X (Twitter) character limit, video length and image size
A post on X can be 280 characters, counted X's way: every link is 23 and each emoji is 2. X Premium raises that to 25,000. A post takes up to four photos, or one GIF, or one video, and since September 2026 X's API takes videos of up to 20 minutes from a standard account. Here is every X limit, with the X page each comes from, and where X's own pages disagree.
Every number checked against its source on Nov 12, 2026.
X (Twitter) limits at a glance
| Limit | X (Twitter) allows | In PostDaily | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post length | 280 weighted characters; 25,000 with an X subscription | 280, counted the same way; 25,000 when X reports a subscription on the connected account | X Developer Platform: Counting characters |
| How characters count | Every link is 23; each emoji and each Chinese, Japanese or Korean character is 2; attached media is 0 | Counted the same way | X Developer Platform: Counting characters |
| Long posts | Up to 25,000 characters with X Premium (one X help page still says 4,000) | Not supported; a longer idea goes out as a thread | X Help: About X Premium |
| Images per post | Up to 4 photos, or 1 GIF, or 1 video, through the API | Up to 4 images, or one video on its own | X API: Media introduction |
| Image file | JPEG, PNG, GIF or WebP, up to 5 MB | JPEG, PNG or WebP, up to 5 MB; other formats and larger photos are converted or compressed where possible | X API: Media best practices |
| GIF | Up to 15 MB through the API (5 MB from the mobile app) | Not accepted: PostDaily's uploads take JPEG, PNG and WebP images | X API: Media best practices |
| Video length | Up to 20 minutes from an app on a standard account, and 125 minutes with Premium; X's help centre still says 140 seconds | Checked before publishing: 20 minutes, or 125 when X reports a subscription on the connected account | X API: Media introduction |
| Video file | Up to 8 GB through the API (16 GB with Premium); H.264 at 30 or 60 fps recommended | MP4 or MOV, up to 8 GB, so in practice your plan's per-file cap (25 MB on Free, 50 MB on Starter, 100 MB on Pro and 250 MB on Agency) | X API: Media best practices |
| Video shape | Aspect ratio between 1:3 and 3:1, at most 60 frames per second, AAC audio | — | X API: Media best practices |
| Alt text | 1,000 characters, on images (not on video) | 1,000 characters | X Help: Add image descriptions |
| Poll | Up to 4 choices of 25 characters, open for 5 minutes to 7 days; a poll can't carry photos | 2 to 4 choices of up to 25 characters, 5 minutes to 7 days, on the first post of a thread | X Help: About polls |
| Posts per day | 50 original posts and 200 replies a day for unverified accounts, in half-hour windows; the same page also mentions 2,400 a day | Paid plans only, within each plan's monthly X budget | X Help: About X limits |
| Username | Up to 15 characters: letters, numbers and underscores; it can't contain X or Admin | — | X Help: Username rules |
| Display name | Up to 50 characters | — | X Help: Username rules |
| Bio | Up to 160 characters | — | X Help: Customize your profile |
| Header and profile photo | Header 1500×500 pixels; profile photo 400×400 | — | X Help: Customize your profile |
280 or 25,000?
The standard limit is 280. X Premium subscribers can write long posts of up to 25,000 characters, and X's API takes them from a Premium account too. One X help page still says 4,000, but three others say 25,000. Past the first 280 characters, people you mention in a long post aren't notified.
PostDaily asks X for the connected account's subscription when you connect it and again each day. With a subscription, the composer allows 25,000 characters; without one, it holds the post to 280, and a longer idea goes out as a thread of up to 25 posts. If you've just subscribed, reconnect the account to update it straight away.
How X counts characters
X doesn't count letters. It weighs them: ordinary letters, digits and punctuation are 1, every emoji is 2, and every Chinese, Japanese or Korean character is 2. Every link is 23 however long it is, because X shortens it. Attached photos and videos cost nothing. So a post in Japanese holds about 140 characters, and a post full of emoji runs out fast. Count a post the way X does.
X's own pages disagree on video
X's help centre still says a video can be 140 seconds and 512 MB without a subscription. Its API documentation, updated on 1 September 2026, says 20 minutes and 8 GB for a standard account and 125 minutes and 16 GB for Premium, and that the limit follows the subscription of the account posting, not the app. X checks again when the post is created and refuses a video over the limit. The Premium page gives a third figure, about 3 hours. If you post long video, test one before relying on any of these.
How many posts a day
X's limits page says unverified accounts can make 50 original posts and 200 replies a day, counted in half-hour windows, and that the limits include posts made through apps. Further down, the same page still mentions 2,400 posts a day, and the repost FAQ says 1,000. X doesn't explain the difference, so plan on the lowest figure if your account isn't verified.
What PostDaily checks, and what it doesn't
Before a post is scheduled, PostDaily checks the weighted length against your account's own limit, the number and mix of attachments, photo and video file sizes and formats, video length, poll choices and duration, and alt text. Its uploads take JPEG, PNG and WebP images, not GIFs. It doesn't check your account's daily limits. X costs money per post through its API, so PostDaily offers X on paid plans, each with a monthly X budget: the X scheduler page has the numbers.
Common questions
- What is the Twitter (X) character limit?
- 280 characters, weighted: links count 23 and emoji count 2. X Premium subscribers can write long posts of up to 25,000 characters.
- How many characters does a link use on X?
- 23, however long the address is, because X shortens every link.
- How long can a video on X be?
- X's API documentation says 20 minutes from a standard account and 125 minutes with Premium. X's help centre still says 140 seconds, so test a long video first.
- How many images can you post on X?
- Up to 4 photos in one post, or one GIF, or one video.
- What size is an X header image?
- 1500×500 pixels. The profile photo is 400×400.
- How long can an X username be?
- 15 characters, using letters, numbers and underscores. The display name can be 50 and the bio 160.