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Character counter

Free · runs in your browser · updated 2026-07-05

Type or paste text to count characters instantly, with and without spaces. Key limits: X/Twitter posts allow 280 characters, Instagram captions 2,200, LinkedIn posts 3,000, SMS messages 160, and Google meta descriptions display about 155–160.
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How to use the character counter

  1. Paste your textThe count updates live as you type or edit.
  2. Watch the platform limitsEach platform bar shows characters remaining.
  3. Trim if overAnything over the limit is highlighted so you know how much to cut.

Frequently asked questions

Do spaces count as characters?

Yes — every platform's limit counts spaces, punctuation and emoji. This tool shows both counts, but the with-spaces figure is the one that matters for limits.

How many characters is 280 on X/Twitter?

Roughly 50–60 words. Links count as 23 characters regardless of length, and most emoji count as 2.

What's the ideal meta description length?

Google truncates around 155–160 characters on desktop and slightly fewer on mobile, so aim for 120–155 to avoid getting cut off.

How long can an SMS be?

160 characters using the standard alphabet. Using emoji or special characters switches encoding and drops the limit to 70 per message segment.

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