Social media limits: characters, images and video
The table above shows, for each network, the official limits from its developer documentation and the limits Postika applies when you schedule.
| Network | Characters (Postika) | Images (Postika) | Media | Official caption limit | Max video (official) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,200 | 10 | Required | 2200 | 15 min | |
| TikTok | 2,200 | 35 | Required | 2200 | 10 min |
| 5,000 | 10 | Optional | — | — | |
| YouTube | 5,000 | — | Video only | 5000 bytes | 12 h |
| X | 280 | 4 | Optional | 280 | 20 min |
| 3,000 | 9 | Optional | 3000 | 30 min | |
| Threads | 500 | 10 | Optional | 500 | 5 min |
| 500 | 1 | Required | 800 | 5 min |
How to read the table
Each row is a network. Two kinds of numbers appear:
- Postika's limit is what the scheduler checks before a post can be scheduled. If a post breaks it, Postika shows the problem in the composer.
- The official limit comes from the network's own developer documentation, which is what any scheduling tool publishes through. The source is linked for each value.
Where the two differ, Postika is stricter. The cases worth knowing:
| Network | Official | Postika |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram carousel | 20 items | 10 images |
| LinkedIn multi-image | 20 images | 9 images |
| 5 images, 800-char description | 1 image, 500 characters | |
| TikTok photo post | 4,000-char description | 2,200 characters |
| Not verified | 5,000 characters |
What needs media and what doesn't
Four networks never accept a text-only post: Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest need a photo or video, and YouTube needs a video. Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Threads accept text alone.
This matters most when an AI writes your posts. Media cannot be sent over Postika's MCP server, so for the four media networks the AI leaves a draft and you add the image or video in the app. Text-only networks can be handled end to end. See using AI with Postika.
Limits change, check the date
Networks change their limits from time to time (X has offered longer posts to paid accounts, YouTube raised the Shorts length to 3 minutes). The official values here were checked against each network's documentation in November 2026. For per-network detail and best practices, see the guides: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and the rest in the scheduling hub. To test a specific text, use the character counter.
Frequently asked questions
Which social network has the shortest character limit?
X, with 280 characters for standard accounts. Threads and Pinterest come next, with 500 each in Postika.
How many images can I post at once on each network?
In Postika: TikTok 35, Instagram, Facebook and Threads 10, LinkedIn 9, X 4, Pinterest 1. YouTube takes video only.
Which networks need an image or video?
Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest need a photo or video, and YouTube needs a video. The rest accept text-only posts.
How long can a video be?
It varies a lot: YouTube Shorts up to 3 minutes, Threads and Pinterest 5 minutes, TikTok up to 10 minutes via the API, Instagram Reels 15 minutes, X 20 minutes for standard accounts.
Keep reading
- Character counter for every social networkFree character counter for Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, Threads, Pinterest and more. Paste your text and see how it fits each network's limit.
- UTM builder for social media linksFree UTM builder for social media: add utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign to your links and see which posts actually bring visits to your site.
- Schedule posts on every major networkSchedule posts to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, X, LinkedIn, Threads and Pinterest from one calendar, with each network's limits checked.
- Instagram scheduler for posts, carousels and ReelsSchedule Instagram posts, carousels and Reels from a weekly calendar. Postika checks the 2,200-character caption and 10-image limit before publishing.