LinkedIn posts have a 3,000 character limit (expanded from 1,300), headlines allow 220 characters, and the About section accepts up to 2,600 characters. Unlike most platforms where shorter performs better, LinkedIn rewards longer-form content—posts of 1,800-2,100 characters see the highest engagement. Understanding these limits and optimal lengths helps you maximize professional visibility on the platform.

This comprehensive guide covers all LinkedIn text limits with strategies for professional engagement.

LinkedIn Character Limits Overview

Note: LinkedIn post limit increased from 1,300 to 3,000 characters. First 200-210 characters are visible before “see more” truncation.

Post Limits and Best Practices

The 3,000 Character Limit

History: LinkedIn expanded from 1,300 to 3,000 characters What counts: All text including spaces, emojis, line breaks What doesn’t count: Attached media, links (though they display)

The “See More” Cutoff

Critical detail: Only the first ~210 characters show before “…see more”

What this means:

• Hook must appear in first 3 lines
• First 210 characters determine if people expand
• Don’t bury the lead

Optimal Post Length

Research findings:

Why longer works on LinkedIn:

• Professional audience expects substance
• Algorithm favors time spent reading
• Thought leadership requires depth
• B2B decision-makers engage with detailed content

Post Formatting Best Practices

Line breaks:

• Use generously for readability
• Create visual sections
• Single-line paragraphs work well

Hook structure:

[Attention-grabbing first line]

[Line 2 expands on hook]

[Line 3 promises value]

...see more

[Rest of content]

Emojis:

• Use sparingly and professionally
• Can aid scannability
• Don’t overdo—it’s a professional platform

Headline Optimization (220 Characters)

Headline Limits

Desktop: 220 characters Mobile: Up to 240 characters Search results: May truncate at ~100 characters

What Your Headline Should Do

Functions:

• Appears in search results
• Shows below name on posts/comments
• First thing people see on profile

Elements to include:

• Current role or primary identity
• Key value proposition
• Target audience (optional)
• Credibility markers (optional)

Headline Examples

Basic (35 chars): “Marketing Director at Company”

Optimized (110 chars): “Marketing Director | Helping B2B SaaS companies grow through content | Featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur”

Keyword-rich (145 chars): “Marketing Director | Content Strategy | B2B SaaS Growth | Demand Generation Expert | Speaker | Author of ‘Marketing That Converts’”

Headline Best Practices

Do:

• Use the full space available
• Include searchable keywords
• Show what you do for clients/employers
• Add credibility elements

Don’t:

• Just list job title and company
• Use first-person (“I help…")—it takes characters
• Include email or phone
• Overuse emojis

About Section (2,600 Characters)

Why About Length Matters

Use the space: LinkedIn’s About section is searchable and keyword-rich content improves discoverability.

Visible before “See more”: First 200-300 characters (about 3 lines)

About Section Structure

Recommended flow:

1. Hook (50-100 chars): Why should they keep reading?
2. Value proposition (200-300 chars): What you do and for whom
3. Experience highlights (300-500 chars): Key accomplishments
4. How you help (300-500 chars): Specific services/skills
5. Credibility (200-300 chars): Awards, features, results
6. Call-to-action (50-100 chars): What to do next

Total: 1,100-1,800 characters (minimum), up to 2,600 for comprehensive profiles

About Section Best Practices

Formatting:

• Use line breaks between sections
• Bullet points for lists
• Short paragraphs (2-3 sentences)

Keywords:

• Include industry terms
• Add skill keywords
• Use variations of job titles

Tone:

• First-person is accepted and common
• Professional but personable
• Results-focused

Experience Section (2,000 Characters Per Position)

Experience Entry Limits

Description: 2,000 characters per position Position title: 100 characters Company name: 100 characters

What to Include

For each role:

• Scope and responsibilities (brief)
• Key accomplishments with metrics
• Skills demonstrated
• Impact created

Experience Best Practices

Format:

Brief role overview in 1-2 sentences.

Key accomplishments:
• Achievement with metric
• Another achievement
• Third achievement

Skills: relevant, skills, here

Bullets vs. prose: Bullet points scan better; use them for achievements.

Connection Requests (300 Characters)

The Character Limit

Personalized note: 300 characters maximum Without note: Uses standard message

Why Personalization Matters

Acceptance rates:

• Generic request: ~30% acceptance
• Personalized request: ~50%+ acceptance

What to include (in 300 characters):

• How you found them
• Mutual connection or interest
• Why you want to connect

Connection Request Examples

Basic (180 chars): “Hi Sarah, I’ve been following your posts on content strategy—they’ve been really valuable. Would love to connect and continue learning from your insights.”

Event-based (220 chars): “Hi John, we met briefly at the MarketingProfs event last week. Enjoyed our conversation about demand generation. Would be great to stay connected and continue the discussion.”

Comments (1,250 Characters)

Comment Strategy

Length: Up to 1,250 characters Optimal: Thoughtful but concise (100-300 characters for most)

When to write longer comments:

• Adding substantial insight
• Sharing relevant experience
• Thought leadership opportunity

Comment Best Practices

Engagement boost:

• Comment on posts in first hour
• Add genuine value, not generic praise
• Ask follow-up questions
• Tag relevant people

Articles vs. Posts

When to Use Each

Posts (3,000 chars):

• Quick thoughts and updates
• Higher immediate visibility
• Shows in feed by default
• Better engagement generally

Articles (120,000+ chars):

• Long-form content
• SEO benefits (indexed by Google)
• Lives on profile permanently
• Lower immediate visibility

Article Limits

Character limit: 120,000-125,000 characters Word equivalent: Approximately 20,000-25,000 words Optimal length: 1,000-2,000 words

Messages and InMail

Regular Messages

Character limit: 8,000 characters Best practice: Keep initial outreach under 500 characters

InMail

Subject line: 200 characters Body: 1,900-2,000 characters Best practice: Concise and direct—shorter performs better

Frequently Asked Questions

When did LinkedIn expand to 3,000 characters?

LinkedIn expanded from 1,300 to 3,000 characters in 2023, giving users more room for thought leadership content.

Do emojis count as characters on LinkedIn?

Yes, emojis count toward your character limit, typically as 2 characters each.

What’s the optimal post length for engagement?

Research shows posts of 1,800-2,100 characters receive the highest engagement on LinkedIn.

Should I use hashtags on LinkedIn?

Yes, 3-5 relevant hashtags help discoverability. They count toward your character limit.

Can I edit posts after publishing?

Yes, you can edit posts. Note that significant edits may affect visibility temporarily.

How many characters show before “see more”?

Approximately 210 characters (about 3 lines) appear before the “see more” cutoff.

Key Takeaways

• LinkedIn posts: 3,000 characters max; optimal is 1,800-2,100 for engagement
• First 210 characters are critical (before “see more” cutoff)
• Headline: 220 characters—use keywords and value proposition
• About section: 2,600 characters—use most of it for searchability
• Connection requests: 300 characters—always personalize
• LinkedIn rewards longer content unlike most social platforms

Conclusion

LinkedIn’s generous character limits let you share substantial professional content—and the platform rewards those who use that space well. Unlike Twitter where brevity wins, LinkedIn engagement peaks with longer posts in the 1,800-2,100 character range. Optimize your headline and About section with searchable keywords, personalize connection requests, and always front-load your posts with compelling hooks before the “see more” cutoff. Try our free letter counter → to ensure your LinkedIn content hits the optimal length for maximum engagement.