Instagram is embracing the 'photo dump'

Instagram is rolling out the ability for users to add up to 20 photos or videos to their feed carousels, as the platform embraces the trend of “photo dumps.” Back in 2017, Instagram added the ability to post up to 10 photos or videos in one swipeable carousel post. Now, you can post double the amount of content.

When Instagram gained popularity, the app was all about getting that single, perfect photo to share with your followers. As the years passed, the idea of “photo dumps” gained popularity, as users started posting a collection of photos and videos in a carousel format instead of stressing over selecting a singular image.

By doubling the number of photos and videos that you can share in a carousel, Instagram is embracing photo dumps in time for the end of summer. The update is reminiscent of when you would upload a whole photo album of images from your summer vacation on Facebook during the height of the platform’s popularity.

It’s worth noting that the change brings Instagram closer to TikTok’s carousel feature, which lets users include up to 35 photos in a single post.

While some users may be excited about the update, others may see it as overkill, as Instagram continues to move further away from the simple photo-sharing app it was a decade ago. Not everyone will be interested in swiping through more than 10 slides of a user’s post, especially when the app is already stuffed with so many other content formats, such as reels, stories and notes.

The launch of the expanded limit doesn’t come as a surprise, as Instagram was spotted testing it back in March.

Thursday’s announcement comes a day after Instagram revealed that it’s making “Views” the primary metric across all of its formats, including reels, live, photos, carousels and stories. The change means that creators will be able to track the same metric across all of their content.