How to make instagram pictures connect


How to make a seamless Instagram panorama

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By Vjeran Pavic

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Photo by Brennan King, animation by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

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The Verge Guide to Instagram


It’s already been a few years since Instagram allowed you to post multiple photos simultaneously in a single post. This small change enabled a lot of creative options. One of my favorites is creating seamless panoramas by simply slicing your photo in two — like this one. 

If you want to take advantage of this neat little hack, here’s a quick, simple tutorial on how you can pull it off.

Before you start, you’ll need two things: Adobe Photoshop (or another pixel-based photo editor that lets you work with layers) and an elementary understanding of Instagram’s requirements for sizing photos. 

First, about the sizing: no matter which photo you upload, Instagram will automatically resize and compress your images. For example, square photos will always end up being 1080 x 1080 and vertical ones will always be 1080 (w) x 1350 (h). So if you want to create a panorama made out of two vertical photos, you’ll need to duplicate the pixels lengthwise, while the height stays the same: 1080 x 1350 becomes 2160 x 1350. Or if you want to create a panorama made out of three images, you’ll use 3240 x 1350. The same applies if you’re starting off with square images, which will fit into a panoramic space with twice the width (2160 x 1080).

Create your panorama

Okay, let’s boot up Photoshop and open up two documents. 

  • The first one should be 2160 x 1350; it’s where you’ll “slice” your photos into two parts. Let’s name the first document “Full Image.” 

In Photoshop, you can save document sizes as presets for future edits.

  • The second document should be 1080 x 1350; this one is where you’ll drop in your single images and get them ready for export. We can name this one “Slices.” 
  • Open or drag your image into the first document (“Full Image”). 
  • Go to “View” in your menu bar and select “New Guide Layout.” 
  • Set two columns with zero width and zero gutter. If rows are selected, deselect them since you won’t need to cut horizontally, only vertically.  This will create a turquoise line right down the middle of your photo.

Guides will help you split images in equal parts.

  • Before we move on to the next step, make sure your “Snap to Guide” is turned on. It’ll make your life just that much easier. 
  • Select the marquee tool on your left hand side (or hit the shortcut “M” key) and drag your cursor over the first half of the photo. If Snap To Guide is turned on, your selection will automatically snap to the turquoise vertical line you created earlier.
  • Now that you have your selection, you can simply copy and paste it to a new layer on the “Slices” document. 
  • Go back to the “Full Image” document and repeat for the other half of the image. 

Now you’re ready for exporting. You can either export each layer at once using Photoshop’s “Layers to Files” option (under “File” > “Export”) or you can export each layer individually. I tend to add a few more layers to the same document, so I batch export those. In case you want to double-check your final export settings, you can use “Save for Web.”

Here are all the layers I’ll batch export.

If you’re using a PC, it might be easiest to save your files to a cloud service, where you can easily access them with your phone. Or if you’re in the macOS / iOS ecosystem, simply Airdrop your exports.

Put your panorama on Instagram

Getting the photos to properly show up on Instagram should be easy enough, but let’s go through that quickly just in case, because there are some things you can easily skip by accident. On your mobile device:

  • Assuming your exports are indeed 1080 x 1350, make sure you’re about to post vertical photos by clicking on the arrows icon in the bottom left corner. 

Don’t forget to enable vertical photos first. Also, you can tap and hold one photo to enable multiple selections.

  • In order to post multiple photos in one post, either long-press one of the photos or tap on “Select multiple” in the lower right corner of the first photo. You can then select the other photos, numbered in the order they will appear.
  • And lastly, make sure you selected the photos in the right order... because I have definitely made that mistake at least once. Don’t be like me. 

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  • How to make a seamless Instagram panorama
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How to Post Panorama Photos on Instagram in 2 Ways

  • To post a panorama photo on Instagram, you can simply zoom the picture out while uploading it.
  • You can also use an app like "Unsquared for Instagram," which splits your panorama photos into multiple Instagram-friendly squares.
  • This story is part of Business Insider's Guide to Instagram.

When Instagram first hit smartphones, every image uploaded had to be shaped like a perfect square.  

