Schema markup doesn’t have strict character limits imposed by schema.org specifications, but Google has display limits and important 2026 status changes you need to know. Key update: FAQPage schema rich results are now LIMITED to government and health authority websites (since 2023). HowTo schema has been DEPRECATED (2024-2025). Product, Review, and LocalBusiness schemas remain active. Additionally, FAQ schema increases AI citation probability by approximately 40%, making it valuable even without rich results.

This guide covers character guidelines and current status for common schema markup types.

Schema Markup Status 2026

Rich Result Availability

Key Changes

FAQPage (2023 change): FAQ rich results are now restricted to authoritative government and health websites. However, FAQ schema still increases AI citation probability by ~40%, making it valuable for AI-powered search even without rich results.

HowTo (2024-2025): Google deprecated HowTo rich results. The schema still validates but no longer generates rich results in search.

Schema Markup Display Limits

Google’s Rich Result Display (Active Schema Types)

FAQ Schema (Limited Since 2023)

Current Status

Important 2023 change: FAQ rich results are now LIMITED to government and health authority websites only. Most websites will not see FAQ rich results in Google search.

AI Value: Despite the rich result limitation, FAQ schema increases AI citation probability by approximately 40%. This makes it valuable for visibility in AI-powered search tools and assistants.

Answer Length Guidelines

Best practice: Keep answers under 300 characters

Structure:

{
  "@type": "Question",
  "name": "What is the character limit?",
  "acceptedAnswer": {
    "@type": "Answer",
    "text": "Keep FAQ answers under 300 characters for best results. FAQ schema increases AI citation probability by ~40%."
  }
}

Question Guidelines

Keep questions:

• Natural language format
• Actual questions users ask
• Under 100 characters when possible

FAQ Best Practices

Do:

• Implement for AI citation benefits even without rich results
• Answer the question directly
• Include the essential information first

Don’t:

• Expect rich results (unless govt/health site)
• Pad with unnecessary text
• Include HTML formatting in answer text

HowTo Schema (Deprecated 2024-2025)

Current Status

Deprecated: Google removed HowTo rich results in 2024-2025. The schema still validates but no longer generates rich results in search.

Recommendation: You may keep existing HowTo schema for potential future use or other search engines, but don’t expect Google rich results.

Historical Step Guidelines (for reference)

Individual steps: Under 200 characters each Total steps: No strict limit

Example step:

{
  "@type": "HowToStep",
  "name": "Mix dry ingredients",
  "text": "Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk until evenly distributed."
}

Product Schema

Field Guidelines

Product Description Strategy

No strict limit, but:

• Be comprehensive for SEO value
• Google may truncate in rich results
• First 150-200 characters most visible

Include:

• Key features
• Specifications
• Benefits
• Materials/composition

Review Schema

Review Text Guidelines

Individual reviews: 200-500 characters works well Display in SERP: Truncated around 200-300 characters

Review snippet display: Google may pull excerpts from longer reviews, so front-load quality content.

Review Best Practices

For review snippets:

• Authentic review content
• Specific details (not generic praise)
• Dates for freshness signals

Aggregate rating:

{
  "@type": "AggregateRating",
  "ratingValue": "4.8",
  "reviewCount": "127"
}

No character limits—numeric values.

Recipe Schema

Field Guidelines

Recipe Description

Focus on:

• What the dish is
• Key flavors/features
• Who it’s good for

Example (180 chars): “Creamy garlic butter chicken that’s ready in 30 minutes. One-pan recipe perfect for busy weeknight dinners. Family-friendly with simple ingredients.”

LocalBusiness Schema

Field Guidelines

Description Strategy

Include:

• What you do
• Who you serve
• Key differentiators
• Location context

Event Schema

Field Guidelines

Event Description

Keep concise:

• What the event is
• Key highlights
• Who should attend

Display: Rich results show limited text—front-load important details.

Article Schema

Field Guidelines

Headline vs Title Tag

headline: Can differ from page title tag Best practice: Align closely for consistency

Organization Schema

Field Guidelines

Description

Include:

• What the organization does
• Industry/sector
• Key facts

Common Schema Mistakes

Content-Related Errors

Truncated content: Write for display limits, not just validation.

Keyword stuffing: Schema content should be natural, not optimized unnaturally.

Outdated information: Keep prices, availability, and details current.

Technical Errors

Missing required fields: Each schema type has required properties—check documentation.

Invalid values: Ensure proper formatting for dates, numbers, URLs.

Improper nesting: Follow schema.org hierarchy correctly.

Validation and Testing

Tools

Google Rich Results Test:

• Tests specific URL
• Shows detected schema
• Displays warnings/errors

Schema.org Validator:

• Technical validation
• Checks against specification

Google Search Console:

• Rich results performance
• Error reporting
• Enhancement tracking

Frequently Asked Questions

Does schema.org specify character limits?

Schema.org doesn’t specify strict limits, but Google has display limits for rich results. Practical limits matter more than technical limits.

Why don’t I see FAQ rich results anymore?

As of 2023, Google restricted FAQ rich results to government and health authority websites only. However, FAQ schema still increases AI citation probability by ~40%.

What happened to HowTo rich results?

Google deprecated HowTo rich results in 2024-2025. The schema validates but no longer generates rich results.

Should I include all product details in schema?

Include comprehensive details for SEO value, but know that rich result displays will truncate. Front-load important information.

Do character limits affect schema validation?

Generally no—your schema will validate even with very long text. But Google may not display or use excessively long content effectively.

Can I use HTML in schema text fields?

Plain text is preferred. HTML may be stripped or cause display issues in rich results.

How do I know if my schema is displaying correctly?

Use Google Rich Results Test to preview how your schema appears, and monitor Search Console for rich result performance.

Key Takeaways

• FAQPage: LIMITED to govt/health sites since 2023 (but increases AI citation by ~40%)
• HowTo: DEPRECATED in 2024-2025, no longer shows rich results
• Product, Review, LocalBusiness: ACTIVE with full rich result support
• Product descriptions: Comprehensive but front-load key info
• Review snippets: 200-300 characters display in SERP
• Test with Google Rich Results Test for actual display preview
• FAQ schema still valuable for AI-powered search visibility

Conclusion

Schema markup in 2026 requires understanding both character limits and status changes. FAQPage rich results are now limited to government and health websites (since 2023), but FAQ schema still increases AI citation probability by ~40%. HowTo rich results were deprecated in 2024-2025. Product, Review, and LocalBusiness schemas remain fully active. Write schema content with display limits in mind and use Google’s testing tools to verify your structured data. Try our free letter counter → to verify your schema content fits within optimal display lengths.