A practical Instagram post guide
Build an Instagram post from photo to finished mockup.
Plan a single image or carousel, frame every photo consistently, and check how the caption and engagement details read in the final post.
Start with your photos
Upload a photo or choose several images for a carousel. The first upload replaces the example illustrations. Later uploads add to the carousel, up to ten images. PNG, JPG, WebP, and GIF files under 20 MB are supported. GIF uploads become still images for the PNG mockup.
Use original photos or images you have permission to reuse. Uploaded files are processed in your browser and resized to a maximum edge of 1,800 pixels to keep editing responsive. Your profile photo is prepared separately at up to 360 pixels.
Choose an image ratio
All slides share the same frame shape so the carousel stays consistent. Choose the ratio before fine-tuning each crop.
| Ratio | Shape | Cropped image export |
|---|---|---|
| 4:5 | Portrait | 1080 × 1350 pixels |
| 1:1 | Square | 1080 × 1080 pixels |
| 3:4 | Tall portrait | 1080 × 1440 pixels |
| 1.91:1 | Landscape | 1080 × 565 pixels |
These are mockup formats supported by this editor. Check Instagram's current requirements before preparing files for publication there.
Crop and order a carousel
Select an image in the gallery or use the arrows beneath the preview. Open its crop controls to zoom from 100% to 300%, drag to reposition, or use horizontal and vertical sliders. Apply the crop to save it; Cancel preserves the previous framing. Center resets the crop.
Reorder slides using the gallery grip or the earlier/later arrow buttons. Keyboard users can focus the grip and use the left and right arrow keys. A carousel works best when the first image establishes the subject and the later slides add context. The selected image stays selected when its order changes.
Write the caption
The caption supports up to 2,200 characters, line breaks, emoji, mentions, and hashtags. Insert emoji or hashtags at the cursor. The preview highlights mentions and hashtags, and can show a collapsed two-line caption or the full text.
Keep the first lines useful on their own. A longer caption can extend beyond the fixed phone screen; choose Post only to see and export the complete post.
Set profile and engagement
Change the username, optional profile photo, location, verified badge, and story ring. Set the like count, comment count, relative posting time, and liked or saved states. You can add up to three preview comments and control whether they appear.
Use fictional engagement numbers for clearly identified mockups. The liked state adds one to the displayed like count, matching the preview interaction. The verified badge is a visual mockup setting and does not verify an account.
Download your post
Choose a light or dark appearance and either Post only or Phone screen. Post only grows with the content; Phone screen preserves a fixed-height device layout and may crop the bottom of a long post. The export dialog shows the selected dimensions.
- Finished post · PNG: exports the selected slide with profile, caption, and visible details.
- All finished carousel posts · ZIP: exports one complete post mockup per slide in gallery order.
- Photo only · PNG: exports the selected photo at 1080 pixels wide, without Instagram interface elements.
The download dialog shows a preview of the finished export. For post exports, choose Full post to fit all visible details or Phone screen for a fixed-height screenshot. The ZIP preview shows the selected slide; the download includes every slide in gallery order.
Post exports are available at 2× (780 pixels wide) or 3× (1170 pixels wide). The crop and post renderers share the same framing calculations. Undo and redo let you recover recent edits, including a reset to the examples.
Common questions
Does this publish to Instagram?
No. This tool creates downloadable mockup images. It does not sign in to Instagram, post content, or change a real account. Fake Generator is independent and is not affiliated with Instagram or Meta.
Where is my draft saved?
The editor attempts to save the draft in this browser's local storage. Large image sets or browser restrictions can prevent saving; the status changes to Draft in memory in that case. Download the finished images before leaving. Clear the site's browser storage to delete a saved draft.
Why are some details missing from the phone export?
Phone screen uses a fixed 820-pixel layout before export scaling. Long captions or comments can extend below the bottom navigation. Use Post only to include the full post, or collapse the caption and hide comment previews.
What can I use a mockup for?
Use mockups for campaign planning, creative reviews, storyboards, teaching, presentations, or interface concepts. Clearly identify fictional posts when context could be misleading, and do not present them as evidence of a real person's statements or engagement.