Since last week, we have been organizing content (our personal content) and posting little by little all of our adventures in Japan (yes, it was awesome), and, while preparing to post a TikTok in our personal account, we came across this notification:
Yup, TikTok is now limiting the hashtags added to each post to 5. Shocking, we know.
Is this the end of the enormous paragraph of hashtags that nobody reads? Not really. But there is more to the whole ordeal if you ask us.
The Recent TikTok Update
The hashtag limits are part of a recent TikTok Update (Version 40.8.0, released on July 15, according to the App Store). While TikTok hasn’t officially addressed the change (the latest update announcement on TikTok’s Newsroom is the beta launch of TikTok Songwriter Features), the update aligns with the platform’s growing focus on relevance and user experience.
Besides the limit on hashtags, the update claims to have “fixed some bugs and updated features.”
Why the Hashtag Limits?
TikTok’s move isn’t entirely random. Compare this to recent declarations by Instagram’s team, stating that stuffing your captions with a whole paragraph of 30 hashtags does not help your reach and recommending that users niche down to 3-5 hashtags. Platforms seem to agree that less spam equals better engagement.
Gone are the days of stuffing posts with 20+ trending tags in the hopes of reaching “For You” pages around the world. Instead, all platforms, including TikTok, are encouraging creators to think more strategically, using hashtags to categorize content rather than chase virality through volume.
What Does This Mean For Creators and Brands?
No, your reach isn’t doomed, nor is this the end of the world as we know it. At first glance, limiting the hashtags on your posts to 5 might seem restrictive. After all, many creators relied on quantity over quality, hoping that more hashtags would equal more visibility, even though in reality that was rarely the case.
It does mean you have to stop dropping 30 hashtags in every caption, though: the stuffing is over thanks to the hashtag limits, and it is time to be more strategic when it comes to choosing which hashtags to use.
If you’re managing content for a brand or business, this is actually an opportunity. Tighter hashtag use can help you write cleaner captions, get more precise positioning, and (hopefully) better performance data.
Are There Any Benefits Coming From The Hashtag Limits?
In short: it depends.
TikTok’s algorithm has always prioritized relevance. By forcing creators to be selective with hashtags, the platform is nudging them toward meaningful categorization. This means posts are more likely to reach the right audience rather than getting lost in a sea of mismatched tags.
Of course, reaching the right audience means you should get more engagement. Overloading captions with hashtags can look messy and even deter viewers from engaging. A cleaner caption keeps the focus on your content, making it easier for users to read, react, and share.
Instead of copy-pasting the same block of generic tags (e.g., #viral #fyp #trending), creators now have to think critically about which hashtags truly align with their content. This leads to better audience targeting and higher-quality interactions.
What About Viral Hashtags?
One concern creators might have is whether limiting hashtags will hurt their chances of going viral. The truth? Viral success was never about hashtag volume—it was about content quality, timing, and algorithmic luck.
Trending challenges and sounds still play a massive role in discoverability. Pairing your post with a trending audio or effect is far more impactful than stuffing in irrelevant tags.
Community-Specific Tags (e.g., #BookTok, #CleanTok) remain powerful for niche audiences. Focus on those instead of broad, overused tags.
How to Adapt Your TikTok Strategy
Ultimately, it will all come down to how you adapt to these changes: like them or not, they are here to stay, and chances are, they may be replicated by other platforms eventually.
Your best bet?
Prioritize Relevance
Choose tags that directly relate to your video and your audience.
- Pick 1–2 that clearly define your niche or target audience.
- Add 1–2 that describe the specific content of the post.
- Leave room for 1 trending, branded, or timely tag, if it makes sense.
Mix Sizes
Combine moderately popular hashtags (50K–1M posts) with smaller niche tags to balance visibility and competition.
Use Keywords Elsewhere
Much like SEO, TikTok’s algorithm is becoming more reliant on content metadata—your actual words, not just your tags. Consider what your audience is typing into the search bar and incorporate those phrases naturally into your captions and voiceovers.
Prioritize Storytelling Over Reach-Hacking
The strongest-performing TikToks often tell a clear story, even in 15 seconds. Hashtags are helpful, but compelling content is still king (or queen). If you’re trying to show up on #BookTok, make sure your video feels like a BookTok video—genre, tone, pacing, all of it.
Embrace evergreen content over trendy (or at least balance both)
A mix of timely and evergreen content can make your profile stronger in the long term. With a cap on how many hashtags you can include, you’ll want to choose ones that continue working for you over time, not just whatever is trending in the moment.
Test & Track
If you haven’t already, get into the habit of regularly checking your TikTok analytics. With fewer hashtags, you may start to see more accurate data on what’s actually helping your content reach its target audience. Look for changes in reach, watch time, and where your views are coming from (search, For You, profile, etc.).
This update is just another piece of a broader effort to refine TikTok’s platform, cracking down on repetitive content and boosting original creators while prioritizing meaningful engagement over spammy tactics. So, if you’ve been copying and pasting the same giant hashtag block since 2021, consider this your sign to switch it up.
Only time will tell what the real effects of this update will be. For now, embrace the change, refine your hashtags, and keep creating.
