What counts as a character?
Every letter, number, space, punctuation mark and symbol is one character. Line breaks count too. An emoji is counted as one character here, though some services count certain emoji as two. “Without spaces” leaves out spaces, tabs and line breaks.
Common character limits
- SMS text message: 160 characters. Longer messages are split into parts, and emoji or special characters can lower the limit to 70 per part.
- Page title in search results: about 60 characters. Search engines cut off longer titles based on pixel width, so 50 to 60 characters is a safe range.
- Meta description: about 150 to 160 characters. Longer descriptions are usually shortened in search results.
- Short social media posts: often 280 characters. Limits vary by platform and account type, so check the one you’re posting to.
The bars beside your text fill up as you type and turn to a warning colour when you pass a limit.
Tips for writing within a limit
- Put the most important words first, in case the end is cut off.
- Replace long phrases with shorter words: “use” instead of “make use of”.
- Look up shorter synonyms in the Online Dictionary.
- For longer writing measured in words, use the word counter.
Frequently asked questions
Do spaces count as characters?
Usually, yes. Most limits (messages, posts, titles) count spaces. Some forms and assignments ask for the count without spaces, so both are shown.
Is my text saved or uploaded?
No. Counting happens in your browser. A draft is kept only in your own browser so a reload doesn’t lose it; press Clear to remove it.
Why does another site show a slightly different count?
Emoji, accented letters and line breaks are counted differently by some tools. This counter treats each visible character as one.