Threads character limit, links, carousels and video
A Threads post can be 500 characters, and Meta counts each emoji as its size in bytes, so one smiley uses 4 of them. A post can hold up to 5 different links, a carousel up to 20 photos and videos, and a video up to 5 minutes. Here is every Threads limit, from Meta's own pages.
Every number checked against its source on Nov 12, 2026.
Threads limits at a glance
| Limit | Threads allows | In PostDaily | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post length | 500 characters, with each emoji counted as its UTF-8 bytes | 500, counted the same way | Meta for Developers: Threads posts |
| Text attachment | Up to 10,000 extra characters on a text-only post without a poll | Not offered | Meta for Developers: Threads text attachments |
| Links | Up to 5 different links per post; since 22 December 2025 a post with more is refused | Up to 5, checked before publishing | Meta for Developers: Threads posts |
| Carousel | 2 to 20 photos and videos, mixed | Up to 20, within your plan's media per post (4 on Free, 6 on Starter, 8 on Pro and 12 on Agency) | Meta for Developers: Threads API overview |
| Image file | JPEG or PNG, up to 8 MB, 320 to 1440 pixels wide (scaled to fit), aspect ratio up to 10:1 | JPEG or PNG, up to 8 MB; other formats and larger photos are converted where possible | Meta for Developers: Threads publishing reference |
| Video length | Up to 5 minutes | 5 minutes | Meta for Developers: Threads publishing reference |
| Video file | MP4 or MOV, up to 1 GB; H.264 or HEVC, 23 to 60 fps, up to 1920 pixels wide | MP4 or MOV, up to 1 GB, within your plan's per-file cap (25 MB on Free, 50 MB on Starter, 100 MB on Pro and 250 MB on Agency) | Meta for Developers: Threads publishing reference |
| Alt text | 1,000 characters on an image or video | 1,000 characters | Meta for Developers: Threads publishing reference |
| Topic tag | One per post, up to 50 characters | One, up to 50 characters, without full stops or ampersands | Threads Help: Add a topic to your post |
| Poll | Up to 4 options of 25 characters; voting stays open for 24 hours | Not offered | Threads Help: Polls on Threads |
| Posts per day | 250 posts per profile in 24 hours through the API (a carousel counts as one), and 1,000 replies | A chain of up to 25 posts, each a reply to the one before | Meta for Developers: Threads API overview |
500 characters, and why emoji cost more
Threads allows 500 characters a post. Meta's developer documentation counts each emoji as its size in UTF-8 bytes: most take 4, a heart takes 6, and a family emoji 25. A post with plenty of emoji can therefore run out well before 500 visible characters, and Threads refuses it. PostDaily's counter weighs emoji the same way, so the composer stops you before Threads does.
For more room, Threads added text attachments in September 2025: up to 10,000 characters of formatted text attached to a post. Threads said at the time that they can't be edited or scheduled, and its API allows them only on a text-only post without a poll. PostDaily doesn't offer them; write a chain of posts instead.
The five-link limit
Since 22 December 2025, a Threads post with more than 5 links is refused. Meta counts every different web address in the text, and a link attachment counts as one more unless the same address is also in the text. Repeating one link doesn't use up more of the five. The first link in the text becomes the preview card, unless the post has a link attachment.
Carousels hold 20, not 10
Threads raised carousels from 10 to 20 photos and videos in September 2024, in the app and through the API, and the two can be mixed. A carousel needs at least 2 items. How many fit in one PostDaily post also depends on your plan.
Topic tags instead of hashtags
A Threads post carries one topic, not a string of hashtags. The help centre says a topic can be up to 50 characters and can include spaces; the API also refuses full stops and ampersands, so PostDaily does too. Through the API, a tag typed in the text stops at the first space or punctuation mark, which is why PostDaily sets the topic in its own field.
What PostDaily checks, and what it doesn't
Before a post is scheduled, PostDaily checks the length with emoji weighed by their bytes, the number of links, the carousel size, image and video files, video length, the topic tag and alt text. Each post in a chain is checked on its own. It doesn't offer polls or text attachments. The 250-a-day limit is Meta's, and only a very busy account will meet it. Schedule Threads posts and chains.
Common questions
- What is the Threads character limit?
- 500 characters per post. Meta counts each emoji as its size in bytes, so one emoji usually uses 4 of the 500.
- How many links can a Threads post have?
- Up to 5 different links. Since 22 December 2025, Threads refuses a post with more.
- How many photos can you post on Threads?
- Up to 20 photos and videos in one carousel.
- How long can a Threads video be?
- Up to 5 minutes, and up to 1 GB through Meta's API.
- How many topic tags can a Threads post have?
- One, of up to 50 characters.