Whether you're crafting a tweet, writing a meta description, or submitting a college essay, word and character limits matter. Go over and your content gets cut off. Go under and you're leaving opportunity on the table.
Here's the definitive, up-to-date list of limits for every major platform, organized by category. Bookmark this page — you'll come back to it.
Social Media
| Platform | Field | Limit |
|---|
| Twitter / X | Post | 280 characters |
| Twitter / X | Bio | 160 characters |
| Instagram | Caption | 2,200 characters |
| Instagram | Bio | 150 characters |
| Instagram | Hashtags per post | 30 max |
| Facebook | Post | 63,206 characters |
| Facebook | Ad headline | 40 characters |
| LinkedIn | Post | 3,000 characters |
| LinkedIn | Article | 120,000 characters |
| LinkedIn | Headline | 220 characters |
| TikTok | Caption | 4,000 characters |
| Pinterest | Pin description | 500 characters |
| Threads | Post | 500 characters |
Video Platforms
| Platform | Field | Limit |
|---|
| YouTube | Title | 100 characters |
| YouTube | Description | 5,000 characters |
| YouTube | Comment | 10,000 characters |
| YouTube | Playlist title | 150 characters |
SEO & Advertising
| Platform | Field | Limit |
|---|
| Google | Meta title | 55–60 characters |
| Google | Meta description | 155–160 characters |
| Google Ads | Headline | 30 characters |
| Google Ads | Description | 90 characters |
| Google Ads | Display URL path | 15 characters each |
Messaging & Email
| Platform | Field | Limit |
|---|
| Email | Subject line | 60–70 characters |
| Email | Preview text | 35–90 characters |
| SMS | Standard message | 160 characters |
| WhatsApp | Status | 700 characters |
| Slack | Message | 40,000 characters |
Writing
| Platform | Field | Limit |
|---|
| College essay | Common App | 250–650 words |
| Blog post | Ideal length | 1,000–2,000 words |
| Long-form article | SEO optimal | 2,000–3,000 words |
| Press release | Standard | 400–500 words |
| Product description | E-commerce | 150–300 words |
Tips for Staying Within Limits
- Write first, trim later— Get your ideas down, then edit to fit the limit
- Use a word counter — Our Word Counter shows real-time character and word counts as you type
- Front-load the important stuff— If your text might get truncated, put the key message first
- Test on the platform— Limits sometimes change. When in doubt, test with a draft post
We keep this list updated as platforms change their limits. Last updated: April 2026.