- LinkedIn post: 3,000 characters. Headline: 220 chars. About: 2,600 chars. Comments: 1,250 chars.
- Optimal post length: 1,200-1,500 chars — long enough to deliver value, short enough to keep readers on the post.
- Articles (long-form): up to 110,000 chars. Newsletters: same as articles.
Complete LinkedIn Character Limit Reference (2026)
| Field | Max characters | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Post (text post) | 3,000 | "See more" appears around 200 chars |
| Headline | 220 | Visible in search, comments, connection requests |
| About (Summary) | 2,600 | "See more" expands the rest |
| Article body | ~110,000 | Up to 40,000 words |
| Newsletter body | ~110,000 | Same as articles |
| Comment | 1,250 | Some character reduction for emoji |
| Reply to comment | 1,250 | Same as comment |
| InMail subject | 200 | Email-style subject |
| InMail body | 2,000 | Premium feature |
| Direct message (DM) | ~8,000 | Standard messages between connections |
| Connection request note | 300 | Free accounts; Premium can extend slightly |
| Job description | 25,000 | For paid LinkedIn job postings |
| Company page tagline | 120 | Below company name |
| Company About | 2,000 | Page description |
| Skills (per skill) | 50 | Each skill name max 50 chars |
| Total skills | 50 | Up to 50 skills per profile |
| Recommendation | 3,000 | Same as posts |
| Document carousel caption | 300 | Per slide |
| Image post caption | 3,000 | Same as text post |
| Video post caption | 3,000 | Same as text post |
| Poll question | 140 | Each option: 30 chars |
| Profile URL slug | 3-100 | linkedin.com/in/yourslug |
Optimal Lengths (vs Maximum)
Just because LinkedIn allows 3,000 characters doesn't mean you should use them.
| Element | Max | Optimal |
|---|---|---|
| Post | 3,000 | 1,200-1,500 |
| Headline | 220 | 80-150 |
| About | 2,600 | 1,000-1,800 |
| Comment | 1,250 | 50-300 |
| DM (cold outreach) | 8,000 | 200-400 |
| Connection request note | 300 | 150-200 |
The "See More" Truncation Threshold
LinkedIn shows the first ~210 characters of any post before truncating with a "see more" link. To maximize engagement:
- Put your hook in the first 1-2 lines (about 120 chars).
- Make the next line force a decision: "See more" or scroll past.
- The reader who clicks "see more" is yours — they're 5x more likely to engage.
Example hook:
"I almost lost a client last month over a 3-word email."
(Forces curiosity. Reader clicks "see more".)
How to Format LinkedIn Posts for Maximum Reach
- Short paragraphs — 1-2 sentences, lots of whitespace.
- Line breaks — LinkedIn collapses double line breaks into single. Use AuthoredUp or Taplio to preserve formatting.
- No links in body — put them in the first comment.
- Lists and bullet points — use unicode bullets (•) since LinkedIn strips Markdown.
- End with a question — drives comments.
Connection Request Note Limit (300 Chars)
The 300-char limit is brutal for cold outreach. Best structure:
- Personal hook (50 chars): "Saw your post on AI evals last week."
- Why connecting (100 chars): "I'm building a similar evals product and would love to compare notes."
- Soft ask (100 chars): "Open to chatting in 15 min next week?"
Total: ~250 chars. Keep buffer for emoji/typos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the LinkedIn post character limit in 2026?
3,000 characters for text, image, video, and document posts. Articles can be up to ~110,000 chars.
How long should a LinkedIn post be?
1,200-1,500 chars hits the sweet spot. Long enough to deliver real value; short enough to keep most readers on the post.
Why is my LinkedIn comment cut off?
Comments max at 1,250 characters. If your comment is longer, split it into two replies.
How long can a LinkedIn connection request note be?
300 characters. Premium accounts may have slightly more, but 300 is the standard limit.
Does LinkedIn count emojis as multiple characters?
Most emojis count as 2 characters; complex emojis (multi-codepoint) can count as 4-7. Plan accordingly for tight limits like connection requests.
Key Takeaways
- Post: 3,000 chars max. Headline: 220. About: 2,600. Comment: 1,250. Connection note: 300.
- Optimal post length is 1,200-1,500 chars.
- "See more" truncation happens at ~210 chars — front-load the hook.
- Articles can be up to 110K chars (40K words).
- Don't put links in post body — first comment instead, for algorithm benefits.
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