimensions: 1080 x 1080 pixels Aspect ratio: 1:1 (perfect square) Why recommended:

• Optimal for mobile (80% of LinkedIn traffic)

• Takes up more vertical screen space

• Consistent across desktop and mobile

• Better engagement rates (15-25% higher than horizontal)

Use square when:

• Target audience is primarily mobile

• Want maximum visual impact

• Showcasing products or features

• Running multi-platform campaigns (Instagram, Facebook also use square)

Alternative: Horizontal (1.91:1)

Dimensions: 1200 x 627 pixels Aspect ratio: 1.91:1 (landscape) Why use:

• Better for text-heavy content

• Fits desktop feed naturally

• Similar to standard single image ads

• Legacy campaigns already using this size

Use horizontal when:

• Content requires wider canvas (infographics, timelines)

• Desktop audience (check LinkedIn analytics)

• Matching existing brand assets

Note: LinkedIn displays horizontal carousels with letterboxing on mobile (black bars top/bottom), reducing impact.

Image Format and Quality

Supported File Formats

✅ JPG (JPEG): Smallest file size, good for photos

✅ PNG: Best quality, transparent backgrounds supported

✅ GIF: Static only (animated GIFs not allowed)

File Size Limits

• Maximum: 10MB per image

• Recommended: Under 5MB per image for fast loading

• Minimum: No official minimum, but under 100KB may appear pixelated

Optimization tips:

• Use TinyPNG or ImageOptim to compress without quality loss

• Aim for 1-3MB per image (balance quality and load speed)

• Test image quality on mobile before uploading

Image Resolution

• Minimum: 640 x 640px (square) or 640 x 335px (horizontal)

• Recommended: 1080 x 1080px or 1200 x 627px

• Maximum: No hard limit, but diminishing returns above 1920px

• DPI: 72 DPI (web standard) is sufficient

Quality checklist:

• Text legible at 1080x1080px on mobile (minimum 24pt font)

• Images sharp and clear (not blurry or pixelated)

• Colors vibrant and properly exported

• No visible compression artifacts

Number of Carousel Cards

Supported Range: 2-10 Cards

LinkedIn allows 2 to 10 cards per carousel ad.

Optimal range: 5-7 cards Why 5-7 is optimal:

• Enough content to tell a story

• Not too long (users swipe through 70% of cards)

• Balances engagement and completion rate

Card Count by Use Case

2-3 cards: Simple comparisons

• Before/after

• Problem vs solution

• Product A vs Product B

4-5 cards: Feature showcases

• "5 Ways [Product] Saves Time"

• "4 Reasons Customers Choose Us"

6-7 cards: Educational content

• Step-by-step guides

• Multi-benefit product tours

• Customer journey stories

8-10 cards: Detailed walkthroughs

• Comprehensive product demos

• Case study narratives

• Research findings with data

Avoid 10+ cards: Engagement drops significantly after card 7. Most users don't reach the last card.

Text Specifications

Introductory Text (Above Carousel)

Character limit: 150 characters Appears: Above carousel in feed (like a LinkedIn post caption) Best practices:

• Use 100-130 characters (full limit can get cut off on mobile)

• Hook readers in first sentence

• Include benefit or curiosity gap

• Avoid emojis unless brand-appropriate

Examples:

✅ Good:

"Our customers see 3x ROI in 90 days. Here's how we do it →"

(67 characters, clear benefit)

❌ Bad:

"Check out our latest carousel ad showcasing our product features and benefits that you'll love."

(97 characters, vague, no hook)

Card Headline

Character limit: 255 characters Appears: On each card image (overlaid text) Best practices:

• Keep under 50 characters for readability

• Use headline hierarchy (larger text for main point)

• One idea per card

• Action-oriented language

Examples per card: Card 1: "3x Faster Lead Qualification" Card 2: "Automate Follow-Ups" Card 3: "Close Deals 50% Faster"

Card Description

Character limit: 70 characters Appears: Below each card in carousel (visible when card is active) Best practices:

• Use all 70 characters

• Expand on headline

• Include specific detail or benefit

• End with subtle CTA

Example pairing: Headline: "3x Faster Lead Qualification" Description: "AI scores leads instantly, so your team focuses on best-fit buyers."

(70 characters exactly)

Destination URLs (Per Card)

Unique URLs for Each Card

LinkedIn allows different destination URLs for each carousel card.

Best practice: Use unique URLs per card

• Card 1 → /pricing

• Card 2 → /features

• Card 3 → /case-studies

• Card 4 → /demo

Benefits:

• Track which card drives most clicks

• Send users to most relevant page per card topic

• Improve conversion rate (matched intent)

Alternative: Use same URL for all cards

• Simpler setup

• Consistent landing page experience

• Better if selling single product with one clear CTA

URL Tracking

Add UTM parameters to track card performance:

Card 1: yoursite.com/pricing?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=carousel&utm_content=card1 Card 2: yoursite.com/features?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=carousel&utm_content=card2

Check Google Analytics to see which cards drive traffic and conversions.

Design Best Practices

Visual Consistency

Maintain consistent design across cards:

• Same color palette

• Same font family

• Same layout template

• Same brand elements (logo placement)

Inconsistency confuses users and looks unprofessional.

Text Readability

Minimum font sizes:

• Headlines: 48pt+ (for 1080x1080px)

• Body text: 28-32pt

• Small text: Never below 24pt

Contrast requirements:

• Dark text on light background

• Light text on dark background

• Avoid low-contrast combos (gray on gray)

Test: View image at 400px wide (mobile size). Can you still read all text?

