How many hashtags can you use on Instagram?
Five. Instagram limited posts and Reels to five hashtags in December 2025, down from 30, saying a few specific hashtags work better than many generic ones.
Instagram announced the change in December 2025 and rolled it out gradually. Its advice at the time: hashtags help people find posts in search, but they don't increase reach, and broad tags like #reels or #explore don't help.
So pick up to five that describe the post: what it is, who it's for, where it is.
Other platforms:
- Threads: one topic tag per post, by design.
- TikTok, X, Bluesky: no fixed cap, but every tag uses characters.
Sources
Checked October 14, 2026. Platforms change their rules; tell us at contact if something here is out of date.