Character Limits by Platform
Every social media platform enforces different character limits, and they change more often than most people realise. Use this as your reference before you write, not after you've already drafted something that doesn't fit.
- Twitter/X: 280 characters per post; 4,000 for Premium subscribers
- Instagram caption: 2,200 characters total; only the first 125 are shown before the "more" link
- Instagram bio: 150 characters
- LinkedIn post: 3,000 characters; first 210 shown before truncation on desktop
- LinkedIn article: 125,000 characters (effectively no practical limit)
- Facebook post: 63,206 characters (rarely a constraint in practice)
- Facebook ad headline: 40 characters
- TikTok caption: 2,200 characters
- YouTube title: 100 characters (search shows approximately 70)
- YouTube description: 5,000 characters
- Pinterest pin description: 500 characters
Why Character Limits Matter Beyond Truncation
Exceeding a platform's visible character limit doesn't just mean your text gets cut off — it changes how the algorithm treats your content. Platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn deprioritise posts where users must click "more" to read the full content, because that click is a weak engagement signal compared to a like, comment, or share.
For Instagram, the practical limit for captions that display fully in the feed is around 125 characters. For LinkedIn posts, around 210 characters show before truncation on desktop. Frontloading your most important message within these visible windows improves reach — the algorithm sees more users engaging with the full content without needing to expand it.
Tips for Writing Within Character Limits
Draft first, then trim. Writing to a character limit from the start produces stilted copy. Write freely, then use WordCountNow's character counter to measure your draft and identify what to cut.
Cut from the end, not the middle. The last sentence of most social posts is either a call to action (keep it) or a restatement of what you already said (cut it). Trim redundant closers before cutting anything from the substance of your post.