Caption and Hashtag Limits for TikTok, Instagram, Shorts and More
Instagram allows up to five hashtags per post or Reel and a 2,200-character caption. Limits on other platforms vary, and several could not be confirmed from the platforms' own pages, so the table labels each one.
| Platform | Caption limit used | Visible lines | Hashtags |
|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | 2,200Varies - verify | 3 | About 4 recommended |
| Instagram Reels | 2,200Reported | 2 | Max 5Official (quoted) |
| YouTube Shorts | 100Reported | 1 | About 3 recommended |
| Instagram Stories | 2,200Varies - verify | 1 | About 3 recommended |
| Facebook Reels | 2,200Varies - verify | 2 | About 3 recommended |
| Snapchat Spotlight | 160Varies - verify | 1 | About 3 recommended |
| LinkedIn Video | 3,000Reported | 3 | About 3 recommended |
Visible lines are Frameguard estimates and vary with the phone. Reviewed 2026-10-26.
Why the cut-off matters more than the limit
Most viewers never expand a caption. What counts is the first line or two that appear before the "more" link, so put your hook there. A caption you can read in full on your screen may be cut halfway on someone else's.
Instagram's five-hashtag rule
In December 2025 Instagram began limiting posts and Reels to five hashtags, down from 30. Its guidance is that a few specific tags work better than a long list of generic ones, and that hashtags help people find your post more than they increase reach.
Try it in the caption studio
The Frameguard checker has a caption studio that counts characters and hashtags against the platform you pick, shows what is visible before "more", and tells you whether your hook fits on one line.