Etsy tag character limit: how to use your 13 tags

Etsy lets you add up to 13 tags to each listing, and each tag can be up to 20 characters, including spaces. Etsy can change its rules, so check Etsy's current seller help pages too.

Which characters are allowed

As Etsy's help page describes it, tags can include letters, numbers and spaces. An apostrophe (') or hyphen (-) is allowed inside a word but can't start a tag. Ampersands, emoji and other symbols are the usual reasons a tag gets refused. More on fixing that in Etsy tag not accepted.

Practical ways to use all 13

Use multi-word phrases. A buyer is more likely to type "leather card holder" than "leather". Phrases fit in 20 characters more often than you'd think.
Don't just repeat your title. Cover different angles: what it is, who it's for, the occasion, the style, the material.
Skip plurals. Printify's seller guidance says Etsy matches tags by root word, so "candle" and "candles" count as the same. Use the slot for a new phrase.
Use all 13 slots. An empty slot is a missed chance to describe the item another way.
No duplicates. The same tag twice wastes a slot.
Be accurate. Only use tags that honestly describe the item. Avoid other brands' trademarked names.

A simple tag checklist

What is it? (product type)
Who is it for? (recipient)
When would they buy it? (occasion)
What style or material is it?
How would they use it?

Counting characters

Spaces count. "small leather wallet" is exactly 20 characters. "slim minimalist wallet" is 22, so it's too long. Paste candidate tags into any character counter before saving. Worked examples: candles, jewelry and home decor.

Want it done for you?

The Listing Rewrite Pack writes 13 varied tags for each of 5 listings, with the character count shown next to every tag. The counts are written by AI, so check any tag near the limit. It is AI-generated, so you review it before you publish. See a sample.

We can't promise any ranking or sales result. ListingLift is not affiliated with Etsy, Inc.