Check your caption length
Includes spaces, line breaks, hashtags and mentions. Emoji can use more than one unit.
Against the API figure: Enter a caption to compare. Numeric comparison using Postdom's count, not a tested TikTok count or acceptance result.
This counter uses Postdom's counting method and 4,000-unit input limit. TikTok's video Direct Post API documents 2,200 “UTF-16 runes”; that is a separate rule, not an acceptance test performed here. How emoji and line breaks count.
The counter runs in your browser. It does not upload or save your caption.
How to shorten a TikTok caption
Keep the point of your video, then cut what repeats it.
Keep the packing list; cut the ending that repeats it and the unrelated tags. That removes 704 UTF-16 code units.
- Original draft
- 2,565 units
365 above the documented API figure
- Trimmed caption
- 1,861 units
339 below the documented API figure
These are numeric comparisons using Postdom's count, not tested TikTok results. Both versions fit Postdom's input limit. Passing that input check does not mean TikTok will accept a caption.
See the exact text removed
That is everything I pack, the complete list of everything in my bag, and exactly how I fit all of those things into one carry-on for the whole weekend. I wanted to show the entire process from start to finish so you can see every single item and every step of the packing process. If you have ever wondered what I bring on a weekend trip, this is everything I bring on a weekend trip. #travel #traveltips #travelvideo #travelideas #packingideas #packwithme #travelpacking #weekendaway #weekendtravel #citybreak #citytrip #luggage #suitcase #smallbag #travelbag #bagpacking #holidaypacking #holidayideas #vacationpacking #vacationideas #travelinspiration #travelcontent #dailyvideo #videotips #myvideo
Read the full trimmed caption
My carry-on packing list for a Friday-to-Sunday city break, with room left for the trip home. I start with the clothes I will wear on the journey: trainers, trousers, a T-shirt and a light jacket. In the bag go a second T-shirt, one shirt that works for dinner, spare underwear and socks, and something comfortable to sleep in. I choose pieces I can wear together instead of packing a separate outfit for every possible plan. The shoes make the biggest difference to this bag. I wear the bulky pair and only pack a second pair if I already know I will need them. In this example there is no second pair. That leaves space for a small wash bag and keeps the bottom of the case easy to unpack. My wash bag has the basics I use at home, decanted where practical. I check the liquid rules for my actual journey before packing. A small pouch holds the charger, cable and plug adapter so they do not end up tangled in the clothes. I keep the battery pack somewhere I can reach without opening the whole bag. Next I lay everything out on the bed. If two items do the same job, one stays home. Then I fold the clothes into two loose stacks, put the wash bag beside them and slide the pouch into the remaining gap. I do not force the zip closed; I want to be able to repack just as easily on Sunday. My phone, wallet, travel documents and any medication stay in the small bag I carry with me. Before leaving, I check the forecast, the plans for the weekend and my carrier's baggage rules. This is an example packing list, not a promise that the same bag or allowance works on every route. The video shows the full unpacked list, where each item goes, and the bag closing without anything being squeezed in. Use the list as a starting point, then swap in what your trip actually needs. What is the one thing you always make room for? #packing #carryon #weekendtrip
Lead with the subject
Say what the video shows. Remove openings such as ‘In this video I'm going to show you.’
Cut repeated words and unrelated tags
Keep the context a viewer needs. Remove repeated phrases and tags that do not describe the video.
Check the complete caption
Include your hashtags, mentions, spaces, and line breaks. Check the limit for the app or publishing method you will actually use.
Illustrative edit, not a tested TikTok submission. Counts include all spaces and line breaks; this example uses plain text without emoji. You do not need to use the full allowance. Keep detail when it helps someone follow the video; cut it when it repeats what they can already see.
Which TikTok caption limit applies?
For video Direct Post API captions, TikTok documents a maximum of 2,200 “UTF-16 runes.” For a video posted in the app, check the caption editor. If you use a publishing tool, check the tool's limit and the TikTok posting method it uses.
| Posting method | Caption limit | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok video Direct Post API | 2,200 “UTF-16 runes” | For videos published through this API. TikTok describes the counting unit as “UTF-16 runes.” |
| Video posted in the TikTok app | Check your caption editor | We have not verified a current app-wide video maximum. Do not apply the API number to every in-app post. |
| Postdom caption input | 4,000 UTF-16 code units | Postdom's own input check. Passing it does not mean TikTok will accept the caption. |
Why can emoji change the character count?
A symbol on screen can contain more than one unit of text. TikTok's video API documentation calls its unit “UTF-16 runes.” We have not tested how TikTok counts emoji. Use your publishing method's length check instead of counting symbols by eye.
- Words and a space
Pack light10 units- Hashtag and mention
#bag @name10 units- Line break
\n1 unit- Emoji
😀2 units- Joined emoji
👩💻5 units- Letter and combining accent
é2 units
These examples use JavaScript string length, like Postdom. The accent is a letter plus a combining accent; we do not normalize either. MDN explains UTF-16 code units.
Where do I check a caption in the TikTok app?
Tap + in TikTok, upload or record your video, and finish your edits. Tap Next to add your description, hashtags and mentions. If your editor shows a character count or length warning, use it to check the complete caption. If it shows no number, we cannot confirm a native-app maximum here; do not substitute the video API's limit. Save to Drafts if you are not ready to publish.
Review the post's audience before sharing; do not assume a new post starts with different privacy settings. These instructions are for video descriptions, not a limit for comments, bios, photo posts or on-screen subtitles.
TikTok's instructions for making a post →What happens when you publish through Postdom?
Postdom accepts caption inputs up to 4,000 UTF-16 code units, including spaces and line breaks, and rejects longer inputs. An emoji can use more than one unit. This is Postdom's own input check, not TikTok's video API limit of 2,200 “UTF-16 runes.” TikTok can still reject a caption that passes Postdom's check.
Keep the finished video and caption together. With Postdom, use an accepted video URL or stored media handle and confirm the connected TikTok account. Postdom publishes supplied videos to TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn, Facebook Reels, X, Snapchat Spotlight, Threads and Bluesky; it does not generate the video.
Before submitting, watch the finished video with its caption and get the person's express consent. The current tool publishes as Only you, marks it AI-generated, and turns off comments, Duet and Stitch; you cannot override those settings here, and its confirmation flags are not evidence that a person completed the review. Stop if those settings are unsuitable, consent or workspace approval is missing, or the video needs commercial-content disclosures the tool cannot set.
Schedule a TikTok post and check its outcome →How to submit a video and caption →
Read the TikTok publishing reference →
Whether Postdom enforces a documented figure is decided per destination, not once. The figure on this page is documented and not enforced; the Threads character limit is the opposite case, and it also has a second, larger published figure that governs a different object entirely.