Social Media Character Limits for X, Instagram, LinkedIn and Texts
Quick answer
An X (Twitter) post allows 280 characters, or up to 25,000 for X Premium subscribers. An Instagram caption allows 2,200 characters. A LinkedIn post allows 3,000 characters. A single text message holds 160 characters, or 70 if it contains an emoji.
Free tool
Character Counter. Count characters as you type and check your text against limits for page titles, meta descriptions, texts, X posts and Instagram captions..
Character limits chart
| Platform and field | Limit |
|---|---|
| X post, standard account | 280 characters |
| X post, Premium subscriber | 25,000 characters |
| Instagram caption | 2,200 characters |
| Instagram hashtags per post | Up to 5 (rolling out since December 2025) |
| Instagram bio | 150 characters |
| LinkedIn post | 3,000 characters |
| LinkedIn headline | 220 characters |
| Text message (SMS), plain text | 160 characters |
| Text message with an emoji | 70 characters |
Check a draft against any of these with our character counter. Pick the platform from the list and it shows how many characters you have left.
X (Twitter): how characters are counted
- Standard accounts get 280 characters per post. X Premium lets subscribers post up to 25,000 characters.
- X counts every emoji as 2 characters, according to its developer docs.
- Every link counts as 23 characters, however long it is, because X wraps links in its t.co shortener.
Instagram: caption, hashtags and bio
- Captions can run to 2,200 characters, but only the first line or two show in the feed before more. Put your main point first.
- In December 2025 Instagram announced a limit of five hashtags per post and began rolling it out. It says fewer, more targeted hashtags work better than many generic ones.
- Bios allow 150 characters.
Posts allow 3,000 characters and headlines 220. As with Instagram, only the opening lines show before the see more link, so lead with the point.
Text messages
A standard SMS holds 160 characters using the basic GSM-7 character set. Add an emoji or certain special characters and the message switches to UCS-2, which fits only 70. Longer messages are split into parts of 153 characters, or 67 with UCS-2, and joined back together on the phone.
Tips for writing to a limit
- Write the full version first, then cut filler words such as “really” and “very”.
- Swap long phrases for short ones: “use” instead of “make use of”.
- Count before you post. Pasting into the character counter takes seconds.
- For page titles and descriptions in search, see our guide to title tag and meta description length.
Frequently asked questions
Do spaces count as characters?
Yes. Spaces, punctuation and line breaks all count toward these limits.
Is the X character limit still 280?
Yes, for standard accounts. Premium subscribers can post up to 25,000 characters.
How many hashtags can I use on Instagram?
Instagram announced a cap of five hashtags per post in December 2025 and is rolling it out gradually.
Why did my text message split into two?
It went over 160 characters, or over 70 if it contained an emoji or special characters.
