YouTube Character Limits 2026 – Titles, Descriptions & Tags Guide
YouTube allows 100 characters in a video title — but only 60 appear in search results before getting cut off. Descriptions can be 5,000 characters long, but only the first 157 are shown without clicking 'Show more'. For creators trying to grow, understanding these limits isn't optional — YouTube's algorithm reads your titles and descriptions to decide who sees your video.
Use our free character counter above to check your YouTube content length in real time.
YouTube Character Limits at a Glance (2026)
| Content Type | Character Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Video title | 100 | 60 shown in search |
| Video description | 5,000 | All accounts |
| Description above fold | 157 | Shown before 'Show more' |
| Tags per video | 500 | Total characters |
| Channel name | 100 | Keep under 50 |
| Channel description | 1,000 | Profile description |
| Comment | 10,000 | Per comment |
| Community post | 5,000 | Text posts |
| Playlist title | 150 | Under 60 recommended |
| Playlist description | 5,000 | 300–500 recommended |
YouTube Video Titles: 100 Characters, 60 That Actually Matter
YouTube allows up to 100 characters in a video title. But in search results and suggested videos, YouTube typically shows around 60 characters before truncating. On mobile, it's even less — sometimes as few as 50 characters. This means your primary keyword and the most compelling part of your title need to be front-loaded into the first 50–60 characters.
Key points
- ✓Weak title structure: 'A Comprehensive Guide to Everything You Need to Know About Home Workouts for Beginners'
- ✓Strong title structure: 'Home Workouts for Beginners (No Equipment Needed) – 20-Min Daily Routine'
YouTube Descriptions: The 157-Character Rule
YouTube descriptions can be up to 5,000 characters — roughly 700–800 words. But the single most important real estate in your description is the first 157 characters. That's what appears below your video before the 'Show more' button. The first 157 characters appear in three critical places: below your video on YouTube, in Google search results (YouTube videos often appear in Google), and in YouTube search results as the snippet beneath your title.
- •Timestamps for longer videos (improves watch time)
- •Links to related videos and playlists (reduces bounce rate)
- •Links to your website, social media, or products
- •Secondary keywords and natural language variations (helps YouTube SEO)
- •Chapter markers if applicable
YouTube Tags: 500 Characters Total
YouTube allows 500 total characters across all tags on a single video. Tags are less powerful than they were in YouTube's early days — title and description keywords now carry more weight. But they still matter for one specific use case: misspellings and alternative names.
- •Use 5–8 specific, relevant tags (not 30 generic ones)
- •Include your primary keyword as the first tag — exactly as you wrote it in the title
- •Include common misspellings of your topic or creator name
- •Include broader category tags (e.g. 'fitness', 'home workout') after specific ones
Frequently Asked Questions
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