LinkedIn Character Limits: Post, Headline & About

You write the perfect LinkedIn post, hit publish, and realize half your message is hidden behind “…see more.” Your carefully crafted hook gets cut off mid-sentence. LinkedIn’s character limits aren’t just arbitrary numbers—they’re strict boundaries that determine whether your content gets read or ignored.

LinkedIn enforces different character limits across every section of the platform, from posts to headlines to connection requests. Miss these limits by even one character, and your content either gets rejected or buried under a truncation wall. Understanding these boundaries is the difference between content that stops scrollers and content that gets skipped.

LinkedIn Post Character Limit: 3,000 Characters (But Only 210 Matter)

LinkedIn allows up to 3,000 characters per post, but only the first 210 characters appear in feeds before the “…see more” link. This creates a two-tier content structure: the hook (first 210 characters) and the body (remaining 2,790 characters).

The hook must stand alone. If readers don’t click “see more,” they only see those first 210 characters. This means your opening sentence needs to deliver value, create curiosity, or ask a question that demands an answer. Generic intros like “I’m excited to share…” waste 20+ characters on filler.

Use a LinkedIn character counter before publishing to verify your hook ends at a natural break point. Cutting off mid-word or mid-sentence signals sloppy writing. Count backwards from 210 to find the best stopping point—ideally after a complete thought or question.

The remaining 2,790 characters hold your full argument, data, story, or tutorial. This is where you deliver on the hook’s promise. Break long posts into short paragraphs (2-3 lines max) and use bullet points or numbered lists to improve scanability for readers who click through.

LinkedIn Headline Character Limit: 220 Characters

Your headline appears below your name across the entire platform—in search results, connection requests, comments, and profile views. LinkedIn enforces a strict 220-character limit, and unlike posts, there’s no “see more” option. What you write is what people see.

The headline functions as your professional tagline. It should answer three questions in 220 characters or less: What do you do? Who do you help? What makes you different? Generic headlines like “Marketing Professional | Digital Strategy” waste the space on obvious job titles anyone can read from your experience section.

Front-load your headline with your most valuable keyword. LinkedIn’s search algorithm weighs the first 50 characters more heavily than the rest. If you’re a “SaaS content strategist,” lead with that exact phrase instead of burying it after “Creative writer and…”

Test multiple headline variations with a character counter to find the longest version that still fits. Every unused character is wasted search visibility. If your headline sits at 180 characters, you have 40 more characters to add specificity, credibility markers (like “7-figure exit”), or target audience details (“B2B tech companies”).

About Section Character Limit: 2,600 Characters

The About section (formerly Summary) allows 2,600 characters to tell your professional story. This section appears directly on your profile, gets indexed by LinkedIn’s search engine, and is often the deciding factor for connection requests and inbound opportunities.

Unlike posts, the About section doesn’t truncate in feeds—it truncates on your own profile. Only the first 300 characters show before the “see more” link. This creates the same hook-and-body dynamic as posts: nail the first 300 characters or lose readers before they click through.

Structure your About section in three blocks: the hook (first 300 chars), your story (next 1,300 chars), and your call-to-action (final 1,000 chars). The hook should state your unique value proposition in one to two sentences. The story section explains your background, expertise, and results. The CTA tells readers exactly what action to take—book a call, download a resource, send a connection request.

Use all 2,600 characters. Short About sections (500-800 characters) signal incomplete profiles and rank lower in LinkedIn search. If you’re struggling to fill the space, add specific examples of projects, client results, methodologies, or industry insights. Replace vague claims like “proven track record” with concrete numbers like “increased organic traffic 340% in 18 months.”

Connection Request Character Limit: 300 Characters

LinkedIn limits connection request messages to 300 characters when sending invitations. This is one of the platform’s strictest limits and most frequently violated. Generic requests like “I’d like to add you to my professional network” waste 47 characters on LinkedIn’s default template.

Personalized connection requests get accepted 3x more often than generic ones, but you only have 300 characters to make your case. Use this formula: mention where you found them (15-30 chars), state why you’re connecting (40-60 chars), and include a specific detail that proves you actually read their profile (100-150 chars).

If you exceed 300 characters, LinkedIn blocks the request entirely—there’s no auto-truncation like posts. Check your character count before hitting send, especially if you’re copying messages from a template. A single extra sentence can trigger the error message and force you to rewrite on the spot.

For connection requests attached to profile views in search results, LinkedIn sometimes reduces the limit to 200 characters depending on mobile vs desktop interface. Always write connection requests at 280 characters or less to ensure compatibility across all devices and entry points.

How to Optimize Content Within LinkedIn’s Character Limits

Stop writing in LinkedIn’s text editor. Write your content in an external tool where you can see character counts in real-time, edit freely, and save drafts without LinkedIn’s buggy auto-save. A dedicated character counter tool shows you exactly where truncation happens before you publish.

Use a two-pass editing system for posts. First pass: write everything you want to say without worrying about length. Second pass: cut ruthlessly to fit the hook within 210 characters while keeping the full message under 3,000. This prevents the common mistake of writing a 180-character hook that makes no sense without the next sentence.

For headlines and About sections, write multiple versions at different character counts. A 220-character headline might be perfect, but a 185-character version might test better in A/B comparisons. Save your alternate versions in a document so you can rotate headlines every 60-90 days based on performance.

Avoid character-wasting phrases that add length without value. “I’m excited to announce,” “I wanted to share,” “In my opinion,” and “I think that” all burn 15-20 characters on filler. Start sentences with the actual subject: “Our team shipped…”, “Data shows…”, “Three clients asked…”

Use contractions to save characters without losing clarity. “You’re” instead of “you are” saves 2 characters. “Don’t” instead of “do not” saves 2 characters. Across a 220-character headline, converting 5 phrases to contractions frees up 10 characters for an extra credibility marker or keyword.

Check character counts on mobile devices before publishing. LinkedIn’s mobile app displays fewer characters before truncation in certain contexts. What looks perfect on desktop might cut off awkwardly on mobile where 60% of LinkedIn traffic originates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does LinkedIn count spaces and punctuation toward character limits?

Yes. LinkedIn counts every character including spaces, punctuation, emojis, and line breaks. A single emoji can consume 2-4 characters depending on the symbol. Line breaks count as 1 character each. If you’re hitting limits, removing extra spaces and line breaks can free up 10-20 characters in longer posts.

What happens if I exceed LinkedIn’s character limits?

For posts and About sections, LinkedIn prevents publishing entirely—you’ll see an error message telling you to reduce characters. For connection requests, the send button stays grayed out until you drop below 300 characters. There’s no auto-truncation or warning before you hit publish. You must manually count and edit.

Can I use special characters or formatting to bypass character limits?

No. LinkedIn counts all Unicode characters equally. Using special Unicode characters, invisible spaces, or formatting tricks doesn’t bypass limits and often causes display errors on mobile devices. Stick to standard characters and punctuation for maximum compatibility.

How do I see my exact character count while writing on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn doesn’t show live character counts in the post composer or profile editor. You must copy your text into an external character counter tool, verify you’re under the limit, then paste back into LinkedIn. This two-step process is tedious but necessary to avoid rejected posts.

Do hashtags count toward LinkedIn’s character limits?

Yes. Every character in a hashtag, including the # symbol, counts toward your limits. A hashtag like #ContentMarketing consumes 17 characters. If you’re at 3,000 characters and add a hashtag, you’ll exceed the limit and need to cut text elsewhere. Place hashtags strategically—at the end of posts or integrated naturally into sentences—to maximize remaining character budget for valuable content.