Facebook Carousel Ad Specs: Complete 2025 Specifications Guide

Facebook carousel ads allow you to showcase multiple images or videos in a single ad unit, making them perfect for product catalogs, storytelling, and multi-feature campaigns. This complete guide covers all the technical specifications and best practices you need.

Quick Reference: Facebook Carousel Ad Specs

Specification	Requirement
Image Size	1080 x 1080 pixels (square)
Aspect Ratio	1:1 (recommended) or 1.91:1
File Format	JPG, PNG
File Size	Max 30 MB per image
Number of Cards	2-10 cards per carousel
Text Limit	125 characters per card
Headline	40 characters per card

Complete Facebook Carousel Ad Specifications

Image Requirements

Recommended Dimensions:

1080 x 1080 pixels (square format)
1200 x 628 pixels (landscape format)

Supported Aspect Ratios:

1:1 (Square): 1080 x 1080 px - Most popular
1.91:1 (Landscape): 1200 x 628 px - Good for storytelling
4:5 (Vertical): 1080 x 1350 px - Mobile-optimized

Technical Specs:

File formats: JPG, PNG (PNG recommended for graphics with text)
Maximum file size: 30 MB per image
Color space: sRGB
Resolution: Minimum 600 x 600 pixels

Video Requirements (for Video Carousels)

Video Specifications:

Aspect ratios: 1:1, 4:5, 16:9
Resolution: Minimum 720p
Duration: 1 second to 241 minutes
File size: Maximum 4 GB
Formats: MP4, MOV, AVI, GIF

Text & Copy Specifications

Primary Text:

Character limit: 125 characters
Best practice: 40-80 characters for mobile optimization
Appears above: The carousel images

Headline (per card):

Character limit: 40 characters
Appears below: Each carousel image
Best practice: Keep under 25 characters

Description (optional):

Character limit: 30 characters
Appears below: Headline text
Usage: Additional context or CTA

Call-to-Action Button:

Standard Facebook CTA options available
Same CTA applies to entire carousel
Popular options: Learn More, Shop Now, Sign Up

Carousel Card Requirements

Number of Cards

Minimum: 2 cards required
Maximum: 10 cards allowed
Optimal: 3-5 cards for best performance
Mobile display: 1.75 cards visible initially

Individual Card Specs

Each card needs: Individual headline and link
Image consistency: All images should have same aspect ratio
Link destinations: Can link to different pages
Card order: Matters for storytelling and user flow

Platform-Specific Display Differences

Facebook Feed Carousel Specs

Desktop Feed:

Shows 2-3 cards initially
Users can scroll horizontally
Full 1080x1080 display
Text appears above and below

Mobile Feed:

Shows 1.75 cards initially
Swipe gesture to navigate
Optimized for thumb scrolling
Text may be truncated

Instagram Carousel (Cross-posted)

When running Facebook carousel ads on Instagram:

Image specs remain the same
Text limits apply differently
Stories placement available
Explore placement supported

Carousel Ad Design Best Practices

Visual Consistency

Maintain brand colors across all cards
Use consistent fonts and design elements
Match image quality and style
Consider card flow and visual progression

Content Strategy

Tell a story across multiple cards
Showcase different product angles or features
Create tutorials or step-by-step guides
Highlight various benefits or use cases

Text Optimization

Front-load important information in primary text
Use action-oriented headlines for each card
Keep descriptions concise and scannable
Include clear call-to-actions

High-Converting Carousel Ad Examples

1. Product Catalog Carousel

Use case: E-commerce showcasing multiple products

Card 1-5: Different products with prices
Headlines: Product names + key benefits
CTA: "Shop Now"
Best for: Retail, fashion, electronics

2. Feature Highlight Carousel

Use case: SaaS showcasing app features

Card 1: Problem statement
Cards 2-4: Key features with visuals
Card 5: CTA or testimonial
Best for: Software, apps, services

3. Before/After Carousel

Use case: Transformation or results showcase

Card 1: "Before" state
Card 2: Process or method
Card 3: "After" result
Best for: Fitness, beauty, home improvement

