Tech Desk 
Nov 23, 2025
Instagram users are reporting a surprising new change as the platform is limiting captions to just three hashtags for some accounts. The update, which Instagram has yet to officially confirm, has triggered widespread confusion among creators, brands, and social media managers who rely on hashtags to boost reach and engagement.
Reports first emerged on both Reddit and X, each from users posting screenshots of a notification that was showing during upload: “You can only add 3 hashtags to your caption.”
Though some accounts can still use up to 30 hashtags per post, others are now capped at three. The uneven rollout strongly suggests that Instagram is A/B testing the new limit in advance of a possible wider launch.
Why Instagram might be cutting hashtags?
Analysts from the industry say this change aligns with Instagram's greater shift toward discovery by search and content quality. By shrinking hashtag count, the platform may be able to curb spamming and what's called hashtag stuffing, wherein users overload their posts with irrelevant tags in the pursuit of reach.
In limiting captions to three, Instagram may be pushing creators to use only the most relevant keywords and to write stronger, SEO-optimised captions that improve searchability.
If the change were to be released globally, it could drastically change content strategy. There would be fewer feeds that posts could appear in, and consequently, organic reach could decline, particularly among smaller accounts.
For creators, this could necessitate a shift toward more keyword-rich, descriptive captions and high-relevance tags versus relying on volume.
