Count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs as you type, with reading time and keyword density.
Character Counter
Count characters with and without spaces, bytes and SMS parts, then check text against common limits.
This tool could not be loaded. Please refresh the page. If the problem continues, try a different browser.
0 / 1,000,000 characters
- Characters
- 0
- Without spaces
- 0
- Letters
- 0
- UTF-8 bytes
- 0
Platform counters are guides. X, search snippets, phones and carriers can apply different or changing counting rules.
Runs entirely in your browser. Your files and text are not uploaded.
How to use Character Counter
-
Step 1: Paste your text
Type or paste text into the box. Counts update on your device as you write.
-
Step 2: Choose a limit
Select a common platform limit or enter a custom limit to see how many characters remain.
-
Step 3: Check SMS details
Use the SMS card to see whether your text uses GSM-7 or Unicode and how many message parts it needs.
Character counts that match what people see
The main character count uses user-perceived characters where the browser supports it. That means an emoji sequence or Hindi conjunct is counted as one visible character where possible, rather than as several technical code units. The tool also shows UTF-8 bytes for systems that limit stored text by size.
Platform limits are useful guides, but policies and counting rules change. X gives web links a fixed weighted length and treats many emoji and East Asian characters differently. Google can shorten a title or description by rendered pixel width rather than character count. Check the current requirements of the service where you will post the text.
SMS character sets
Plain GSM-7 text fits 160 character units in one SMS, or 153 units per part when a long SMS is split. Characters such as Hindi letters, emoji and curly quotes require Unicode SMS, which fits 70 characters in one part or 67 per part. GSM extension characters such as €, { and } use two GSM units.
Phones and carriers can display or split messages differently, so use the SMS figure as a practical estimate rather than a billing guarantee.
Limitations
- Platform limits and counting rules can change, and some platforms count links or emoji differently.
- Search snippets are shortened by pixel width, not a fixed character count.
- SMS results use standard GSM and Unicode rules; phones and carriers can vary.
- Counts are limited to 1,000,000 entered characters for browser performance.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my emoji counted as one character here?
The main count aims to measure user-perceived characters. Technical systems can still count the same emoji as several code points or UTF-16 units.
Why did my SMS limit fall from 160 to 70?
A character not in the GSM-7 alphabet, such as Hindi text, emoji or a curly quote, changes the message to Unicode encoding.
Is the X character count exact?
It is a close guide. X has special weighting for links and some character groups, and its rules can change.
Related tools
Turn plain English text into bold, italic, script, circled and other Unicode styles to copy and paste.
Find text and replace it in one step, with match case, whole word and regular expression options, highlighted matches and a count.
Hear text read aloud by voices built into your browser or device, with adjustable speed and pitch.