Instagram Tests Three-Hashtag Limit for Better Discovery

Reports have it is that Instagram is testing a new limit on content discovery. Instagram experimenting a three-hashtag limit per post for a restricted group of users is a significant departure from the long-standing 30-hashtag limit. According to a source, the Meta-owned social media network is experimenting a limit on the number of hashtags allowed in a post. When users try to insert more than three hashtags, they supposedly receive an error message. The new feature, however, is yet to be published and is thought to be part of a limited test prior to its wider release.

Instagram’s hashtag function has long been used to aid with content discovery. It allows posts to appear in topic-based search results, trending lists, and algorithm-driven recommendations. Previously, the Meta-owned social media platform enabled users to add up to 30 hashtags to a post. However, this could change in the near future.

According to DroidApp, several users have recently reported detecting an Instagram restriction that limits posts to only three hashtags. When adding a hashtag, a notification pops advising that only three hashtags are permitted.

The test which is already in progress only explains that certain accounts are affected by the new limit, and attempting to add more than three hashtags results in an error notice, whereas majority of users at a larger scale can still add up to 30.

However, not all users are experiencing this change, and it does not appear to be a widespread implementation. According to the source, some Instagram accounts are still operating with the customary hashtag limit, while others have encountered the new restriction.

Meta is yet to release an official statement about the feature or its intent. It’s thought to be part of A/B testing ahead of a broader rollout.

Instagram, in particular, was recently believed to be working on another new feature that will allow users to personalise their algorithm-based suggestions by picking or eliminating topics of interest, starting with Reels and eventually expanding to the Explore page. Adam Mosseri announced it, and it is intended to provide consumers more control over their feeds and surfing experiences.

The tool, which is found in the new Your Algorithm section of Settings, allows users to see and manage the topics that influence their recommendations. It outlines users’ current engagement patterns believed to be habits, which in Mosseri’s case are Luxury Watches, Fashion Week, Bad Bunny, Stand-up Comedy, and Concerts.

The move in strategy shows that Instagram is shifting away from user-driven tagging and “hashtag stuffing” and towards automated, AI-powered content discovery and keyword optimisation in captions and on-screen text. The algorithm now prioritises content quality and relevancy over hashtag quantity.

The impact on creators, If deployed internationally in  broader scale will change the mindset for creators to focus on using highly relevant, particular hashtags and naturally inserting keywords into their descriptions and bios to maximise search potential.

This shift is commonly viewed as an attempt to eliminate spam and promote more relevant, focused material on the network.