How to Tag More People on an Instagram Post

Got a fantastic group shot from an event or a campaign photo featuring multiple creators, only to be stopped by Instagram's tag limit? It’s a common frustration, but there are effective ways to make sure everyone gets the credit they deserve. This guide walks you through exactly how to tag more than 20 people on an Instagram post, along with smart strategies to use tagging to boost your reach and build community.

First, Why Does Thoughtful Tagging Still Matter?

In the fast-paced world of social media, tagging might seem like a small detail, but it’s a powerful tool for connection and visibility. When you tag a user’s handle, you’re doing more than just adding a label to a photo. Here’s what’s happening in the background:

• It Sends a Notification: The user you tagged gets an immediate notification, drawing them back to your content to see how they've been featured. This often prompts a like, comment, or even a share.
• It Appears in Their “Tagged” Tab: Tagging someone in a photo or video adds that content to the dedicated “Tagged” section on their profile. This acts like a third-party portfolio, allowing their followers to discover your profile and content organically. A mention in the caption (@username) does not do this.
• It Signals Collaboration and Builds Relationships: Properly tagging partners, brands, customers, and collaborators is a sign of respect. It gives credit where it's due and strengthens your relationship by sharing the spotlight. It's a foundational part of digital networking.
• It Boosts Trust and Social Proof: When your profile’s tagged tab is filled with user-generated content (UGC) from happy customers or posts from partners, it shows potential followers that you're a legitimate and valued part of a community.

In short, a tag is a digital bridge, connecting your content to other users' audiences and creating a web of discoverability.

The Basics: How to Tag People in Your Instagram Posts

Before we get into workarounds and advanced strategies, let's make sure we have the fundamentals down. Tagging people is straightforward, whether the post is new or already live.

Step-by-Step for a New Feed Post (Photo or Video)

If you're uploading fresh content, you can tag accounts before you hit publish.

1. Open Instagram and tap the + icon to create a new post.
2. Select your photo or video, then tap Next.
3. Apply any filters or edits, and tap Next again.
4. On the caption screen, tap on Tag People.
5. Tap anywhere on the photo itself. A search bar will appear.
6. Start typing the username account you want to tag and select it from the list that pops up.
7. Drag the tag to position it over the relevant person or area in the photo.
8. Repeat this for every person you want to tag, up to the 20-person limit. When finished, tap Done.
9. Complete your caption, add a location, and tap Share.

Editing Tags on an Existing Post

Did you forget to tag someone? No problem. You can easily add or remove tags after a post is already on your grid.

1. Navigate to the post you want to edit on your profile.
2. Tap the three dots (...) in the top right corner of the post.
3. From the menu, select Edit.
4. On an iOS device, you’ll see a “Tag People” icon in the bottom-left corner of the image. On Android, it may look like a silhouette icon with a + sign. Tap it.
5. You can now tap on the photo to add new tags or tap on an existing tag to remove it.
6. Once you're finished, tap Done to save your changes.

The 20-Person Tag Limit: Getting Creative to Tag More People

So, you’ve hit the 20-account limit on your image tag - now what? A group photo from a wedding, workshop, or team outing can easily exceed this number. While Instagram’s hard limit can't be bypassed for direct photo tags, there are two standard and highly effective workarounds to give everyone credit.

Option 1: Mention Accounts in Your Caption

The easiest way to acknowledge everyone beyond the first 20 is by mentioning them in the caption of your post. By typing the "@" symbol followed immediately by their username (e.g., @username), their handle becomes a clickable link directly to their profile. Anyone viewing your post can tap the name to check them out.

• Pros: There's no practical limit to how many people you can mention. You're only restricted by Instagram's overall caption character limit of 2,200 characters, which is more than enough for dozens of usernames. It’s also clean and easy to read.
• Cons: A mention in the caption does not add the post to their profile’s “Tagged Posts” tab. It sends them a notification that they've been mentioned, but it lacks the semi-permanent placement of a direct photo tag.

