Facebook posts have a massive 63,206 character limit, but optimal engagement happens with much shorter posts of 40-80 characters. Your personal bio is limited to 101 characters, and Page descriptions get 155 characters. Facebook ad copy has separate limits: headlines should be 25-40 characters and primary text should be under 125 characters visible. Understanding these limits—and the engagement sweet spots—helps you create content that actually gets seen.

This comprehensive guide covers all Facebook text limits for personal profiles, business pages, and advertising.

Facebook Character Limits Overview

Personal Profile

Business Pages

Post Limits and Optimal Lengths

The 63,206 Character Maximum

What counts:

• All text including spaces
• Emojis (count as characters)
• Line breaks
• Links (full URL text)

Practical reality: Almost no one needs this limit. It exists for edge cases.

Post Truncation

Desktop feed: Posts truncate after approximately 477 characters Mobile feed: Truncates earlier, around 150-200 characters “See more” appears: After truncation point

Strategy: Put key content in first 150 characters for mobile visibility.

Optimal Post Length for Engagement

Research findings:

Key insight: Posts of 40-80 characters receive 66% higher engagement than longer posts (BuzzSumo study of 800M+ posts).

Why short works:

• Facebook is casual and quick-scrolling
• Users decide to engage in seconds
• Short posts feel conversational
• Questions and statements perform well

Short Post Examples

Question (35 chars): “What’s your biggest goal this month?”

Statement (42 chars): “Sometimes the smallest step leads furthest.”

Engagement prompt (55 chars): “Drop a 🙌 if you’re ready for the weekend!”

Bio and Profile Limits

Personal Bio (101 Characters)

What to include:

• Brief identity statement
• What you do
• Location (optional)
• Personality element

Example: “Content marketer 📝 | Helping brands tell stories | Seattle | Coffee enthusiast ☕”

Page Description (155 Characters)

Purpose:

• Appears in search results
• Shows below Page name
• Important for discovery

Structure:

• What the business/page does
• Who it serves
• Value proposition

Example: “Social media marketing agency helping e-commerce brands grow their online presence through strategic content and community engagement.”

About Section (255 Characters)

Expanded description:

• More detail than Page description
• Shows on About tab
• Room for additional context

Facebook Ads Character Limits

Ad Copy Limits

Primary Text (Main Ad Copy)

Technical limit: 125 characters visible before “See More” Full limit: Much higher, but truncation kills engagement Best practice: Keep under 125 to avoid truncation

What works:

• Clear value proposition
• Benefit-focused language
• Call-to-action

Headline

Limit: 40 characters Best practice: 25-40 characters

AdEspresso research:

• Average high-performing headline: 5 words
• Optimal length: 25-40 characters
• Clear, benefit-driven language

Examples:

• “Get 50% Off Today Only” (21 chars)
• “Free Marketing Guide Download” (29 chars)
• “Start Your Free Trial Now” (25 chars)

Description/Link Description

Limit: 30 characters Purpose: Appears under headline in some placements Best practice: Support the headline briefly

Comments and Messages

Comment Limit

Character limit: 8,000 characters Practical recommendation: Keep comments concise Best practice: Match the conversation’s depth

Message Limit

Character limit: 20,000 characters Practical recommendation: Most messages should be under 500 Messenger tip: Long messages may overwhelm recipients

Groups and Events

Group Post Limits

Post text: 63,206 characters (same as regular posts) Group description: 3,000 characters Group name: 75 characters

Event Limits

Event name tip: Keep concise for sharing—long titles get truncated.

Video and Reel Captions

Video Post Captions

Same as regular posts: 63,206 characters Practical limit: Keep short; video should carry the message Recommendation: 100-300 characters providing context

Facebook Reels

Caption: Similar limits to regular posts Best practice: Ultra-short captions (50-100 characters) Focus: Let video content speak; caption supplements

Stories Limits

Story Text

Text overlay: Limited by screen space, not character count Practical limit: Keep text readable at a glance Recommendation: Under 100 characters per text element

Story Captions (Reply Prompt)

If allowed: Varies by story type Best practice: Brief prompts that encourage response

How Facebook Mobile Affects Limits

Mobile Truncation

Key insight: Mobile truncates earlier than desktop

Mobile visible:

• Posts: ~150-200 characters before “See More”
• Ads: Primary text may show even less
• Headlines: May truncate in some placements

Strategy: Write mobile-first; ensure key message appears early.

Thumb Zone

Mobile behavior:

• Scrolling is fast
• Decision happens instantly
• Short content stops thumbs

Character Counter Tips

Before Posting

Check these:

• Total character count
• First 150 characters (mobile cutoff)
• Emoji count (they add up)
• Link text length

Tools to Use

Native Facebook:

• Character count shows in composer
• Ad Manager shows limits clearly

External tools:

• Character counters for planning
• Social scheduling tools with limits

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best length for Facebook posts?

Posts under 50 characters receive 66% higher engagement than longer posts. Aim for 40-80 characters for optimal engagement.

Do links count toward character limit?

Yes, the full URL text counts toward your 63,206 character limit. Use URL shorteners if needed (though Facebook auto-shortens display).

Why does mobile show less text?

Mobile screens are smaller and users scroll faster. Facebook truncates earlier to fit content above the fold.

Should I use all 125 characters in ad primary text?

Use only as many characters as needed to convey your message. Shorter ad text often performs better, and staying under 125 ensures no truncation.

Do emojis count as characters?

Yes, emojis count toward character limits, typically as 2 characters each due to Unicode encoding.

Is there a hashtag limit on Facebook?

Facebook allows up to 30 hashtags per post, but hashtags are less effective on Facebook than Instagram. For optimal engagement, use 5-10 relevant hashtags (or 1-3 for most posts).

Key Takeaways

• Facebook posts: 63,206 max, but 40-80 characters is optimal for engagement
• Personal bio: 101 characters
• Page description: 155 characters
• Mobile truncates around 150-200 characters—front-load content
• Ad headline: 25-40 characters optimal
• Ad primary text: Under 125 characters to avoid truncation
• Shorter posts get significantly higher engagement

Conclusion

Facebook’s generous character limits give you flexibility, but the data shows shorter content wins engagement. Posts under 80 characters consistently outperform longer content on this platform. For ads, stay under visible truncation limits to ensure your message gets seen. Front-load key information for mobile users who may never tap “See More.” Try our free letter counter → to verify your Facebook content is optimized for engagement before posting.