KDP guide
How to write a book description on Amazon KDP
The limit, the accepted HTML tags and what Amazon does not let you put in the text, checked against KDP help on October 17, 2026, plus KDP's own three tips.
Limit and HTML tags
The description accepts up to 4,000 characters and these tags. Any other tag does not work.
| Tag | What it does |
|---|---|
| <br> | Line break. |
| <p></p> | Paragraph; breaks the line at the end. |
| <b></b> | Bold. |
| <em></em> | Emphasis, usually shown in italics. |
| <i></i> | Italic. |
| <u></u> | Underline. |
| <h4></h4> a <h6></h6> | Section heading: h4 is the largest and h6 the smallest. h1, h2 and h3 are not supported. |
| <ol></ol> | Numbered list; each item goes in <li></li>. |
| <ul></ul> | Bulleted list; each item goes in <li></li>. |
What is not allowed in the description
- Phone numbers, mailing addresses, email addresses or website URLs
- Reviews, quotes or testimonials, and requests for reviews
- Advertisements, watermarks or promotional material
- Time-sensitive information, such as tours, seminars or lectures
- Availability, price or other ways to order, such as a link to another website
- Spoilers for books, music, video or DVDs
- Unicode emojis
- Keyword phrases or book tags
Three KDP tips for writing it
Simple
Describe only the main plot, theme or idea. Too much detail confuses a reader who decides in a second or two. KDP suggests a paragraph of about 150 words, with short sentences that are easy to scan.
Compelling
Open with a sentence that draws the reader in, because it may be their first impression. Also show which genre the book belongs to, to set expectations.
Professional
No spelling or grammar mistakes. It is hard to edit a text you have read several times: ask someone else to read it.
Frequently asked questions
How many characters can a KDP book description have?+
At most 4,000 characters. KDP itself recommends keeping it short: a paragraph of about 150 words, with sentences that are easy to scan.
Which HTML tags does the description accept?+
Line break (br), paragraph (p), bold (b), emphasis (em), italic (i), underline (u), headings h4 to h6, numbered list (ol), bulleted list (ul) and list item (li). Headings h1, h2 and h3 are not supported.
Can I put a link, email or emoji in the description?+
No. KDP does not accept phone numbers, mailing addresses, email addresses or website URLs, nor Unicode emojis. Also left out are reviews, quotes and testimonials, requests for reviews, price and availability, time-sensitive information, and keyword or tag phrases.
How do I change the description of an already published book?+
On the KDP Bookshelf, click the three dots next to the book, choose edit details, change the description and click save and continue. For the change to take effect, click publish at the bottom of the pricing page. KDP help does not say how long the change takes.