Social Media Character Limits in 2026
How long your post text can be on each network, the limits that changed recently, and why a scheduling tool sometimes shows a different number than the app.
By the SocialDesk team · Checked on November 5, 2026
Character limits at a glance
Spaces, emojis, line breaks and links all count toward the limit.
| Network | Post text | Also good to know | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,200 characters | 5 hashtags per post | Hashtags in comments count toward the 5. | |
| TikTok | 2,200 characters | 4,000 for photo posts | Video captions through scheduling tools stop at 2,200. |
| 63,206 characters | Long posts fold | Long posts are cut with "See more" in the feed. | |
| 3,000 characters | Same for Pages | Personal profiles and company Pages share the limit. | |
| X (Twitter) | 280 characters | 25,000 with X Premium | A link always counts as 23 characters. |
| Threads | 500 characters | Text-only posts allowed | No photo or video is needed. |
Why a scheduler can show a different limit
Scheduling tools publish through each network's official API, and a few API limits differ from the app. On TikTok, video captions sent through the Content Posting API stop at 2,200 characters, while photo posts accept a 4,000-character description.
SocialDesk counts characters live in the composer and stops a post before publishing if the text is too long for any of the networks you picked, so nothing gets cut off after it goes out.
How X counts characters
X shortens every link with its t.co service, so a link always counts as 23 characters, however long it is. Emojis and characters from Chinese, Japanese and Korean count as two each.
X Premium subscribers can write posts of up to 25,000 characters. Without Premium, the limit is 280.
Instagram: 2,200 characters and 5 hashtags
An Instagram caption holds up to 2,200 characters. Since December 18, 2025, a post or Reel can carry at most 5 hashtags, and hashtags you add in the comments count toward that limit.
Only the first lines of a caption show before "more" in the feed, so put the hook first.
The two numbers people get wrong most
Instagram hashtags
5 per post
Down from 30 since December 18, 2025. Hashtags in comments count too.
X links
23 characters
Every link counts as 23 characters, whatever its real length.
In the app vs. through a scheduling tool
Scheduling tools, SocialDesk included, publish through each network's official API. Here is where that changes the number you see.
| In the app | Scheduling tools (API) | |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok video caption | Can be longer on some accounts | 2,200 characters |
| TikTok photo post description | 4,000 characters | 4,000 characters |
| Instagram hashtags | 5 per post | 5 per post |
SocialDesk shows a live character counter for each network you post to and warns you before publishing if the text, the hashtags or a file does not fit.
Character limit questions
What is the Instagram caption character limit?
2,200 characters, including spaces, emojis and line breaks. A post or Reel can also carry at most 5 hashtags since December 18, 2025.
How many characters can a TikTok caption have?
Video captions published through scheduling tools hold up to 2,200 characters, and photo posts accept a 4,000-character description. Some accounts can write longer captions directly in the TikTok app.
What is the character limit on X (Twitter)?
280 characters per post, or up to 25,000 with X Premium. Every link counts as 23 characters, and every emoji counts as two.
What is the LinkedIn post character limit?
3,000 characters, for both personal profiles and company Pages.
How long can a Facebook post be?
Up to 63,206 characters. Long posts are shortened in the feed with a "See more" link, so keep the key message at the start.
What is the Threads character limit?
500 characters per post. Threads also allows text-only posts, with no photo or video needed.
Write once, fit every network
SocialDesk counts characters for every network you post to and stops a post before it gets cut off.