Social media character counter
Pick a platform and this social media character counter shows how many characters you've used and how many are left, turning red when you go over.
Last updated
Your text stays in your browser. Nothing you paste is uploaded or stored.
How to use the social media character counter
- Choose the platform and field, such as X post or Instagram bio.
- Type or paste your text.
- Watch the counter and the bar: amber means you're close, red means you're over.
- Trim the text until it fits, then copy it into the app.
How the social media character counter works
Each platform caps how much text a post, caption or field can hold. The counter checks your text against the limit for the option you pick and updates with every keystroke. The bar turns amber after 90% and red once you go over the limit.
Characters are counted the way people see them, so an emoji counts as one, even one built from several symbols such as a family or a skin-tone variant. Some apps count emoji, links or accented letters differently, so treat the result as a close guide and check the current limit in the app.
Formula
Characters left = limit − characters used. The limits used are: X post 280, Instagram caption 2,200, Instagram bio 150, TikTok caption 4,000, YouTube title 100 and YouTube description 5,000.
Example
A 250-character post leaves 30 characters on X. The same text in the Instagram caption option leaves 1,950.
The text "Launch day 🚀🎉" counts as 13 characters: 11 letters and spaces plus two emoji.
Tips and common mistakes
Put the key point first
Feeds often cut captions after the first line or two. Lead with the main message, even when you have room for more.
Titles get cut on phones
YouTube titles can be shortened on small screens well before 100 characters, so keep the important words near the start.
Hashtags and mentions count
Every hashtag and @mention uses up the limit like any other text.
Check words and reading time
For longer copy such as video descriptions, the word counter shows words and reading time.
Tidy the capitals
Fix shouty or messy text with the case converter before you post.
Frequently asked questions
Do emoji count as one character?
Here, yes. On X, most emoji count as two characters toward the 280 limit, so leave a little room if you use several.
Do links count toward the limit?
On X, every link counts as 23 characters however long it is. On most other platforms, links count as typed.
Are the limits up to date?
They were checked in November 2026, but platforms change them from time to time, so check the app if you're close to the limit.
Is my text saved?
No. Counting happens in your browser and nothing is uploaded or stored.