AltF Creator
Instagram Reels guide: size, captions and hashtags
Instagram Reels are vertical 9:16 videos, best made at 1080 x 1920. Captions can be up to 2,200 characters but only about the first 125 show before "more", and you can add up to 30 hashtags - though a handful of specific ones reads better. Keep text in the centre of the frame, where the profile name, caption and buttons do not cover it.
- Free, no sign-up
- Runs in your browser
- Limits sourced from each platform
- No fake scores or view predictions
Reels specs at a glance
- Size: 1080 x 1920 (9:16). Feed previews crop to 4:5, so keep the subject centred.
- Caption: up to 2,200 characters; about 125 show before "more".
- Hashtags: up to 30, counted inside the caption.
- Bio: 150 characters.
Caption that works
- First line: the hook or the question, under 125 characters.
- Then the value: steps, the recipe, the link to look for.
- Then the call to action (save, share, comment a word).
- Hashtags last.
Caption and post length checker
Paste a caption, title or bio once and see how it fits every platform at the same time. Emoji count as one character, the way people see them.
- Characters
- 0
- Words
- 0
- Hashtags
- 0
Type or paste text to check it against each platform.
| Platform | Field | Used / max | Remaining | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | Video title | 0 / 100 | 100 | Fits |
| YouTube | Description | 0 / 5,000 | 5,000 | Fits |
| YouTube | Tags (all combined) | 0 / 500 | 500 | Fits |
| Post or Reel caption | 0 / 2,200 | 2,200 | Fits | |
| Bio | 0 / 150 | 150 | Fits | |
| TikTok | Video caption | 0 / 4,000 | 4,000 | Fits |
| TikTok | Bio | 0 / 80 | 80 | Fits |
| X | Post (standard account) | 0 / 280 | 280 | Fits |
| Threads | Post | 0 / 500 | 500 | Fits |
| Post | 0 / 3,000 | 3,000 | Fits | |
| Pin title | 0 / 100 | 100 | Fits | |
| Pin description | 0 / 500 | 500 | Fits | |
| Post | 0 / 63,206 | 63,206 | Fits |
“Close to limit” means 90% or more of the cap. Limits checked November 2026; platforms change them without notice. Sources: YouTube Help Center(opens in a new tab), Instagram Help Center(opens in a new tab), TikTok Support(opens in a new tab), X Help Center(opens in a new tab), Threads Help(opens in a new tab), LinkedIn Help(opens in a new tab), Pinterest Help(opens in a new tab), Facebook Help Center(opens in a new tab).
Runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
Character limits by platform
| Platform | Field | Limit | Shown before "more" | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post or Reel caption | 2,200 | about 125 | Instagram Help Center(opens in a new tab) | |
| Bio | 150 | - | Instagram Help Center(opens in a new tab) |
Limits checked November 2026. "Shown before more" is approximate and changes with screen size. X's 280 characters is for standard accounts; Premium allows longer posts.
Instagram Reels guide: size, captions and hashtags: questions and answers
How many hashtags can I use on Instagram?
Up to 30 per post or Reel. Instagram's own advice is to use a few relevant ones rather than the maximum.
Why is my Reel cropped in the grid?
The profile grid shows a 3:4 or 4:5 crop of the 9:16 video. Keep faces and text in the centre.
Creator tools and guides
69 free creator tools on AltFTool
Focused tools for one job each, grouped by the part of the work they help with. Each tool says whether it runs in your browser or uses a server.
Video editing and files
Captions, subtitles and transcripts
Titles, thumbnails and descriptions
Get your channel found
Links from real, relevant sites help a channel, podcast or portfolio show up in search. These AltFTool lists are checked by hand; pick the ones that fit your niche and skip any that ask you to pay for links.
Everything you type into AltF Creator stays in your browser. Your upload plan is saved on this device only, and nothing is sent to AltFTool or any platform.