Are video ad limits different from static?

Identical numerically. The behavioral difference is that video viewers read less primary text in practice.

Should I add captions or burn-in text on the video itself?

Yes. Burn-in captions add ~30% to retention on autoplay-muted impressions, which is most Feed video.

Does sound-off mode change character behavior?

Not the limits. But viewers watching with sound off read more burn-in text and less primary text.

How long should the video itself be?

15 seconds is the sweet spot for most Feed video. Reels prefers 10–20. The character limits are independent of video length.

Facebook Video Ad Character Limits

Facebook Video Ads share Feed character limits exactly: 125 visible primary text, 40 visible headline, 30 visible description. The catch is that video viewers behave differently than image viewers — they're watching motion, not reading. Tap-through rates on See more during video playback are roughly half what they are on static creative.

Practical implication: anything past character 50 of primary text during video playback is read by maybe 5% of viewers. The 125-character window technically applies, but viewers read closer to 50. Plan video ad primary text for the 50-character budget, even if the platform allows 125.

The headline strip on video ads renders below the video and stays visible after playback ends. Headline visibility is comparable to static Feed — about 40 characters before the strip clips. The post-playback period is also when most "View more" taps happen, so consider the headline as a closing argument rather than a hook.

Last verified Apr 15, 2026

Placement

Primary text56/500clips at 125

Headline33/255clips at 40

Description0/200clips at 30

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Video viewers don't read primary text past character 50.

Creative

Hook lands in the first 5 seconds

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Red dashed = covered by platform UI

Verified 2026 limits

Field	Hard max	Visible before truncate	Warn at
Primary text	500	125	110
Headline	255	40	27
Description	200	30	27

Source: https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide · Last verified 2026-04-15.

Video-mode reading

When viewers watch video, they don't read the caption. The video does the talking. The caption serves as orienting text — "what is this?" — in fewer than 50 characters. Save the longer copy for static or carousel creative.

FAQ

Are video ad limits different from static?: Identical numerically. The behavioral difference is that video viewers read less primary text in practice.
Should I add captions or burn-in text on the video itself?: Yes. Burn-in captions add ~30% to retention on autoplay-muted impressions, which is most Feed video.
Does sound-off mode change character behavior?: Not the limits. But viewers watching with sound off read more burn-in text and less primary text.
How long should the video itself be?: 15 seconds is the sweet spot for most Feed video. Reels prefers 10–20. The character limits are independent of video length.