Instagram is testing a limit of three hashtags per post, which signals a major shift that could transform how users organise and share content on the platform.
Instagram has started testing a significant change that could reshape how users organise and share posts on the platform. The company is reportedly experimenting with a new limit that allows users to add only three hashtags to each post, marking a major shift from the long-standing practice that has been in place since 2011.
Early Reports of Hashtag Limits
According to some Reddit users, some accounts now receive an error message when they try to add more than three hashtags to a new post. The restriction does not appear to affect all users. This uneven rollout suggests that Meta is testing the option with a select group of users before deciding whether to expand it platform-wide.
Instagram has not made a formal announcement about the test or explained the reasoning behind the change. The platform has a history of releasing updates in phases, and this trial may follow the same pattern seen during its recent redesign.
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Role of Hashtags
Hashtags have long served as a key tool for discovery on Instagram. When introduced in 2011, they offered a way for users to reach audiences beyond their followers by tagging posts with relevant topics. For many years, Instagram allowed up to 30 hashtags per post, and creators relied heavily on them to increase visibility.
However, the platform’s recommendation system has evolved. Instagram’s Explore section now highlights posts based on content, captions, and a mix of behavioural signals. Even Instagram head Adam Mosseri has publicly stated that hashtags do not play a major role in expanding reach. According to Mosseri, hashtags function more as a method of categorising posts than a tool for boosting reach.
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What the Test Means for Users
Still, the test signals a shift in how the platform wants users to present their content. For many users who built habits around hashtag strategies in earlier years, especially during the mid-2010s, the shift may feel abrupt. While younger users often rely less on hashtags, the older style of packing posts with tags remains common among long-time Instagram members.
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The latest test suggests that Instagram is moving further toward automated content discovery and away from user-driven tagging. Whether the three-hashtag limit becomes a permanent rule will depend on the results of these ongoing trials and Meta’s broader platform strategy.
The article originally appeared on Hindustan Times
