Threads post limits: characters, media and video
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Threads keeps posts short: a single Threads post is capped at 500 characters, and a Threads post can carry up to 20 photos or videos in one carousel. When you need more room, you can continue past the character limit by replying to your own post, which keeps the follow-on in the same chain.
The character limit
a single Threads post is capped at 500 characters. That is the number that shapes how the platform reads: long enough for a real thought, short enough that nobody writes an essay in one box.
the composer counts down as you approach the cap and stops accepting input at it rather than truncating the post. Emoji, mentions and links all consume characters, and a long URL can eat an unhelpful share of the budget — worth knowing before you paste one into a post you have already tightened.
Photos and video in one post
a Threads post can carry up to 20 photos or videos in one carousel. They display as a swipeable carousel, so the first image is doing almost all of the work; anything past the second is seen by a small fraction of the people who see the post.
For video, video attached to a Threads post is limited to 5 minutes and 1 GB. Threads is not a long-form video destination and the limit reflects that — clips that need more than a few minutes belong somewhere built for them, with a thread pointing at it.
| Limit | Current figure |
|---|---|
| Characters per post | a single Threads post is capped at 500 characters |
| Photos or videos per post | a Threads post can carry up to 20 photos or videos in one carousel |
| Video length | video attached to a Threads post is limited to 5 minutes and 1 GB |
| Links per post | links are allowed in Threads posts, render as a preview card, and are capped at 5 per post |
How replies chain
The reply model is the reason the character limit bites less than it looks like it should. replies attach beneath the post they answer and are displayed as a connected chain rather than as separate posts. A conversation stays legible because it is displayed as one connected object rather than as scattered posts that happen to mention each other.
you can continue past the character limit by replying to your own post, which keeps the follow-on in the same chain. This is the standard way people publish anything longer than the cap: a strong opening post that stands alone, then two or three continuations underneath it.
- Write the first post so it works even if nobody taps through — it is the only part most people will read.
- Keep each continuation to one idea. A continuation that needs its own continuation usually wanted to be a blog post.
- Do not save the point for the last reply. Reply-chain drop-off is steep.
- Reply to your own chain later with an update rather than posting a fresh thread nobody can place.
Links, previews and reach
links are allowed in Threads posts, render as a preview card, and are capped at 5 per post. Creators trade a lot of folklore about whether linking out suppresses reach; treat that as unproven rather than as a rule. What is observable is duller and more useful: a post whose entire value is the link gives people no reason to engage with the post itself, so it gets fewer of the early signals that decide distribution.
The workable habit is to make the post carry the idea in full, then add the link as a footnote for the people who want the long version.
Writing to the limit rather than against it
A hard character cap is a good editor. Most posts that feel cramped are carrying a preamble, a hedge and a summary that nobody needed. Cut the first sentence, delete the phrase explaining what you are about to say, and the same idea usually lands with room to spare.
The posts that do well on Threads tend to be one claim, stated plainly, that a reader can agree or disagree with immediately. That shape fits the limit naturally.
If the hard part is having something to post every day rather than fitting it in the box, an AI Threads content creator can draft posts to the limit in your own voice and hold them for approval.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Threads character limit?
- a single Threads post is capped at 500 characters. the composer counts down as you approach the cap and stops accepting input at it rather than truncating the post, so you find out before you publish rather than after.
- How do I post something longer than the limit?
- you can continue past the character limit by replying to your own post, which keeps the follow-on in the same chain. Post the opening idea, then reply to yourself with the rest so the whole thing displays as one chain.
- How many photos can go in one Threads post?
- a Threads post can carry up to 20 photos or videos in one carousel. They render as a carousel, so put the strongest image first.
- How long can a Threads video be?
- video attached to a Threads post is limited to 5 minutes and 1 GB. Anything longer belongs on a platform built for it, with a thread pointing people to it.
- Can you put links in Threads posts?
- links are allowed in Threads posts, render as a preview card, and are capped at 5 per post. Write the post so it stands on its own and treat the link as a footnote rather than as the payload.
- Do replies have the same character limit as posts?
- Yes. a reply is a post attached to another one, so it carries the same character and media limits, which is what makes a self-reply chain a workable way to publish something longer.
- Is there a limit on how many times a day you can post?
- Threads limits a profile to 250 published posts in any 24-hour period. Normal human posting frequency does not come close to it.
Related guides
Platform behaviour changes often. Everything on this page was checked on 2026-07-28; anything we had not re-checked is marked unverified rather than stated as fact. More Threads guides.