diff --git a/docs/formatting.md b/docs/formatting.md
index 9ed3ae22..bf88d275 100644
--- a/docs/formatting.md
+++ b/docs/formatting.md
@@ -180,6 +180,16 @@ Format specifiers can be used for advanced formatting by using the options provi
     <td><code>{foo:L3/long/}</code></td>
     <td><code>long</code></td>
 </tr>
+<tr>
+    <td rowspan="2"><code>X&lt;maxlen&gt;/&lt;ext&gt;/</code></td>
+    <td rowspan="2">Limit output to <code>&lt;maxlen&gt;</code> characters. Cut output and add <code>&lt;ext&gt;</code> to its end if its length exceeds <code>&lt;maxlen&gt;</code></td>
+    <td><code>{foo:X15/&nbsp;.../}</code></td>
+    <td><code>Foo&nbsp;Bar</code></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+    <td><code>{foo:L6/&nbsp;.../}</code></td>
+    <td><code>Fo&nbsp;...</code></td>
+</tr>
 <tr>
     <td><code>J&lt;separator&gt;/</code></td>
     <td>Concatenates elements of a list with <code>&lt;separator&gt;</code> using <a href="https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#str.join" rel="nofollow"><code>str.join()</code></a></td>
diff --git a/gallery_dl/formatter.py b/gallery_dl/formatter.py
index 43ee756c..ec1c926a 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/formatter.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/formatter.py
@@ -423,6 +423,19 @@ def _parse_sort(format_spec, default):
         return sort_asc
 
 
+def _parse_limit(format_spec, default):
+    limit, hint, format_spec = format_spec.split(_SEPARATOR, 2)
+    limit = int(limit[1:])
+    limit_hint = limit - len(hint)
+    fmt = _build_format_func(format_spec, default)
+
+    def apply_limit(obj):
+        if len(obj) > limit:
+            obj = obj[:limit_hint] + hint
+        return fmt(obj)
+    return apply_limit
+
+
 def _default_format(format_spec, default):
     def wrap(obj):
         return format(obj, format_spec)
@@ -469,9 +482,10 @@ _FORMAT_SPECIFIERS = {
     "[": _parse_slice,
     "C": _parse_conversion,
     "D": _parse_datetime,
-    "L": _parse_maxlen,
     "J": _parse_join,
+    "L": _parse_maxlen,
     "O": _parse_offset,
     "R": _parse_replace,
     "S": _parse_sort,
+    "X": _parse_limit,
 }
diff --git a/test/test_formatter.py b/test/test_formatter.py
index 4c74a441..e00af854 100644
--- a/test/test_formatter.py
+++ b/test/test_formatter.py
@@ -272,6 +272,13 @@ class TestFormatter(unittest.TestCase):
         self._run_test("{h:CHC}"  , "Foo & Bar")
         self._run_test("{l:CSulc}", "A, b, c")
 
+    def test_specifier_limit(self):
+        self._run_test("{a:X20/ */}", "hElLo wOrLd")
+        self._run_test("{a:X10/ */}", "hElLo wO *")
+
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            self._run_test("{a:Xfoo/ */}", "hello wo *")
+
     def test_chain_special(self):
         # multiple replacements
         self._run_test("{a:Rh/C/RE/e/RL/l/}", "Cello wOrld")