diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/ApiV1Controller.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/ApiV1Controller.php
index 5c9f95442..801f96f9c 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/ApiV1Controller.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/ApiV1Controller.php
@@ -1048,7 +1048,7 @@ class ApiV1Controller extends Controller
 		  },
 		  'filter_name' => 'nullable|string|max:24',
 		  'filter_class' => 'nullable|alpha_dash|max:24',
-		  'description' => 'nullable|string|max:420'
+		  'description' => 'nullable|string|max:' . config_cache('pixelfed.max_altext_length')
 		]);
 
 		$user = $request->user();
@@ -1140,7 +1140,7 @@ class ApiV1Controller extends Controller
 		abort_if(!$request->user(), 403);
 
 		$this->validate($request, [
-		  'description' => 'nullable|string|max:420'
+		  'description' => 'nullable|string|max:' . config_cache('pixelfed.max_altext_length')
 		]);
 
 		$user = $request->user();
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/ComposeController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/ComposeController.php
index 56e137441..50e8bf5fa 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/ComposeController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/ComposeController.php
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ class ComposeController extends Controller
 			'media.*.id' => 'required|integer|min:1',
 			'media.*.filter_class' => 'nullable|alpha_dash|max:30',
 			'media.*.license' => 'nullable|string|max:140',
-			'media.*.alt' => 'nullable|string|max:140',
+			'media.*.alt' => 'nullable|string|max:'.config_cache('pixelfed.max_altext_length'),
 			'cw' => 'nullable|boolean',
 			'visibility' => 'required|string|in:public,private,unlisted|min:2|max:10',
 			'place' => 'nullable',
@@ -666,21 +666,20 @@ class ComposeController extends Controller
 	public function composeSettings(Request $request)
 	{
 		$uid = $request->user()->id;
+		$default = [
+			'default_license' => 1,
+			'media_descriptions' => false,
+			'max_altext_length' => config_cache('pixelfed.max_altext_length')
+		];
 
-		return Cache::remember('profile:compose:settings:' . $uid, now()->addHours(12), function() use($uid) {
+		return array_merge($default, Cache::remember('profile:compose:settings:' . $uid, now()->addHours(12), function() use($uid) {
 			$res = UserSetting::whereUserId($uid)->first();
 
-			if(!$res) {
-				return [
-					'default_license' => null,
-					'media_descriptions' => false
-				];
+			if(!$res || empty($res->compose_settings)) {
+				return [];
 			}
 
-			return json_decode($res->compose_settings, true) ?? [
-				'default_license' => null,
-				'media_descriptions' => false
-			];
-		});
+			return json_decode($res->compose_settings, true);
+		}));
 	}
 }
diff --git a/config/pixelfed.php b/config/pixelfed.php
index 0fd26b334..e3cfe2495 100644
--- a/config/pixelfed.php
+++ b/config/pixelfed.php
@@ -278,4 +278,6 @@ return [
 	|
 	*/
 	'media_fast_process' => env('PF_MEDIA_FAST_PROCESS', true),
+
+	'max_altext_length' => env('PF_MEDIA_MAX_ALTTEXT_LENGTH', 1000),
 ];
diff --git a/resources/assets/js/components/ComposeModal.vue b/resources/assets/js/components/ComposeModal.vue
index 893bacf92..0171d236c 100644
--- a/resources/assets/js/components/ComposeModal.vue
+++ b/resources/assets/js/components/ComposeModal.vue
@@ -536,8 +536,8 @@
 							<div class="media">
 								<img :src="m.preview_url" class="mr-3" width="50px" height="50px">
 								<div class="media-body">
-									<textarea class="form-control" v-model="m.alt" placeholder="Add a media description here..." maxlength="140"></textarea>
-									<p class="help-text small text-right text-muted mb-0">{{m.alt ? m.alt.length : 0}}/140</p>
+									<textarea class="form-control" v-model="m.alt" placeholder="Add a media description here..." :maxlength="maxAltTextLength" rows="4"></textarea>
+									<p class="help-text small text-right text-muted mb-0">{{m.alt ? m.alt.length : 0}}/{{maxAltTextLength}}</p>
 								</div>
 							</div>
 							<hr>
@@ -904,8 +904,9 @@ export default {
 				default_license: null,
 				media_descriptions: false
 			},
-			licenseId: null,
-			licenseTitle: null
+			licenseId: 1,
+			licenseTitle: null,
+			maxAltTextLength: 140
 		}
 	},
 
@@ -916,6 +917,7 @@ export default {
 		.then(res => {
 			this.composeSettings = res.data;
 			this.licenseId = this.composeSettings.default_license;
+			this.maxAltTextLength = res.data.max_altext_length;
 			if(this.licenseId > 10) {
 				this.licenseTitle = this.availableLicenses.filter(l => {
 					return l.id == this.licenseId;