Safe Zone

Keep important elements away from edges:

Safe zone: 100px margin from all edges (for 1080x1080px) Why: Prevents text cut-off on different devices and LinkedIn's card rendering

Image Progression

Create visual flow between cards:

Option 1: Sequential storytelling

• Card 1: Problem

• Card 2: Agitation

• Card 3: Solution

• Card 4: How it works

• Card 5: CTA

Option 2: Connected design

• Arrows or lines connecting one card to next

• Numbered cards (1/5, 2/5, etc.)

• Color gradient across cards

• Animated motion effect (subtle position shifts between cards)

Avoid: Random, disconnected images. Users should feel compelled to swipe.

Common Carousel Ad Formats

Format 1: Feature Showcase

Structure:

• Card 1: Hero slide (product name + tagline)

• Cards 2-6: One feature per card with benefit

• Card 7: CTA (Free trial, demo, pricing)

Visual style: Product screenshot + overlaid text

Format 2: Customer Story

Structure:

• Card 1: Customer logo + "How [Company] achieved [result]"

• Card 2: The challenge

• Card 3: The solution

• Card 4: Implementation

• Card 5: Results (metrics)

• Card 6: CTA (Read full case study)

Visual style: Customer photos, charts showing results

Format 3: Listicle/Tips

Structure:

• Card 1: "5 Ways to [Achieve Goal]"

• Cards 2-6: One tip per card

• Card 7: CTA (Download full guide)

Visual style: Numbered cards, icon + text

Format 4: Before/After

Structure:

• Card 1: "See the transformation"

• Card 2: Before state

• Card 3: After state

• Card 4: How we did it

• Card 5: CTA (Get started)

Visual style: Side-by-side comparisons, visual contrast

Format 5: Process/Timeline

Structure:

• Card 1: "Our 5-step process"

• Cards 2-6: Step 1, Step 2, etc.

• Card 7: CTA (Start step 1)

Visual style: Flowchart, timeline, numbered sequence

Carousel vs Other LinkedIn Ad Formats

Use Carousel when:

• You have multiple benefits/features to showcase

• Want interactive engagement (swiping)

• Need step-by-step explanations

• Have customer stories with progression

Use Single Image when:

• Simple message (one clear CTA)

• Quick promotion or time-sensitive offer

• Limited design resources

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: Images Appear Blurry on Mobile

Cause: Image resolution too low Fix:

• Re-export at 1080x1080px minimum

• Use PNG instead of heavily compressed JPG

• Check image quality before uploading (zoom to 200%)

Issue 2: Text Cut Off or Unreadable

Cause: Text too close to edges or too small Fix:

• Add 100px safe margin from all edges

• Increase font size to 48pt+ for headlines

• Test at mobile size (400px wide) before uploading

Issue 3: Carousel Won't Upload

Causes:

• File size over 10MB per image

• Wrong file format (animated GIF, TIFF, etc.)

• Less than 2 cards or more than 10 cards

• Dimension mismatch (mixing square and horizontal)

Fix:

• Compress images under 10MB

• Convert to JPG or PNG

• Ensure 2-10 cards exactly

• Use consistent dimensions for all cards

Issue 4: Low Engagement (Few Swipes)

Causes:

• First card doesn't hook attention

• No visual progression between cards

• Too many cards (8+)

• Content not interesting enough

Fix:

• Redesign card 1 with stronger hook

• Add visual connectors between cards (arrows, numbers)

• Reduce to 5-7 cards

• Test different content angles

Issue 5: High Clicks on Early Cards, None on Later Cards

Cause: Users clicking CTA before reaching all cards Fix:

• Move CTA to last card only

• Remove destination URL from early cards (except card 1 and last card)

• Create stronger progression (users want to see what's next)

Testing and Optimization

A/B Test Variables

Test 1: Card count

• Version A: 5 cards

• Version B: 7 cards

• Measure: Completion rate, CPC

Test 2: Visual style

• Version A: Product screenshots

• Version B: Illustrated graphics

• Measure: CTR, engagement rate

Test 3: Text density

• Version A: Minimal text (5-10 words per card)

• Version B: More text (20-30 words)

• Measure: CTR, time spent

Test 4: Dimensions

• Version A: 1080x1080px square

• Version B: 1200x627px horizontal

• Measure: CTR, mobile vs desktop performance

Performance Benchmarks

If underperforming:

1. Check creative against specs above

2. Test simpler message (fewer cards)

3. Improve card 1 hook

4. Review all LinkedIn ad specs for other formats

Glossary

Verification Checklist

Before launching Carousel Ad:

• [ ] All images are 1080x1080px (square) or 1200x627px (horizontal)

• [ ] Consistent dimensions across all cards (no mixing square and horizontal)

• [ ] 2-10 cards total (5-7 recommended)

• [ ] Each image under 10MB (ideally under 5MB)

• [ ] File format is JPG or PNG (not animated GIF)

• [ ] Text is legible at mobile size (minimum 24pt font)

• [ ] Safe zone maintained (100px margin from edges)

• [ ] Visual consistency across cards (colors, fonts, layout)

• [ ] Introductory text written (100-130 characters)

• [ ] Each card has headline (under 50 characters ideal)

• [ ] Each card has description (use all 70 characters)

• [ ] Destination URLs set (unique per card or same for all)

• [ ] UTM parameters added for tracking

• [ ] Tested image quality at 400px width (mobile preview)

• [ ] Visual progression between cards (story flows logically)