The Complete Character Limit Reference for Every Platform
Twitter/X: 280, LinkedIn: 3000, Instagram: 2200, TikTok: 150, YouTube: 5000. Here's every character limit that matters for social media managers and developers.
The Complete Character Limit Reference for Every Platform
Every social platform has its own character limit - some for historical reasons, some for technical constraints, some for engagement optimization. Here's every limit that matters.
Quick Reference Table
| Platform | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Twitter / X | 280 | Hard limit, enforced |
| Threads | 500 | Includes links |
| 3000 | Post body | |
| 2200 | Caption | |
| 63206 | Very generous | |
| TikTok | 150 | Caption |
| YouTube | 5000 | Description |
| 500 | Description | |
| Discord | 2000 | Message |
| 40000 | Post body |
Twitter / X - 280 Characters
Twitter's famous 280-character limit is one of the most misunderstood constraints on the web. What most people don't know:
What's counted as characters:
- Every letter, number, and space
- Emojis count as 2 characters each (except certain Japanese emojis)
What's NOT counted:
- URLs (they're auto-shortened to 23 characters regardless of actual length - so don't bother counting)
Tips:
- Use the character counter to see exactly what Twitter counts
- The limit includes
@mentions and#hashtags - If you need more: reply to your own tweet to create a thread
Threads by Meta - 500 Characters
Threads posts follow Instagram's model. Links count toward the limit.
LinkedIn - 3,000 Characters
LinkedIn's 3000-character limit is generous but don't use all of it. Studies consistently show that 150-300 character posts get more engagement. The counter helps you stay concise.
LinkedIn also has:
- Headline: 220 characters
- "About" section: 2000 characters
- Comment: 1250 characters
Instagram - 2,200 Characters
Instagram captions over 125 characters get less engagement on average. Keep it punchy.
Instagram also has:
- Bio: 150 characters
- Hashtag limit: 30 hashtags per post
- Caption on carousel: same 2200
TikTok - 150 Characters
TikTok captions are short and punchy. 150 characters forces brevity. Use keywords early - the caption gets truncated after ~100 characters in the feed.
YouTube - 5,000 Characters
YouTube descriptions get truncated after the first 100-150 characters in mobile search results. Put the most important information first.
YouTube also has:
- Title: 100 characters (beyond this gets truncated in search)
- Channel description: 5000 characters
Meta Description Tags - 160 Characters
Not a social platform, but if you're writing meta descriptions for SEO:
Google typically displays the first 150-160 characters of a meta description in search results. The counter tool on Toolblip has a specific "meta description" preset.
How to Count Characters Without Messing Up
When writing for a platform with a character limit:
- Draft without looking at the counter - write naturally first
- Then check - copy into the character counter tool
- Trim methodically - remove filler words, redundant phrases
- Check the specific preset - use Twitter, LinkedIn, or meta tag presets to see the relevant limit
Free Tools
The most useful tool is one that shows:
- Total character count
- Total byte count
- Platform-specific limits overlaid
- Live remaining count as you type
👉 Character Counter with all platform presets →
See exactly how Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and meta tag limits compare against your text in real time.
The Meta Tag Rule
If you're a developer building UGC forms that accept social media content: always show the character counter with the relevant limit. Users routinely exceed limits and it's frustrating to lose content when submitting.
Ready to try it yourself?
Browse Free Tools →