Adding and Adjusting Media

Updated September 12, 2026

Attach files to the draft, then select which files each channel should use. For example, select several images for an Instagram carousel and one image for LinkedIn.

The Maeve composer with three images attached, the per-channel media selector below the caption, and a carousel preview showing image one of three — Select media for each channel and check the carousel order in the preview.

The attachments a draft is carrying, which every channel then picks from. The summary counts them by kind and by size, and the last figure is the draft's own cap of twenty.

Adding Media

Choose a source to add media to the draft:

Upload, or drag and drop onto the empty drop area before anything is attached
The Media Room, to reuse something already in the library
Google Drive
Canva, which imports the design as an image

The counter above the attachment row shows the number of files in the draft.

Selecting Media for Each Channel

Open a channel's media row and select the files to include. Use Select all or Clear to update the selection.

Maeve selects compatible media by default. Check the selection for each channel and change it if needed.

The same three attachments under four channels. Nobody picked these: Maeve ticks what each network accepts, in the order the files sit in, and locks the rest. The line underneath is the rule that network is working to.

Network	Items per post
Threads	20
TikTok	35 images, or 1 video
Instagram	10
Facebook	10 images, or 1 video
LinkedIn	10 images, or 1 video
X	4
YouTube	1 video
Pinterest	1 image, or 1 video
Google Business Profile	1 image

Order matters on a carousel. Drag the attachments into the order you want and that is the order they publish in.

Cropping

Open the crop control for the channel's media. Choose a preset, adjust the framing, and check the result in the preview.

The cropper offers each network its own shapes, under that network's own names. Instagram and Facebook swap the list by post type, so a Story is offered the 9:16 shape and nothing else, and a Post is not offered it at all.

Network	Presets
Instagram	4:5, 1:1, 1.91:1, and 9:16 for stories
Facebook	1.91:1, 1:1, 4:5, and 9:16 for stories
LinkedIn	1.91:1, 1:1, 4:5
X	16:9, 1:1
Threads	1:1, 4:5, 1.91:1
TikTok	9:16, 3:4, 1:1, 16:9
YouTube	16:9, 1:1, and 9:16 for Shorts
Pinterest	2:3, 1:1, 9:16

For Instagram and Facebook, crop presets depend on the selected post type. Stories use 9:16. Switch to Post for feed presets.

Cropping for one network does not change the file anywhere else. The original stays in the Media Room untouched.

Covers

Open the channel's cover settings and choose a source:

Where each cover can come from. Instagram and TikTok will lift a frame out of the video, so the cover is optional. YouTube and Pinterest will not, so a long-form video and a video Pin both need a file prepared in advance.

Instagram. A frame from the video, or an image you upload
TikTok. A frame from the video, or on a photo post, which of the photos leads
YouTube. An uploaded image, and it is required on anything that is not a Short. JPEG or PNG, up to 2MB
Pinterest. An uploaded image, and it is required on every video Pin

Prepare a separate image for YouTube regular videos and Pinterest video Pins. For Instagram and TikTok videos, you can choose a frame from the video.

Alt Text

Alt text describes the image for anyone who cannot see it, and it is capped at 500 characters.

Instagram Stories do not publish alt text. Saving it while preparing a Story still updates the asset in the Media Room.

What Will Stop a Post

Check each channel's media selection before scheduling:

Photos and video together. Instagram, X and Threads allow it. Facebook, LinkedIn and TikTok refuse it
More than one video. Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube all take one per post. Only Instagram, X and Threads take more
A file type the network does not take. Facebook is MP4 only where Instagram also takes MOV
A missing cover on a YouTube long-form video or a Pinterest video Pin

Facebook takes photos or a video, never both. Clicking the video with photos already selected does not warn you or refuse: it drops the photos and keeps the video. LinkedIn and TikTok do the same.

The per-network detail lives in each channel's own guide under channel management.

Questions

How many files can one post hold?

Each selected channel has its own media limit. Check the attachment counter and the channel's selection. For example, Instagram accepts 10 items and X accepts four.

Can one channel carry different images from another?

Yes. Select the files separately in each channel's media row.

Does cropping for one network change the image everywhere?

No. The crop applies to that platform's version. The original file in the Media Room remains unchanged.

Why did my alt text change on another post?

Alt text is saved to the media asset and used by other posts that reference it. Use a separate copy of the image when you need different alt text.

Which networks need a cover image?

YouTube regular videos and Pinterest video Pins require custom cover images. Instagram and TikTok videos can use a frame from the video.

Can I reorder the images in a carousel?

Yes. Drag the attachments into the order you want, then check the carousel preview.