> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.themeupstudio.com/crimson/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.themeupstudio.com/crimson/homepage/carousel.md).

# Carousel

The **Hero Carousel** is the large, swipeable slider shown near the top of the Crimson homepage. It’s designed to spotlight your most important content in a visually prominent way. You can choose whether it highlights:

* **Featured posts** (best for curated hero content), or
* **Latest posts** (fully automatic and always fresh)

<figure><img src="/files/r6gp2jGx9UxpEY2EQW4a" alt=""><figcaption><p>Carousel Section</p></figcaption></figure>

### Where it appears

* The carousel is rendered on the **homepage template**
* It only shows when enabled in: **Settings → Design & branding → Site wide → Theme → Show carousel**

When enabled, it appears **near the top of the homepage**, typically:

* **After the Trending Ticker** (if the ticker is enabled), otherwise near the top.

***

### What it shows

#### Number of posts

* Displays **up to 3 posts**
* Shows fewer if fewer are available

#### Content source (Featured vs Latest)

You control the source from theme settings: **Carousel slider posts → Featured Posts** or **Latest Posts**

* **Featured Posts -** Uses posts marked as **Featured** in the Ghost editor. Great when you want full control over what appears.
* **Latest Posts -** Uses the most recently published posts. Great when you want a homepage that updates automatically without manual curation.

***

### Theme settings (Ghost Admin)

In **Settings** **→ Design & branding → Theme → Homepage** *group*, you’ll typically see:

<figure><img src="/files/UoGqjElUzKhRFWZH8Pkx" alt=""><figcaption><p>Carousel settings</p></figcaption></figure>

#### 1) Show carousel

* Turns the Hero Carousel **ON/OFF** for the homepage.

#### 2) Carousel slider posts

Chooses which posts populate the carousel:

* **Featured Posts** → uses posts marked “featured” in Ghost
* **Latest Posts** → uses your most recently published posts

<figure><img src="/files/nlOshx78FE5SvifeRuwe" alt=""><figcaption><p>Source of Carousel Slider Posts</p></figcaption></figure>

**Notes**

* If there are **fewer than 3 qualifying posts**, the carousel will show as many as available.
* If **no posts match** (example: set to Featured Posts but you have zero featured posts), the carousel area may appear **empty**.

***

### How it behaves (User experience)

The Hero Carousel is built for modern browsing and typically behaves like this:

* **Autoplays** slides automatically
* **Loops continuously** (after the last slide it returns to the first)
* Shows **pagination dots** so visitors can jump between slides
* **Pauses autoplay on hover** (desktop) so visitors can read comfortably
* Supports **swipe gestures** on touch devices (thanks to Swiper)

***

### Troubleshooting

<details>

<summary>I enabled the carousel but nothing shows.</summary>

Check these:

1. **Show carousel** is enabled
2. If carousel source is **Featured Posts**:
   * You’ve marked at least **1 post** as Featured
3. **Visibility / access rules**
   * If your carousel posts are **members-only** or **paid-only**, they may not be visible to logged-out visitors depending on your Ghost membership/access setup.

**Quick test:** open your homepage in an incognito window and see if the carousel appears.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Does it affect SEO?</summary>

Not negatively in a typical setup.

* Carousel posts are still normal links to your post pages.
* The carousel is primarily a layout/UX feature, so SEO impact is generally **neutral**.

For best SEO outcomes:

* Use strong post titles
* Use high-quality featured images
* Ensure your hero posts are worth clicking

</details>