Text & dev
Character Counter
Type or paste text and watch every count update on each keystroke: characters with spaces, characters without spaces, words, sentences, lines and paragraphs. Just as useful, the tool checks your text against the limits that trip people up most — the 280-character ceiling for a post on Twitter/X, the 160-character boundary of a single SMS segment, and the roughly 160-character sweet spot for an HTML meta description in search results. Each limit shows how many characters you have left and turns red the moment you go over, so you can trim in place instead of guessing. A character counter is the fastest way to fit copy into a tight field — a headline, a bio, an ad, a text message or a search snippet. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing you type is uploaded and you can paste private drafts safely.
Your text
Start typing to see live counts.
Platform limits
Limit bars use characters with spaces. Over-limit values turn red and show how far over you are.
How the character counter works
On every keystroke the tool measures your text directly. Characters with spaces is the raw length, including spaces, tabs and line breaks. Characters no spaces strips all whitespace. Words are runs of non-whitespace; sentences end on a period, exclamation or question mark; lines are split on line breaks; and paragraphs are blocks separated by blank lines. Each platform limit subtracts your character count from the cap to show characters remaining.
The limits we check
Twitter / X → 280 characters per post SMS (single) → 160 characters per segment Meta description → ~160 characters before truncationcharacters remaining = limit − characters with spaces; negative means you are over.
Notes & assumptions
- Counts use JavaScript string length, which counts most characters as one but may count some emoji as two code units.
- Real SMS messages with non-GSM characters can switch to a 70-character Unicode segment.
- Search engines truncate by pixel width, so 160 characters is a practical guideline, not a hard cap.
Frequently asked questions
What is the character limit for Twitter / X, SMS and meta descriptions?
A standard post on Twitter/X allows up to 280 characters. A single SMS message segment holds 160 characters using the basic GSM alphabet; longer messages are split into linked segments. For SEO, an HTML meta description is best kept around 155–160 characters so search engines show it without cutting it off. This counter tracks all three at once and warns you the moment you exceed any of them.
Does the counter include spaces?
It shows both totals. "Characters with spaces" counts every character you type, including spaces, tabs and line breaks — this is the figure platforms like Twitter/X and SMS enforce, so it drives the limit bars. "Characters no spaces" removes all whitespace, which is what some academic word counts, translation jobs and form fields ask for. Having both lets you check against whichever rule applies.
Why might my count differ from another tool or platform?
Small differences usually come from how each tool handles whitespace, line breaks and emoji. This counter uses JavaScript string length, so most characters count as one, but certain emoji and combined characters can register as two units. Platforms also differ: Twitter/X weights some characters and URLs specially. Treat the counts here as an accurate general guide and verify edge cases in the destination field.
How do the limit bars and the red warning work?
Each limit bar fills up as you type, based on your characters-with-spaces count, and the number beside it shows how many characters you have left. While you are within the limit, the bar and number stay neutral. The instant you cross the cap, the bar fills completely, the text turns red, and the readout switches to how many characters you are over — your signal to trim before publishing or sending.
Is my text private?
Yes. The counter runs entirely in your browser with JavaScript; your text is never uploaded, stored or logged. You can paste confidential drafts, unpublished posts or sensitive notes, count them, and close the tab to clear everything. Nothing leaves your device, so there is no privacy trade-off for the convenience.