Where to put hashtags on Instagram

You can add hashtags in the caption of your post, in the first comment, or in your profile bio. Most people put them in the caption itself — either mixed into the text or grouped at the end. Instagram shows your post to people who follow those hashtags, so the location matters less than making sure you actually include them.

The caption is the text box that appears when you're about to share a photo or video. You can type up to 2,200 characters there, and hashtags count toward that limit. If your caption gets long, some people move hashtags to the first comment instead, which keeps the caption cleaner while still letting Instagram read the hashtags.

You cannot add hashtags to your profile bio the same way — the bio is just text, and Instagram treats hashtags there as regular text rather than searchable tags. If you want people to find your account by topic, hashtags in your posts are what actually work.

Key Takeaways

  • Type a hashtag by writing the # symbol followed by a word or phrase with no spaces, like #photography or #homecooking.
  • You can add up to 30 hashtags per post, though research suggests 3 to 10 relevant ones usually perform better than the maximum.
  • Put hashtags in your caption or in the first comment — both work equally well for Instagram's search system.
  • Instagram suggests hashtags as you type; tapping one of those suggestions helps you find tags that are actually active and used by other accounts.
  • Hashtags with millions of posts are harder to stand out in; mixing popular tags with smaller, more specific ones usually reaches more of the right people.

How to type a hashtag correctly

A hashtag starts with the # symbol (called a hash or pound sign) followed when ready by a word or phrase with no spaces. Type #photography, not # photography. If you want multiple words, run them together: #homemadesourdough or #smallbusinessowner. Instagram will not recognize #home made sourdough as a hashtag because of the spaces.

You can use numbers and letters, but hashtags cannot start with a number. #2024goals will not work, but #goals2024 will. Avoid special characters like &, !, or @ — Instagram only recognizes letters, numbers, and underscores in hashtags.

As you type a hashtag, Instagram shows you suggestions below the text box. These suggestions include the hashtag name and how many posts use it. Tapping one of Instagram's suggestions is a good way to make sure you are using a hashtag that is actually active — if Instagram suggests it, people are posting with it.

How many hashtags to use

Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, but using all 30 does not may provide better results. Posts with 3 to 10 hashtags tend to get more engagement than posts with 20 or 30, probably because a smaller, more focused set reaches people who are actually interested in your specific content rather than people who follow very broad tags.

The right number depends on what you are posting. A photo of your dinner might use 5 hashtags like #homecooking #dinnerideas #foodblog #recipeoftheday #easymeals. A photo of your face might use 3 or 4 like #selfie #portrait #photography. A business post might use 8 to 12 to reach different types of customers.

If you are not sure, start with 5 to 8 and watch which posts get the most views. Instagram shows you how many times people viewed your post in your Insights (if you have a business or creator account), so you can see over time whether fewer hashtags or more hashtags work better for your audience.

Mixing popular and specific hashtags

Popular hashtags like #photography or #instagood have millions of posts. Your post will appear in that hashtag's feed, but it will be buried quickly by thousands of other posts. Specific hashtags like #vintagefilmcamera or #canoneos5dmarkiv have far fewer posts — maybe thousands instead of millions — so your post stays visible longer.

The best approach is to mix both. Use one or two very popular hashtags that describe your general topic, then use 3 to 8 specific hashtags that describe exactly what you posted. If you photograph vintage cameras, you might use #photography (popular) and #vintagefilmcamera (specific). People searching for vintage cameras will find you; people searching just for photography might not, but that is fine because they are less likely to care about your specific post anyway.

You can see how many posts use a hashtag by typing it and looking at Instagram's suggestion. Hashtags with 100,000 to 500,000 posts are usually a good middle ground — popular enough that people search them, but not so crowded that your post disappears in seconds.

Where hashtags appear after you post

Once you publish your post, anyone who searches for or follows one of your hashtags will see your post in that hashtag's feed. Instagram also shows your post to people who follow you, regardless of hashtags. Hashtags mainly help people who do not follow you yet discover your content.

Your hashtags are visible on your post — people can see them in your caption or first comment. Some people hide hashtags by putting them in the first comment instead of the caption, which makes the post look cleaner while still letting Instagram read the tags. This does not change how the hashtags work; it just changes whether visitors see them when ready.

If you delete a hashtag from your caption after posting, Instagram stops showing your post in that hashtag's feed. If you add a hashtag later, Instagram will start showing your post there, but it will not go back in time — people who already scrolled past that hashtag feed will not see it again.

Hashtags you should avoid

Some hashtags are blocked or "shadowbanned" by Instagram, meaning posts with those hashtags get shown to fewer people or not at all. This usually happens to hashtags that are frequently used for spam or inappropriate content. You cannot see a list of blocked hashtags, but if you notice a hashtag has zero posts despite being typed correctly, it is probably blocked.

Avoid hashtags that are completely unrelated to your post just to get more views. Using #love or #instagood on a photo of your car might get your post shown to more people, but those people are not interested in cars, so they will not follow you or engage with your post. Instagram's algorithm learns which hashtags lead to real engagement and which ones do not, and it favors posts that get genuine interaction.

Do not use the same exact set of 30 hashtags on every single post. Instagram may interpret this as spam or artificial engagement. Change your hashtags based on what you are actually posting, even if you reuse some of the same ones.

Hashtags in Stories and Reels

You can add hashtags to Instagram Stories and Reels the same way you add them to regular posts — by typing them in the caption or text. For Stories, you can also use the hashtag sticker, which is a small button that lets you search for and add a hashtag as a visual element on your Story. The hashtag sticker makes the tag visible as a clickable element, and people can tap it to see other Stories using that hashtag.

Reels are short videos, and hashtags work the same way as they do on regular posts — put them in the caption, and Instagram shows your Reel to people who search for or follow those hashtags. Reels often get more reach than regular posts, so hashtags on Reels can be especially useful for reaching new people.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same hashtags on every post?

You can reuse hashtags across multiple posts, but using the exact same 30 hashtags on every single post may signal spam to Instagram's system. Change your hashtags to match what you are actually posting. Reusing 5 to 10 core hashtags that describe your account is fine; copying and pasting the same full list every time is not.

Do hashtags in the caption work better than hashtags in the first comment?

No — Instagram's system treats them the same way. Putting hashtags in the first comment instead of the caption does not hurt your reach. Many people do this to keep their caption text cleaner and easier to read. Choose whichever looks better to you.

What happens if I use a hashtag that does not exist yet?

Instagram will create that hashtag page automatically. Your post becomes the first post using that hashtag. This is fine if you are creating a unique tag for a specific purpose, like a branded hashtag for your business. For general content, use existing hashtags that people are already searching for.

Why is my post not showing up in a hashtag feed?

Your post may be shadowbanned from that hashtag if it violates Instagram's rules or if the hashtag itself is blocked. You might also have typed the hashtag incorrectly — check for spaces or special characters. If the hashtag has millions of posts, your post may straightforward be buried too far down for people to find it.

Should I use hashtags on every post?

Yes, hashtags help people discover your content. Even one or two hashtags is better than none. The only time to skip hashtags is if you are posting something very personal that you only want your followers to see, but for most posts, hashtags increase your reach without any downside.