Instagram’s Edits app started out as a video editor. People used it to trim Reels, add captions, and polish videos before posting. Earlier this month, Instagram added carousel creation to Edits, mixing photos, videos, and text on one canvas. Finished posts go straight to Instagram. Curiosity got the best of me, so I opened the app to check it out. In the back of my mind, I was still wishing I had Edits on my computer. Even so, it’s a very convenient app to have on your phone. More on the desktop part later.
Dan Moreno, a design engineer on Edits, said creators kept asking for carousels. “Carousels are a powerful way to tell your stories,” he said in Instagram’s announcement. Creators have built panoramic slides and cutout collages in other apps for years. Instagram showing up with its own tools feels like a neighbor finally bringing a casserole to the potluck.
One Long Canvas, Plenty of Slides
The editor works like one long canvas split into slides. Inside it, you add photos, videos, and text and drop media into preset layouts. Padding and spacing between each piece are adjustable, too. A cutout tool turns parts of an image into stickers. Filters and adjustments are there as well. Edits also brings over color grading, scale, and rotation, so lining things up is easier.
The fun part is how the slides connect. A photo bleeds from one slide into the next, and a headline stretches across several. As a result, the swipe becomes part of the design. Anyone who has nudged a graphic left, then right, then left again will love aligning elements across slides.
Getting started is simple. In the Projects tab, tap the plus sign, choose Carousel, and pick your photos and videos. From there, add blank slides, duplicate them, and reorder as you go. Saved fonts, colors, text styles, audio, and adjustments carry over from your other Edits projects. When you finish, share the carousel straight to Instagram or download it to post elsewhere. No more exporting and re-uploading. The feature is live on iOS, and Android support is coming soon.
Saves, Swipes, and Fewer Files Named IMG_4482
Carousels have earned their spot in a lot of content calendars. A Metricool analysis of nearly 25 million Instagram posts found carousels earned nine times more saves than single images. They also got more than double the reach. Saves matter for service businesses. Someone who saves a post about tax deadlines or contract red flags plans to come back to it.
Having video editing and carousel design in one app is the convenient part. A therapist films a short clip about holiday stress and builds the Reel in Edits. The companion carousel gets made in the same place, with the same fonts and colors. Gone is the bouncing between apps and a camera roll full of files named IMG_4482.
None of this sends Canva packing. Canva, CapCut, and plenty of other tools already handle carousels. Many businesses also have years of brand templates living there. Edits simply gives creators one more good option.
Call Me Old School
I appreciate how far mobile editing has come, and I like having Edits in my pocket. Still, when I have a choice, I edit videos and design graphics on my computer. Call me old school, but I’d pick my laptop or desktop over my phone each time. As someone who creates video and social content professionally, I prefer the bigger screen. I also like the feel of working in desktop editing software.
So the news I’m waiting for is a desktop version of Edits. In June, Meta confirmed one is in development. Projects will sync between phone and computer. Instagram head Adam Mosseri said in August there’s no release date yet, according to Kontentino. I’d be thrilled to start a carousel on my phone and finish it on the big screen.
Before Your Team Downloads One More App
Before recommending Edits to someone, I’d look at a few practical details. The team’s phones matter, since Android users are still waiting. Existing templates matter too. Rebuilding a brand in a new app sometimes creates a second set of files to babysit. Approval steps deserve a look as well. Posting straight from Edits is convenient right up until the draft with the typo goes live.
There’s also a stewardship question tucked in here. Time is a resource. A new app earns its place when it gives some of that time back. Another login and another learning curve do the opposite.
Pretty Slides Still Need Something to Say
The bigger question is what goes on the slides. A slick bleed effect is fun for about one swipe. Content earns its keep when it helps the right person see why they should hire you. My Story Seller System is perfect for this.
In the Source part, I research a client’s business, audience, offers, and current marketing. The goal is learning what drives buying decisions, what’s working, and what’s being missed. Those findings show which questions prospects keep asking and which offer deserves the spotlight.
During the Angle stage, I turn the research into messaging and choose the story angle. I also pick the ideas and proof to help someone take the next step toward booking.
The Exclusive stage brings in the owner’s expertise, experiences, and client results. This way, the carousel says something a competitor’s post couldn’t. Built this way, an attorney’s carousel about estate planning mistakes sounds like her and reflects how she works. It reads nothing like a law school handout.
So, Should Edits Get a Seat at the Table?
Edits turning into a carousel tool is good news, especially if you already make Reels there. Connected slides, saved presets, and direct posting cut out several small annoyances. My suggestion is to try it on one or two posts first. See how it fits your team and approval process, and keep the tools already working well. And if Instagram releases desktop Edits soon, I’ll be first in line with my laptop open.
Tools make carousels easier to create. Deciding what they should say is still the hard part, and it’s the work I help clients with. My Social Media Strategy Session is $150 for 90 minutes together. I’ll review your current content, audience, offers, and marketing direction. By the end, you’ll have stronger story angles, practical content ideas, clearer offer direction, and specific next steps.
Book Your $150 Social Media Strategy Session
If you’d rather hand it all off, my Social Media Management service starts at $500 per month. It covers monthly strategy, content planning, captions, scheduling, and branded content direction. Re-purposing, story angles, and offer promotion are included too.
