In short. Google's max-snippet rule caps text snippet length and direct page input for AI Overviews and AI Mode, subject to separately permitted content uses.

Definition: max-snippet is a page-level rule that sets the maximum number of characters Google may show in a search result's text snippet. As of 17 October 2026, Google's specification also applies the limit to page content used as direct input for AI Overviews and AI Mode.

Key facts

Google's robots meta tag specification defines 0 as equivalent to nosnippet, which suppresses snippets, and -1 as allowing Google to choose the length without a publisher-set character limit.
Google's AI features guide requires a page to be indexed and eligible for a Search snippet to qualify as a supporting link in AI Overviews or AI Mode.
Google's featured snippets guide explains that shorter limits reduce the likelihood of appearing as a featured snippet, a search result that displays the descriptive snippet before the usual result information.

How is the limit set?

Google's specification gives this example, allowing up to 20 characters:

<meta name="robots" content="max-snippet:20">

The tag belongs in the page's HTML <head>. The same rule can be delivered through X-Robots-Tag, an HTTP response header. The number counts characters. A URL can appear as multiple results, and the limit applies to each result's text snippet. Image and video previews have separate controls.

What is the documented scope?

The max-snippet specification covers Google's search result formats, including AI Overviews and AI Mode. For those AI features, it limits the amount of page content used as direct input.

Separately permitted uses remain available, including content supplied through structured data, which is machine-readable information embedded in the page, or a license agreement with Google. The same documentation identifies an exception within structured data: article.description and descriptions of other creative works remain subject to snippet length controls.

How does it affect featured snippets?

Google's featured snippets documentation recommends experimenting with lower max-snippet values when retaining ordinary snippets while reducing featured snippet appearances. A featured snippet requires enough text to provide a useful extract.

Google publishes no fixed minimum length: the threshold varies with the information, language and platform. A low positive value can still allow a featured snippet. The documentation directs publishers seeking to suppress all snippets, including featured snippets, to nosnippet.

How can implementation be checked?

Google's AI features troubleshooting guidance recommends using Search Console's URL Inspection tool to inspect the HTML received during crawling and confirm that the preview control is visible.

The guide also calls for time to recrawl and process changes. It says crawling can take several days to several months, depending on how often Google determines that the page needs refreshing. A recrawl request is available after changes.

FAQ

What happens if I omit the rule or supply an invalid value?

Google's robots specification says Google chooses the snippet length when the rule is absent. It ignores the rule if the number cannot be parsed.

What happens if I combine it with nosnippet?

The same specification says the more restrictive rule applies. Its example combines max-snippet:50 with nosnippet; Google applies nosnippet.

Sources

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