By skyforbes 
For years, TikTok’s hashtag game has been a free-for-all. Creators could load their captions with a long string of trending, niche, and personal tags — often 15, 20, or even 30 in a single post.
Those hashtags were more than just labels. On TikTok, they were a map. They guided videos into the right corners of the algorithm, connected strangers with shared interests, and gave small creators a shot at being discovered by entirely new audiences.
Now, TikTok has changed the rules. In its latest update, the platform has limited all posts to just five hashtags.
The Change That Feels Bigger Than It Sounds
On paper, it’s a small adjustment. Five hashtags still allow creators to mark their content. But for those who’ve built their posting strategies around a mix of broad and niche tags, the cut feels significant.
For creators who relied on stacking multiple community-specific hashtags — #BookTok, #CleanTok, #GymTok, #FYP, #ASMR — this new limit means tough choices. It’s no longer possible to cover all bases in one post.
The change could shift how content circulates. Fewer tags mean fewer possible entry points for viewers. Smaller accounts that depended on highly specific hashtags to…