How to post a PDF on LinkedIn, the post people call a carousel
Add a document to a LinkedIn post and it shows as swipeable pages, the post people call a carousel. The steps, the 100 MB and 300-page limits, and scheduling.
Short answer
Start a post, choose More, then Add a document, and upload a PDF (or a PPT, PPTX, DOC or DOCX) of up to 100 MB and 300 pages. Give it a title and publish. LinkedIn shows the pages one at a time, which is what people mean by a LinkedIn carousel. Profiles and Pages can both post one.
How to post a PDF on desktop
- 1Click Start a post, then More, then Add a document.
- 2Click Choose file and pick the document. You can also add one from Dropbox or Google Drive.
- 3Add a title for the document, then click Done.
- 4Write the text that goes with it, then click Post, or the clock icon to schedule it.
On mobile
Tap Post, then More and Document, choose the file, add a title, tap Next, and post. These steps come from LinkedIn's help article on documents, which hasn't been updated in three years, so the menu names in your app may differ slightly.
Limits and how to prepare the file
- Size and length: up to 100 MB and 300 pages.
- File types: PDF, PPT, PPTX, DOC and DOCX. Viewers can download it as a PDF.
- Make it a PDF if you can, flatten any layers, and use the same page size on every page, so the pages swipe evenly.
- Video and animation in a slide show as a still image.
- After posting, you can edit the text or delete the post, but not swap the document.
Design it for a phone: large text, one idea per page, and a first page that works as a cover, because the first page is all anyone sees until they swipe. Keep the title short and specific, since it shows above the pages.
Is it really a carousel?
LinkedIn calls these posts documents. Its own Carousel is an ad format: a sponsored post of 2 to 10 image cards made in Campaign Manager. A normal post can also hold up to 20 photos, but that is a gallery, not swipeable pages. When people say "LinkedIn carousel" for an ordinary post, they mean a document post, and that is what this guide covers.
Can you schedule a PDF post?
LinkedIn doesn't list documents among the post types that can't be scheduled, and the clock icon sits in the same post box, so you can schedule one the usual way: how to schedule a LinkedIn post.
Through PostDaily, attach one PDF of up to 25 MB and give it a title of up to 100 characters. That is lower than LinkedIn's 100 MB because the file goes to LinkedIn in a single upload; a deck that size covers far more pages than a typical carousel. Profiles and Company Pages you administer can both post documents. The LinkedIn scheduler lists the other formats.
PDF post questions
How do you post a carousel on LinkedIn?
Post a PDF as a document: Start a post, More, Add a document. LinkedIn shows its pages one at a time. LinkedIn's own Carousel format is for ads.
What is the maximum PDF size on LinkedIn?
100 MB and 300 pages, according to LinkedIn's help centre.
Can a LinkedIn Company Page post a PDF?
Yes. Super admins and content admins can post documents as the Page.
Can you schedule a PDF on LinkedIn?
Yes. Add the document as usual, then click the clock icon instead of Post and choose a time up to 3 months ahead. LinkedIn doesn't list documents among the posts that can't be scheduled.
Can you edit a PDF after posting it on LinkedIn?
You can edit the post's text, but not replace the document. Delete the post and post it again with the new file.
Last checked against LinkedIn Help and LinkedIn's Documents and Posts API documentation.
