Turbotax applied a capital loss of $7311 for 2024 but the limit is $3000. Why?

If you had enough capital gains on your 2024 return for the capital loss to offset, then the whole amount will be used.  You cannot choose to limit the loss that is used.

The $3000 capital loss limit only applies to carryover losses when there is no gain available to offset with the loss.  

Did you have a capital loss carryover from 2023?  You get to first offset the loss against any gains you have each year so that can use more of it up. Then after applying the loss to the current gains if there is still a loss, you can take a max loss of 3,000 per year. 

Schedule D doesn't actually show the carryover amount. To find your Capital Loss Carryover amount you need to look at your return schedule D page 2. Line 16 will be your total loss and line 21 should be a max loss of 3,000. The difference between line 16 and 21 is the carryover loss.

If you used the desktop version or have the complete pdf of your last year's return you might have the Capital Loss CO (carryover) worksheet that will tell you the amount.

In the Online version you have to save your return with all the worksheet as a pdf file to your computer to see the Capital Loss carry over worksheet. There might be 2. There is a Capital Loss Carryover Worksheet showing the carryover from the prior year and the current amounts. Then there is also the Capital Loss Carry Forward worksheet showing the amount transferring over to next year.