4. Tutorial/How-to Carousel

Use case: Educational step-by-step content

Cards 1-5: Sequential steps
Clear numbering: Step 1, 2, 3, etc.
Final card: Result or CTA
Best for: DIY, cooking, tutorials

Technical Setup & Upload Guidelines

Preparing Images

Create all images at 1080 x 1080 pixels
Ensure consistent quality across all cards
Optimize file sizes (under 1 MB recommended)
Test different aspect ratios for performance
Include branding without overwhelming the image

Facebook Ads Manager Setup

Choose Carousel as ad format
Upload 2-10 images in desired order
Add headlines for each card (40 characters max)
Set destination URLs for each card
Add primary text and call-to-action
Preview across placements before publishing

Quality Checks Before Publishing

Image sharpness: No blurry or pixelated images
Text readability: Readable on mobile devices
Brand consistency: Consistent with brand guidelines
Link testing: All destination URLs work correctly
Mobile preview: Check mobile appearance

Carousel Performance Optimization

A/B Testing Elements

Image order: Test different card sequences
Aspect ratios: Compare 1:1 vs 1.91:1 performance
Number of cards: Test 3 vs 5 vs 7 cards
Headlines: Test different headline approaches
CTAs: Compare different call-to-action buttons

Performance Metrics to Monitor

Click-through rate (CTR): Overall and per-card
Cost per click (CPC): Optimization metric
Relevance score: Facebook's quality indicator
Card interactions: Which cards perform best
Conversion rate: Final business objective

Common Optimization Issues

Low CTR: Try more compelling visuals or headlines
High CPC: Improve ad relevance and targeting
Poor mobile performance: Optimize for mobile viewing
Card 1 dominance: Reorder cards for better distribution

Advanced Carousel Strategies

Dynamic Product Ads (DPA)

Automatic product pulling from catalog
Personalized recommendations based on user behavior
Real-time inventory updates
Optimal for e-commerce with large product catalogs

Multi-Objective Carousels

Different goals per card: Awareness + Conversion
Funnel progression: Top to bottom of funnel
Cross-selling opportunities: Related products

Seasonal Carousel Campaigns

Holiday-specific imagery and messaging
Limited-time offers across multiple cards
Event-based storytelling

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Design Mistakes

Inconsistent image quality across cards
Too much text on images (20% text rule)
Poor mobile optimization
Unclear call-to-actions

Strategy Mistakes

No logical card progression
Overwhelming number of cards (over 7)
Weak opening card that doesn't grab attention
Generic headlines without value proposition

Technical Mistakes

Wrong aspect ratios causing cropping
Large file sizes slowing load times
Broken destination links
Missing UTM parameters for tracking

Tools for Creating Carousel Ads

Design Tools

Canva: Pre-sized Facebook carousel templates
Adobe Creative Suite: Professional design capabilities
Figma: Collaborative design platform
Facebook Creative Hub: Built-in design tools

Automation Tools

Facebook Business Manager: Native carousel creation
AdEspresso: A/B testing for carousels
Qwaya: Advanced carousel management
Revealbot: Automated optimization

Measuring Carousel Success

Key Metrics Dashboard

Overall campaign CTR: Target 1.5%+
Individual card performance: Identify top performers
Cost metrics: CPC, CPM, CPA
Engagement metrics: Likes, shares, comments

Reporting Best Practices

Weekly performance reviews
Card-level analysis for optimization
Creative fatigue monitoring
ROI tracking by campaign objective

Facebook carousel ads offer powerful storytelling and conversion opportunities when executed with proper specifications and strategy. Focus on high-quality visuals, compelling copy, and continuous optimization for best results.

LinkedIn Image Specs Tool: Get exact LinkedIn image dimensions
Social Media Image Size Tool: All platform image specifications
Social Media Management Workflow: Organize your ad creation process

Ready to create high-converting carousel ads? Use SocialRails to plan, schedule, and analyze your Facebook ad campaigns across all social media platforms.

TL;DR - Quick Answer