This is all well and good for selfies and pictures of your kids, but for those majestic panorama shots of the Grand Canyon, Instagram's always struggled.

Nowadays, you can upload any sort of photo to Instagram. However, they don't always look so good.

Here's the best way to post panorama shots to Instagram on your iPhone or Android device, along with an app for iPhones that will help them look better.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:
iPhone 11 (From $699.99 at Apple)
Samsung Galaxy S10 (From $699.99 at Walmart)

How to post panorama shots on Instagram

The simplest way to post panoramas is:

1. Open Instagram on your iPhone or Android and tap the plus icon at the bottom of the screen to upload a photo.

2. Once in your photo gallery, select the panorama shot you want to use.

3. Touch the image preview at the top with two fingers, then squeeze them together to zoom out. Zoom out until as much of the panorama as possible is visible.

Much of your longer pano shots may be lost when you use Instagram to crop them. Steven John/Business Insider

4. Add filters and post it as usual. 

The result here is a rectangular picture with large blank spaces on the top and bottom. This will do your photo some justice, but for full-sized panoramas, you likely still won't be able to fit the whole photo.

For the full effect, you'll need to use a program like Photoshop to cut the panorama into smaller, square images. If you have an iPhone, there's an app that will do this for you automatically: "Unsquared for Instagram. "

Download the Unsquared app on the Apple App Store and give it the permissions it needs to access your photos. Then, follow these steps to cut up your photos.

1. Open the Unsquared app and tap the image of a stack of photos at bottom right.

2. Tap the pano image from your library that you want to use, then tap the blue check mark.

3. Your image will appear with the Unsquared watermark on it. Tap the blue icon that looks like a series of squares at the bottom of the screen, and you can pick how many photos you'd like the panorama shot to be split into — once you choose an option, the watermark will shrink.

Tap this icon to choose how many pictures you'd like to split your pano shot into. Steven John/Business Insider

Note that the more pieces you cut it into, the more of the top and bottom of the shot that will be cut off. In general, if you want to include every part of the photo, try to pick "3 Pieces."

4. Once you're satisfied, tap "Done." The split-up photos will be saved to your phone, and you can post them to Instagram.

You'll be able to post the split photos as a series to Instagram. Steven John/Business Insider
  • How to post a GIF on Instagram using a free GIF-making app for iPhone and Android

  • How to post a live photo on Instagram in 2 different ways

  • How to post on Instagram from your phone or a computer, using the official app or an internet browser

  • How to add multiple photos to your Instagram story at once, or use a collage app

  • How to share a post to your Instagram story from your feed or a profile

Steven John

Freelance Writer

Steven John is a freelance writer living near New York City by way of 12 years in Los Angeles, four in Boston, and the first 18 near DC. When not writing or spending time with his wife and kids, he can occasionally be found climbing mountains. His writing is spread across the web, and his books can be found at www.stevenjohnbooks.com.

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👉 How to join two photos in Instagram Stories

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There is a very popular question around the Instagram story on the Internet: how to combine two photos into an Instagram story? And it seems that many users have eluded the various capture modes that this feature allows. However, if you are one of them, don't worry because here we will explain how to do it step by step. Whether you have an Android phone, you can use the Instagram Stories tool or if you have an iPhone and want to go further. You can create all sorts of collages and montages, and have all the details on how to post two photos on Instagram stories.

Connect two photos in Instagram Stories with Android

If you use Android, it's easy to answer how to connect two photos in Instagram Stories. Basically, you have to use the Instagram Stories design template to create your favorite collage. There is no need to use other applications or other tools. So you don't need to download anything at all.

All you have to do is go to Instagram Stories to take regular pictures. You already know that you need to tap on the top left corner on the Instagram home screen or swipe from left to right to access this section. Here, before you shoot, take a look at the tools on the left. Among them, the third one is called "Design", it is a form of collage. Click on it to use.

At this time, the screen is divided into four parts according to the normal layout. However, if you are looking for how to merge two photos in Instagram Stories, you should click on the icon in the Design section, one of which has a grid. This will bring up a submenu with various collage options. Two of them allow you to split the screen in half to fit two photos into an Instagram story. One vertical and one horizontal. Choose the one you like best: vertical or narrow or horizontal and wide.

