Character Counter: Post Limits for X, Instagram & More

How to use the Character Counter

1 Type or paste your text into the box.

2 Pick the platform you are posting on, then the field you are writing, such as an X post, a YouTube title or a Google Ads headline.

3 Watch the counter and the progress bar. Green means you are within the limit, amber means you are close, and red means you are over. The list shows every field on that platform, so you can see at a glance which ones your text fits.

4 Check the preview to see which part of your text goes over the limit, then trim it. The reading time under the counter tells you how long the post takes to read.

What counts as a character

A character here is a single symbol as you see it, so an emoji counts as one even though it takes several bytes to store. The counter shows the total with spaces and line breaks, the total without them, the number of words and lines, and the size of the text in bytes, which matters for some databases and form fields.

Before

Big news: our new range is here 🎉

After

33 characters 26 without spaces On X it uses 34 of 280, because the emoji counts as 2

Platform limits and reading time

Pick X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube or Google Ads and the counter lists every field with the number of characters it allows, for example the X post, bio and display name, the Instagram caption and bio, or the Google Ads headline, description and display path. Next to each field you see how much of it your text uses and whether it fits. The reading time is worked out from the word count at an average adult pace of about 238 words a minute, so it tells you how long a reader needs for the whole post.

Only some of these numbers are published by the platforms themselves. The X post, LinkedIn post, YouTube title and description and the Google Ads fields come from official help pages. Others, such as the Instagram caption, the LinkedIn headline or YouTube tags, are not stated by the platform, so they carry a "Reported" label and a link to the guide they come from. Check those in the platform before you rely on them.

Each platform measures length in its own way, so the list of limits is kept in one place and the page shows when it was last checked. Most entries count characters directly. X is the exception: it gives every link a fixed length of 23 characters, and counts emoji and many non-Latin characters as two. The counter follows those published rules but calls the result approximate, because X can change how it counts.

The SEO meta title and meta description entries are different again. Google sets no fixed length for either and shortens them to fit the screen, so about 60 and 155 characters are only rules of thumb for keeping the important words visible.

How SMS length works

Text messages use one of two encodings. A message that sticks to the standard GSM-7 alphabet fits 160 characters in a single SMS, or 153 per part once it is split into several. As soon as it contains a character outside that set, such as an emoji or most non-Latin letters, the whole message switches to Unicode: 70 characters for a single SMS and 67 per part. A few characters, including ^ { } \ [ ] ~ | and the euro sign, count as two even in the standard alphabet. The counter shows the encoding, the number of parts and how many characters are left in the current part.

Tips for staying under a limit

Put the important words first, because long text is often cut off in previews.
Cut filler such as "very", "really" and "just" before you cut meaning.
Leave a few characters spare so a last-minute edit does not push you over.
For a post you care about, test it in the platform itself before publishing.

If you are counting words rather than characters, the word counter also gives sentences, paragraphs and reading time. Remember that spaces and line breaks count as characters, that emoji can count double on some platforms, and that a limit can change when a platform updates its rules.

Frequently asked questions

Which limits does the character counter include?

X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Google Ads, with several fields for each, such as captions, bios, headlines, titles, descriptions and display paths. SEO meta titles and descriptions and SMS are there too. Each limit links to its source, and the ones the platform does not publish are labelled "Reported".

How is the reading time worked out?

It divides your word count by an average reading speed of about 238 words a minute. Real readers vary, and people skim social posts faster, so use it as a guide for how long your text is rather than a promise.

Why does X count differently from the other limits?

X uses a weighted count: every link costs 23 characters, and emoji and many non-Latin characters cost 2. This counter follows the published rules, but treat the result as approximate.

Can a long SMS cost more than a short one?

It can. Long messages are split into parts, and carriers may bill each part separately. Adding one emoji switches the whole message to Unicode and shrinks each part from 153 to 67 characters.

Are emoji counted as one character?

In the main count, yes, because it counts what you see. Platforms differ: X counts each emoji as two, and SMS treats emoji as Unicode characters that use two units each.

Why are the SEO title and description limits only approximate?

Google does not set a maximum length. It shortens titles and snippets to fit the available space, so around 60 and 155 characters are practical guidelines rather than rules.

Do you store what I type?

No. Counting happens in your browser and your text is never uploaded. The "Remember my text" option, if you turn it on, keeps the text in your own browser only.