How to use Instagram Reels in Carousel ads

Quick Answer

To use Instagram Reels inside a Carousel ad, open Meta Ads Manager, create a campaign, and at the ad level pick Carousel as the format. Upload a mix of images and 9:16 vertical videos (up to 10 cards), each with its own headline and destination URL.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Choose a supported objective

Carousel is supported by Awareness, Traffic, Engagement, Leads, and Sales. Pick the objective that matches your goal.

2. Configure the campaign and ad set

Use Manual placements and include Instagram Feed, Reels, Stories, and Explore. Carousel ads auto-adapt across placements.

3. Pick Carousel at the ad level

At the ad level change the format to Carousel. A panel appears with placeholder cards for each image or video.

4. Upload up to 10 cards

For each card upload either:

• Video: 9:16 vertical MP4 under 240 seconds
• Image: 1:1 or 9:16 JPG / PNG

Each card needs its own headline (40 characters) and description (20 characters). You can assign a different URL to every card.

5. Add an opening card (optional)

Enable Add a card at the end with your Page profile picture if you want a branded end frame.

6. Write the primary text

Primary text sits above all cards, so keep it under 125 characters and tie the narrative together. Example: "Three styles. Three reasons to swipe."

7. Publish and test

Click Publish. Once live, check breakdowns by card to see which creatives perform best. Pause weak cards rather than the whole carousel.

FAQs

Can every carousel card be a video? Yes — all 10 cards can be video.

What length should each Reel card be? 6–15 seconds is ideal; viewers will not wait 60 seconds per card.

Do carousels work in Reels placement? Yes, as long as cards are 9:16.

Can I mix images and videos? Yes — a mix often outperforms all-video carousels.

Is the CTA button the same on every card? Yes, one CTA button applies to the whole carousel, but destination URLs can differ.

Skip the Manual Work with Pix-Vu

Building, testing, and optimising Instagram ads by hand is exhausting. Pix-Vu automates the entire process — creative generation, audience testing, budget reallocation, and reporting — for a flat monthly fee. No agencies, no media buyers, no spreadsheets. Start your campaign in under five minutes at https://pix-vu.com.