Character Counter
Type or paste your text to count characters instantly, with and without spaces, plus words, sentences and paragraphs.
Character limits by platform
| Platform | Limit | Remaining |
|---|---|---|
| X (Twitter) post | 280 | 280 |
| Instagram caption | 2,200 | 2,200 |
| Instagram bio | 150 | 150 |
| TikTok caption | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| LinkedIn post | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| YouTube title | 100 | 100 |
| Google title tag | 60 | 60 |
| Google meta description | 160 | 160 |
| SMS | 160 | 160 |
Character frequency
| Character | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| — | ||
Keyword density
| Word | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| — | ||
The limits table below shows how much room you have left on X, Instagram, TikTok, in an SMS or in a Google title tag and meta description. Everything is counted in your browser: your text is never uploaded.
Why two tools count the same text differently
This page counts graphemes, meaning what a reader would point at and call one character. A flag emoji, a letter with an accent typed as two code points, and an emoji with a skin-tone modifier each count as one, because that is what you see.
Platforms count for their own purposes. X weights emoji and CJK characters at two and replaces every link with a fixed 23-character allowance regardless of its real length. Databases count bytes. SMS counts code units in one of two encodings. When a limit is close, the number that matters is the one the receiving system uses, so use this page to draft and the platform’s own counter to confirm.
The limits shown under the box
The table tracks a post on X at 280, an Instagram caption at 2,200 and a bio at 150, a TikTok caption at 4,000, a LinkedIn post at 3,000, a YouTube title at 100, and the conventional 60 and 160 for a search title and description. Each row shows what you have left, and turns negative once you are over.
The SMS row is the one that moves on its own, switching between 160 and 70 depending on the characters you use. Platform limits do change from time to time, so treat these as the working figures they are and check anything a campaign depends on against the platform itself.
Frequently asked questions
How are characters counted?
We count what you actually see: each emoji, accented letter or symbol counts as one character (Unicode graphemes). Note that some platforms count differently internally, for example X counts most emoji as two characters and shortens every link to 23 characters.
With spaces or without?
Both values are shown side by side. Most platform limits, including X and Instagram, count spaces, so the main "Characters" number is the one to watch.
Is my text stored or uploaded?
No. Counting runs in your browser and the text never leaves the page. Closing the tab removes it.
Why did my SMS limit drop from 160 to 70?
Because the message left the GSM-7 alphabet. A plain Latin text is packed seven bits to a character and fits 160 in one message; a single emoji, a curly quote or a Cyrillic letter forces the whole message into 16-bit encoding, where only 70 fit. The limits row switches automatically as you type, which is why the number moves the moment you paste in a dash from a word processor.
How long is a message that runs over the limit?
It is split and reassembled by the receiving phone, and the split costs you room: concatenated parts hold 153 characters each in GSM-7 and 67 in the 16-bit encoding, because each part carries a header saying where it belongs. A 200-character plain message is therefore two messages, not one and a bit.
What is the character limit for a Google title and description?
Google truncates by pixel width rather than by character count, so no number is exact. The 60 and 160 shown here are the conventional working limits, and they hold up well for Latin text. Wide capitals and long words truncate earlier, so put what matters at the front of both.
Do bytes matter anywhere?
They do when something has a storage or a protocol limit rather than a display one: database columns, some API fields, URLs and file formats are usually specified in bytes. The byte figure here is UTF-8, where a plain Latin letter is one byte, most accented and Greek or Cyrillic letters are two, most CJK characters three and an emoji four.