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YouTube Description Character Limit
The YouTube description limit is 5,000 characters. Paste your text below to see how much room is left.
Free, no sign-up, runs in your browser. Updated 2026-11-02.
The short answer
YouTube allows up to 5,000 characters in the description.
What counts toward the limit
Letters, numbers, spaces, links and line breaks count. The limit is 5,000 characters.
How much people actually see
Only the first few lines show before "Show more", commonly cited as roughly 100 to 150 characters, and search results show a similar snippet.
Tips for fitting your description
- Put the summary and the main keyword in the first two lines.
- Add timestamps for long videos. The timestamp generator builds the chapter list.
- Keep links and calls to action near the top, with the long text below.
How this compares with other limits
| Platform | Field | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube | Description | 5,000 |
| Pin Description | 500 |
Limits come from platform help pages and published guides, and platforms change them. Where it matters, confirm in the app. See every limit on the character limits hub.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a YouTube description be?
5,000 characters.
Do hashtags in the description count?
Yes, they count like any other text.
Where can I check my text length for every platform at once?
Use the social media character counter, which shows the limit for each platform side by side.