How many characters fit on each network

The character ceiling is what the documentation gives you. The number that changes results is the other one: the point where the network cuts and shows "see more".

On Instagram that is around 125 characters. On LinkedIn around 200. On TikTok around 100. Everything after it is read only by people who already decided to stay, and they decided on the first line.

Using this in practice

1. Write the whole caption without worrying about length.
2. Cut the first line until it fits before the fold of the strictest network you are posting to.
3. If the first line only makes sense with the rest, it is not a first line yet.

On hashtags

Instagram accepts up to 30 per post and there has been no advantage to using all 30 for years. On TikTok hashtags count towards the caption's character total, so a wall of tags steals room from the text.

An honest caveat

These values were checked on 1 August 2026. Networks change them without notice, generally upwards. When you publish through a tool that validates before sending, the limit stops being a number to memorise: the error shows up before the post goes out.