---
title: "How to Limit the Post Excerpt in Elementor Blog Posts?"
url: https://theplusaddons.com/docs/limit-post-excerpt-in-elementor-blog-posts/
date: 2023-05-04
modified: 2026-09-11
lang: en
author: "Aditya Sharma"
description: "Are some excerpts in your blog listing two lines long and others ten? Uneven excerpts make the cards different heights and the grid look ragged. The Blog/Post Listing widget in..."
image: https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/How-to-Limit-the-Post-Excerpt-in-Elementor-Blog-Posts_-1024x536.jpg
word_count: 376
---

# How to Limit the Post Excerpt in Elementor Blog Posts?

## 

- The Blog/Post Listing widget in The Plus Addons for Elementor trims every excerpt to the length set in Content > Extra Option.
- Display Content is on by default, and in the free plugin it is called Display Excerpt/Content; Count defaults to 30 and accepts 5 to 500.
- The excerpt uses a manual excerpt when one exists, otherwise WordPress builds one from the start of the post content, and formatting is removed so links and bold text do not carry over.

Are some excerpts in your blog listing two lines long and others ten? Uneven excerpts make the cards different heights and the grid look ragged.

The Blog/Post Listing widget in The Plus Addons for Elementor trims every excerpt to the length you set.

*To check the complete feature overview documentation of The Plus Addons for Elementor Blog Listing widget, [click here](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/blog-listing-widget-settings-overview/).*

***Requirement - This widget is a part of The Plus Addons for Elementor, make sure it's installed & activated to enjoy all its powers.***

[LIVE WIDGET LINK](https://theplusaddons.com/elementor-listing/?utm_source=tpae&utm_medium=docs&utm_campaign=text#blog-post-wgts)

## Before You Start

- **Edition:** Free — available in both The Plus Addons for Elementor (Free) and Pro.- **Widget to enable:** Blog/Post Listing, switched on under **ThePlus Settings > Widgets**.

## Step 1: Make sure the excerpt is showing

Add the **Blog/Post Listing** widget. Open **Content > Extra Option** and check **Display Content** is on. It is on by default. In the free plugin it is called **Display Excerpt/Content**.

![The Display Content switch in Content > Extra Option](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/tp-blog-listout-display-content-wide-special.webp)

## Step 2: Set the Count

**Count** sits right under it (**Excerpt/Content Count** in the free plugin). It defaults to 30. Enter a lower number — 15 to 20 suits a three-column grid — and every excerpt is cut to that length.

![The Count field below Display Content set to trim the excerpt](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/tp-blog-listout-count-wide-special.webp)

> *If a post has a manual excerpt, that is what gets trimmed. If not, WordPress builds one from the start of the post content.*

## Settings Reference

| Setting | Where | Range | Default |
| ------- | ----- | ----- | ------- |
| Display Content | Content > Extra Option | Show / Hide | Show |
| Count | Content > Extra Option | 5 to 500 | 30 |

## Limitations

- **One length for the whole listing.** There is no per-post count.- **Formatting is removed.** The excerpt is plain text; links and bold in it do not carry over.- **Not on Smart Loop Builder.** There, `{{tpae_excerpt}}` outputs the excerpt, and your own template and CSS control how much of it shows.

## Troubleshooting

### No excerpt shows at all

**Display Content** is off, or the post has neither an excerpt nor text content.

### Changing Count does nothing

The excerpt is already shorter than the number you set. Lower it to see the cut.

### The cards are still uneven

Titles of different lengths also change the height. Limit them too, with [Title Limit](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/limit-blog-post-title-in-elementor/).

## Related Docs

- [Blog Listing widget: settings overview](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/blog-listing-widget-settings-overview/) — every control in the widget.- [Limit the blog post title in Elementor](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/limit-blog-post-title-in-elementor/)- [Add a Read More button under each post](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/add-read-more-button-in-blog-posts-in-elementor/)- [Show the post featured image](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/show-post-featured-image-in-elementor-blog-post/)- [Create a custom post type grid](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-elementor-custom-post-type-grid/)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Why are my blog listing excerpts different heights in Elementor?**
A: Uneven excerpt lengths make the cards look ragged because the Blog/Post Listing widget trims each excerpt to the length you set. The Plus Addons for Elementor, The Plus Addons, Plus Addons for Elementor, POSIMYTH keeps the listing consistent by cutting every excerpt to one shared count. A shorter count like 15 to 20 is a practical fit for a three-column grid when you want cleaner card heights.

**Q: How do I limit the post excerpt in Elementor blog posts?**
A: The excerpt is controlled in the Blog/Post Listing widget under Content > Extra Option. Turn on Display Content, then set Count to a lower number than the default 30. That count applies across the whole listing, so every post gets trimmed to the same length. If a post has a manual excerpt, that text is trimmed first; if not, WordPress builds one from the start of the post content.

**Q: What should I do if no excerpt shows in my blog listing?**
A: A missing excerpt usually means Display Content is off, or the post has neither an excerpt nor text content for WordPress to build from. In The Plus Addons for Elementor, The Plus Addons, Plus Addons for Elementor, POSIMYTH Blog/Post Listing widget, content display is the switch that makes excerpt trimming possible at all. If that toggle is on and nothing appears, the source post itself is probably empty in both excerpt and body content.

**Q: Why does changing the excerpt count not seem to do anything?**
A: That usually happens when the excerpt is already shorter than the number you entered. The widget only trims when there is something longer to cut down. Lowering the count makes the change visible faster, and values around 15 to 20 are often easier to notice in a grid layout than leaving it near the default 30.

**Q: Can I set a different excerpt length for each blog card?**
A: The Blog/Post Listing widget uses one count for the whole listing, not a per-post setting. That matters because it keeps a grid visually even instead of letting each card grow or shrink on its own. If you need different behavior per item, this widget’s built-in excerpt limit will not do that; it applies one shared length across all posts.

**Q: Why do my blog cards still look uneven after limiting excerpts?**
A: Title length can still change card height even when excerpts are trimmed. The page calls out Title Limit as the next fix when excerpts alone do not flatten the grid. In practice, limiting both title and excerpt gives you much more predictable card heights, especially in multi-column layouts where one long title can throw off alignment.