Social Media Character Limits 2026
Complete Platform Guide for Maximum Engagement
📱 2026 Character Limits
Every social media platform has different character limits for posts, bios, comments, and more. Stay updated with this complete 2026 reference guide.
Ever hit "post" only to see "Text too long"? Or worse—your caption gets cut off with "..." at the worst possible moment? Character limits matter more than you think. They affect engagement, reach, and whether your message actually gets seen.
Why Character Limits Matter
- Engagement: Short posts (40-80 chars) get 66% more engagement on Twitter
- Visibility: Instagram caps at 125 chars before "...more"
- SEO: YouTube descriptions under 157 chars show fully in search
- Mobile: Text gets truncated on small screens
Twitter / X Character Limits
| Element | Character Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tweet | 280 | 4,000 for X Premium |
| Bio | 160 | Emojis count as 2 |
| Display Name | 50 | - |
| Direct Message | 10,000 | - |
Pro tip: URLs count as 23 characters regardless of length. Images don't count!
Instagram Character Limits
| Element | Character Limit | Visible |
|---|---|---|
| Caption | 2,200 | 125 before "...more" |
| Bio | 150 | Full |
| Username | 30 | Full |
| Hashtags | 30 max | - |
| Comment | 2,200 | ~110 |
| Story Text | 2,200 | Varies by screen |
💡 Instagram Best Practice
Put your hook in the first 125 characters! That's all users see before tapping "more." Save hashtags for the end or first comment.
TikTok Character Limits
| Element | Character Limit |
|---|---|
| Caption | 2,200 |
| Bio | 80 |
| Username | 24 |
| Comment | 150 |
Facebook Character Limits
| Element | Character Limit |
|---|---|
| Post | 63,206 |
| Bio | 101 |
| Page Name | 75 |
| Comment | 8,000 |
LinkedIn Character Limits
| Element | Character Limit | Optimal |
|---|---|---|
| Post | 3,000 | 150-200 |
| Headline | 220 | - |
| Summary | 2,600 | - |
| Article | 125,000 | 1,900-2,000 |
YouTube Character Limits
| Element | Character Limit |
|---|---|
| Video Title | 100 |
| Description | 5,000 |
| Comment | 10,000 |
| Community Post | 10,000 |
Pinterest Character Limits
| Pin Title | 100 |
| Pin Description | 500 |
| Board Name | 50 |
| Profile Bio | 160 |
Best Practices by Platform
Twitter / X
- Optimal length: 71-100 characters get most retweets
- Hook first: Lead with value in first 20 chars
- Use threads: Break long content into numbered tweets
- Front-load value: First 125 chars must hook readers
- Hashtags: 3-5 relevant hashtags perform best
- Line breaks: Use formatting for readability
- Short posts win: 150-200 chars get 60% more engagement
- Ask questions: End with a question to spark comments
- Professional tone: But be personable
🚀 Count Characters Instantly
Use our Character Counter to check your post length before hitting publish. Works for all platforms!
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