New on Instagram - June 2026

Instagram now lets you reorder your grid after posting - drag posts into any order, no deleting, no lost likes. But it hands you a drag handle, not an eye for what order works, and nudging 20 to 30 tiles around by thumb is the tedious part. This plugin works out the color-flow order for you. Plan it in Lightroom, then apply it on Instagram in seconds - on a fresh feed or one you posted years ago. See how Reorder Grid works →

See It in Action

From selects to a feed that flows.

Features

Built for photographers
who care how the feed reads

Numbered. Sequenced. Ready to upload.

Files export renamed 01_, 02_, 03_… - the order you planned is baked into the filenames. Send them to your phone, your scheduler, or any tool you like, and posts go up in your exact sequence.

Three sorts. The one that fits.

Smooth Flow weaves color frame-to-frame. Cluster groups by family. Hue Wheel walks the full circle. One tap to try, one tap to switch.

What you see is what you post.

The planner renders through your Lightroom edits, not the raw files. Every tile in the grid is exactly how the photo will look when it hits your feed.

Drag tiles to fine-tune.

Pick the sort, then move what feels off, swap two photos that fight each other, hit reset to start over. Your original Lightroom selection stays untouched.

Plan where you edit.

No round trip to a phone app just to figure out the order. Decide the sequence right inside Lightroom, then export only the photos you're actually posting.

Apple-trusted on macOS.

Signed and Notarized by Apple. Installs clean - no warnings, no security prompts, no workarounds.

Why it's different

Plan first. Export only what you need.

The usual way: export your whole edit set, transfer it to your phone or a planning app, arrange the order there. Photos pile up in your camera roll. Any change means a round trip back to Lightroom for another re-export.

Instagram Grid Planner flips it. Plan the grid first - inside Lightroom, while your photos are still in your editing workflow. Then export only the photos you've decided to post, already numbered for upload. Transfer exactly what's needed. Nothing left hanging.

How It Works

Three steps to a planned feed

Select. Sort. Export.

Select

Pick 9-30 photos in Lightroom Library view - the size of an actual feed plan.

Sort

Library > Plug-in Extras > Open Instagram Grid Planner - the planner opens in your browser with your photos arranged. Pick a sort mode, drag tiles by hand to fine-tune.

Export

Export the sequence to a folder. Files are renamed in upload order - drop them onto Instagram in the same sequence you planned.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What to expect before you install.

Which Macs and operating systems are supported?

For v1, the shipping installer runs on macOS with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4) only. Intel Macs and Windows are not supported by the bundled binary.

Windows and Intel Mac support is on the roadmap if there's enough demand. Tell us if you need either - demand drives priority.

How is this different from UNUM, Preview, or Planoly?

Those apps run on your phone. The workflow is: export from Lightroom, transfer to your phone, upload into the planner, arrange the order. Want to swap a photo? Round trip back to Lightroom for another export-and-transfer cycle.

Instagram Grid Planner plans the grid from inside Lightroom, before you export anything. Pick a sort, lock the sequence, then export only the photos you're posting - already numbered for upload.

What file types does it support?

Anything Lightroom can render - RAW (.ARW, .CR2, .NEF, .DNG, .RAF), JPEG, TIFF. Renders go through Lightroom so your develop edits are baked into the preview the planner uses.

My RAWs take a while to render the first time. Is that normal?

Yes - Lightroom is generating an edited preview of each photo, which can take a minute or two on a full RAW selection. Subsequent runs reuse the cache and are near-instant.

Can I undo a sort?

Press R for Reset, or 1/2/3 to switch between the three sort modes. Drag tiles individually to fine-tune. Your original Lightroom selection isn't modified - the planner only reads it.

Which sort mode should I use?

Start with Smooth Flow - it's the right call most of the time. If your set has 2-3 distinct color families and you want them to live in chunks, try Cluster. If you're going for a colorful, energetic feed, try Hue Wheel. Each is one tap to try, so you can compare in seconds.

Does it edit my photos?

No. Nothing about your photos changes - not your edits, not your ratings, not your originals, not your catalog. The planner only reads. It renders previews and exports renamed JPEGs to a new folder you choose. That's it.

What's the export quality?

JPEG, quality 85 by default (visually transparent). Adjustable from 70-95 in the export dialog. Long edge defaults to 1080px (Instagram-ready) but you can change it.

How many photos can I plan at once?

Up to 200, but the sweet spot is 9-30 - the size of an actual Instagram feed plan.

Can I build a grid from photos in different Lightroom catalogs?

Yes - the planner stays open across catalog switches. Add photos from one catalog, switch in Lightroom, add more from another, and they merge into the same grid. Useful if you keep your work split across catalogs (clients, years, projects).

Do my photos leave my computer?

No. The planner runs entirely on your own Mac. Nothing is uploaded anywhere unless you explicitly export and share. See our Privacy Policy for details.

Can I get a refund?

If the plugin doesn't work on your setup, contact us - we'll either fix the issue or refund you in full. Use our contact form to reach out. Full terms on the Terms of Service page.

Stop second-guessing your feed order.

Pick a sort, drag what feels off, export the sequence. Done in 10 minutes.

One-time $9.99 - no subscription, ever
Plan unlimited grids - no quotas, ever
Not working? Contact us - we'll fix it or refund
Your photos never leave your computer

Get Instagram Grid Planner $9.99

macOS on Apple Silicon (M1 or later).

A feed that looks intentional.Not chaotic.