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So you will see that the screen is divided into one of these two layouts. Well, now there is only a snag. Use the Instagram trigger one by one in the normal way. This is the current method of posting two photos in Instagram Stories. Remember that you can apply filters, effects and add GIF animations, music, etc. later.

Remember, you can recompose the image to suit the photo. Click on the spot where you want to select the photo, and then use the pinch gesture to zoom in or out on the photo as you see fit, but always cover the entire space. When you're done, click the "Publish" button.

Pair two photos in Instagram Stories with iOS

Of course, putting two photos in Instagram Stories doesn't make any difference when it comes to Android and iPhone. In other words, on your iPhone, you can also use the Instagram story design tool as described in the previous tutorial and add two captured images or two images you previously had in the gallery. You just need to select the "Layout" option and then select the grid shape. But here, using iPhone, there is another very useful and curious way to answer how to put two photos in an Instagram story.

Enable clipboard usage. On Apple phones, this tool can do more than copy and paste text such as links or messages. It will also copy the image. Thus, you can go to the mobile gallery and copy the photos you have previously taken or uploaded.

Then go to Instagram Stories and take pictures regularly. No need to use design tools. After posting and before posting, press and hold and paste the previously copied photo. Look, you will have two photos in your Instagram story at the same time. The second photo (pasted) behaves like a sticker, so you can move it anywhere on the screen, and zoom in or out with the pinch gesture. Always on top of another photo, of course, i.e. the photo you took with Instagram Stories and that photo will remain as the background. Now you just have to choose music, emoji, text, or whatever you want to add to the story. And ready to launch.

Put multiple photos in one Instagram story

However, if you want to know how to add multiple photos in the same Instagram story, the answer goes back to the design tool. Remember that you will have different options before posting. In other words, you can select two or up to six photos at the same time in one image. Of course, this is a rather limited tool. You can take screenshots or add photos from the gallery, but don't edit the grid with colors or look for custom and brighter patterns. So if you are a very creative user, you may not have many options.

If you want to put multiple photos in the same Instagram story but have more creative freedom, you should use a different app. A good example is the free Canvas app for Android and iPhone. Among them, you will find pre-made art templates and drawings, and you can collect multiple photos or even multiple videos in one post. All of this includes additional content such as fonts and animated text, as well as other design options.

Of course, in this case the process is more complicated. You will need to create content in Canvas, produce it and export it, and then finally upload it to Instagram Stories as if it were a photo or video in a gallery. However, you will at least have the strong decision power to choose exquisite decorative items without understanding aesthetics, art, and color. The Canvas app has done its dirty work.

So you already know how to create more creative and interesting posts by resorting to posting multiple photos in the same Instagram story, which is the most used feature in the social platform today. In fact, for many, this is the preferred option over posting regular photos or reels.

How to add a photo to Instagram from your phone

There are 3 main ways to add a photo to Instagram* from your phone: upload via the Instagram* mobile app, from your phone gallery, or via third-party apps. We will analyze separately how to publish a photo in a post and a story.

How to publish a post in the feed

Method 1: through the Instagram app*

Download the Instagram app* from the AppStore or Google Play. After registering or logging into your account, you will see the [+] icon in the upper right corner, click on it, and then in the menu that appears, click on the "Publish" button.

Interface for adding a new post to the feed

Next, you will see the interface for adding a post, you need to go through several steps:

  1. select media files;
  2. file editing: filters, light and color correction;
  3. adding text, geotagging, etc.;
  4. publication.

Let's take a closer look at how to post photos on Instagram* from your phone.

Select media files. After pressing the "Publish" button, you will be taken to the gallery on your phone. Select the photos or videos you want to post. At this stage, you can also change the resolution or select multiple files for one post.

Basic buttons for setting up a future publication

Editing files. After selecting all the settings, click the "Next" button in the upper right corner and go to the editing interface - here you can apply filters, adjust contrast, add sharpness, level the horizon, and so on.

Photo and video editing tools

Add text and labels. Once you're done editing your media, click the "Next" button again, and the last settings will open: choosing other social networks for publication, adding text, geotagging, user tags. Read more in our article “Instagram tags*: how and why to use”.

