Hashtag limits by platform (2026)
The era of pasting 30 hashtags under every post is over. Here's where each platform stands now:
| Platform | Limit | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 per post | 3–5, all relevant | Hard cap announced December 2025, down from 30. Most advice online still says 30 — it's outdated. | |
| Threads | 1 topic tag | 1 | Threads uses a single topic tag per post instead of classic hashtags. |
| YouTube | 60 (over = all ignored) | 3–5 | First 3 hashtags display above the video title. |
| TikTok | No cap (4,000-char caption) | 3–5 | Mix one broad and a few niche tags. |
| X | No cap (280-char post) | 1–2 | More than two reads as spam and eats your character budget. |
| No cap | ~3 | Three relevant tags is the long-standing sweet spot. | |
| No practical cap | 0–2 | Hashtags do little on Facebook; use sparingly. | |
| No cap (500-char description) | 2–5 | Pinterest works more like search — keywords in the description matter more. |
Instagram's new 5-hashtag limit, explained
In December 2025, Instagram capped hashtags at 5 per post and Reel — down from the 30 allowed since the platform's early days. The change formalized what Instagram had been hinting for years: hashtags work as light context signals, not as a distribution hack. Posts stuffed with tags were already seeing suppressed reach; now the composer simply stops you at five.
What to do with your five: skip the generic giants (#love, #instagood) and spend them on tags that actually describe the content and the audience — one or two broader category tags, plus a few specific ones where your post can realistically rank.
Quality beats quantity everywhere now
Every major platform has shifted from hashtag-driven discovery to interest-based algorithmic feeds and keyword search. SEO-style keywords in your caption, strong hooks, and consistent posting move reach more than tag count does. Use this counter to stay inside the rules — then put the effort into the content.