Option 2: Tag More People in the Comments

Another popular method is to add more tags in the comments section. After you publish the post, simply go to your own comments section and start mentioning accounts just as you would in the caption.

• Pros: This keeps your main caption tidy and focused on your message. It's particularly useful for running "tag-a-friend" contests where you don’t want the initial caption clogged with usernames. It's also great for adding credits you might have forgotten post-publication.
• Cons: Similar to caption tags, these mentions don't add the photo to a user's tagged tab. Additionally, if your post gets a lot of comments, your comment with the tags can get buried over time. You might consider pinning your comment to the top so it stays visible.

The Ultimate Boost: Using "Invite Collaborator" for Maximum Reach

When you're working directly with another creator, brand, or business, there's a feature that's even more powerful than a simple tag: the "Invite Collaborator" function. This tool lets you co-author a single post or Reel that appears on *both* of your profiles simultaneously.

Instead of you posting something and tagging them (or vice versa), the post lives on both grids, shares the same set of comments and likes, and is shown to both of your audiences. It's the most effective way to share exposure and is ideal for brand partnerships, collaborations, giveaways, and joint announcements.

Here's how to use it:

1. Create a new post or Reel as you normally would.
2. On the final caption screen, tap Tag People.
3. Instead of tapping the photo, select Invite Collaborator.
4. Search for and select the username of the account you want to co-author with. You can invite one collaborator per post.
5. Once you publish the post, your collaborator will receive a notification to accept the invitation. As soon as they accept, the post will appear on their profile grid, too.

The Art of Tagging: Do’s, Don’ts, and Best Practices

Knowing how to tag is one thing, knowing when and who to tag is what separates social media pros from amateurs. Good tagging etiquette builds bridges, while poor etiquette can get your post removed from tagged sections or even damage your reputation.

Do: Keep Your Tags Relevant

Tag with purpose. Did you work with a photographer? Tag them. Are you at a local coffee shop? Tag their business page. Are you wearing a specific brand's clothing? Tag the brand. Always ask yourself: would this person or brand be genuinely happy to see this tag? If the answer is yes, you're on the right track.

Don’t: Tag Massively Popular or Unrelated Accounts for Attention

This is the most common mistake. Tagging celebrities or massive brands in your completely unrelated selfie in the hopes of being seen by their huge audience is spammy. It doesn't work, and it makes your account look desperate. Most users and all savvy social media managers know that people can manually remove tags, so a photo that isn’t relevant will just be untagged.

Do: Properly Credit User-Generated Content (UGC)

If a customer posts a great photo of your product, that's a gift! When you reshare it, you must give proper credit. Always tag their account in the photo *and* mention them in the caption (e.g., “Awesome shot by @username!”). This shows appreciation, encourages others to post, and respects their ownership of the content.

Don’t: Forget Who You're Working With!

Make sure you have a clear list of all brands, collaborators, locations, and other stakeholders involved in a particular campaign or event. An influencer who forgot to tag the paid brand partner in a post is a classic social media horror story. Always double-check your tags before posting - and use the "Edit" function immediately if you find a mistake.

Final Thoughts

Tagging on Instagram is so much more than a technical step, it’s a strategy for networking, giving credit, and expanding your reach. Mastering the hard limits with tricks like caption and comment mentions, leveraging powerful tools like the Collaborator feature, and sticking to good etiquette will help you build a stronger, more connected community around your brand or profile.

Here at Postbase, we understand that managing partnerships, remembering credits, and planning campaign content can be a lot to juggle daily. We built a clean visual calendar exactly for this reason. By planning posts ahead of time, you can add notes, tag lists, and captions in one organized space, ensuring you never forget to credit a collaborator or tag the right brand partner when things get hectic. When your strategy is thoughtfully mapped out, you can focus on building genuine connections instead of chasing last-minute details.