Final settings for posting to the feed

Big text cannot be posted on Instagram*, the limit is 2200 characters. But if you really need it, we have an article with recommendations for the design of such publications.

Publication . When you're done with the settings, click "Share" in the upper right corner and the post will appear in your account feed and in the news feed of your followers. Hooray!

The process of loading a post and its display in the news feed

Method 2: through the phone gallery

This is a quick way when you just need to post one file with a caption, because this way you can not customize the display format, add multiple files to one post, correct media files, add geotags and tag other users.

How to post photos on Instagram* from your phone using the gallery:

  1. open the gallery on your phone;
  2. click on the desired photo;
  3. select "Share" from the menu;
  4. click on the Instagram icon*;
  5. click on the "Publish" button;
  6. write the text for the post and click "OK" in the upper right corner;
  7. then click "Share" in the same place.

That's it - the publication has been uploaded to your profile!

Step-by-step process of publishing a photo in the feed through the phone gallery

If you do not know what, why, why to publish and how to design, I recommend our free course "7 Steps of Content Marketing". In the course, we tell you what content marketing is, how to create, design and promote content on the Internet. All this will help you understand how content works, why publish posts and how to make them beautiful and interesting.

Method 3: Through other apps

You can upload photos to Instagram* from photo and video editing apps, feed maker, and more. Almost all of these applications have the ability to automatically add media files to Instagram*.

For example, the Canva photo and video editor app has a Share button in the top right corner. In the additional menu, the Instagram icon appears *, when clicked, it transfers to the social network application with the option to select a placement: Stories or feed. After clicking on the "Feed" button, the standard Instagram interface * opens to add a post to the feed.

Algorithm for publishing a post in the feed from the Canva application

How to post a Story

You can upload a photo to Instagram Stories* from your phone both directly from the Instagram* application and through third-party applications.

There are 3 ways to post a Story via the Instagram app*:

  • click on the blue [+] icon on your avatar in your feed or profile;
  • click on the [+] button in the upper right corner and select the "History" item;
  • in the news feed, swipe from left to right across the screen.
Ways to add a new Story: the icon next to the avatar and the icon on the right

After clicking, the interface for creating Stories will open. By default, the camera opens, and you can immediately take a picture or video for stories. If you want to add files from your phone's gallery, tap the button in the bottom left corner of the screen or swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

Stories interface when first opened with camera enabled

The story editing interface also has many useful features:

  • Text. Different fonts, colors, ways of writing, animation. To add, click once on the screen or on the “Aa” icon at the top right of the screen, the interface for adding text will appear with additional settings at the top of the screen.
  • Drawing. Brushes for painting on photo or video. Click on the ellipsis in the upper right corner and on the "Draw" button. The color and brush settings will also appear at the top of the screen.
  • Interactive Instagram stickers*. Questions, tests, polls, mentions, geolocation, music, hashtags and so on. To select stickers, click on the sticker icon in the upper right corner or swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Read more about them in our article with an overview of new stickers.
  • Masks. Filters and AR masks to decorate stories. There are masks both from Instagram* itself and from users. To get as many creative masks as possible, subscribe to major bloggers who create such masks. For example, bloggers ya.molli or georska.
Stories editing interface

Once you're done with your stories, select the publish option at the bottom of the screen:

  • Your Story. Stories are immediately published on your profile, and all users can see it.
  • Close friends. Stories will only be seen by users you have added to your Close Friends list.
  • Right arrow. An additional menu will open, which has the function of sending stories in a private message.
Selecting a publishing location Stories

Stories, like posts, can be posted from other applications, only when choosing a placement, you need to click "Stories".

Check out the Instagram Stories* section of our blog for inspiration on how to use stories on both your personal blog and your brand account.

If you feel uncomfortable publishing posts and stories from your phone, use services for publishing from your computer, such as SMMplanner. With it, you can design and post posts and stories from your computer and specify the time at which they will be automatically published.

Scheduling a new post on Instagram* from a computer via SMMplanner

What is the convenience of delayed posting and how to post on Instagram* from SMMplanner, read in our article "Delayed posting services on Instagram*: why they are needed and how they work".


Learn more