Instagram posts crammed with hashtags could soon be a thing of the past, as the platform rolls out new limits on how many tags users can add per post. According to Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, posts will now be capped at five hashtags to prioritize quality over quantity.
In a recent post on his Instagram advice channel, Mosseri explained the move saying, “While I know it can be tempting to use more, a few specific tags actually perform better than a long list of generic ones. Quality over quantity is key.”
He added that while hashtags can help with search, they don’t necessarily increase a post’s reach, so users should “focus on working out what kind of content resonates with your audiences,” instead of stuffing posts with hashtags.
This isn’t the first time Instagram has tried to curb hashtag overload. The company has repeatedly noted that hashtags are no longer as central to content discovery as they once were, aiming to discourage misuse and spammy behavior.
According to SocialMediaToday, the social media platform has been testing hashtag limits over the past year, with its most recent experiment restricting users to three per post. Now, it has settled on a five-hashtag limit as it rolls out the change more broadly.
Instagram outlines tips for smarter hashtag use
In a recent Threads post, the company has also shared tips for optimal hashtag use, urging creators to be “intentional with the hashtags” and use ones that are relevant to the content they post. It also warns against spamming too many irrelevant or generic hashtags in the caption, as it could hurt the post’s performance.
The move signals Instagram’s focus on promoting meaningful engagement and stopping users from trying to game the system. By using fewer, more relevant tags, creators can reach audiences who genuinely care about the related topic, while users get cleaner, easier-to-reed captions.