Limits worth knowing
- X (Twitter) post: 280 characters (a link always counts as 23).
- Meta description: Google shows about 155 characters before cutting the text.
- SMS: 160 characters, or 70 as soon as there is an emoji.
- LinkedIn post: 3,000 characters, but only the first 2 or 3 lines show before “see more”.
Frequently asked questions
How are words counted?
As in Microsoft Word: a word is a run of characters between two spaces. “don’t”, “mother-in-law” and “e-mail” each count as one word. Stand-alone punctuation, such as a lone dash, is not counted as a word.
Are spaces included in the character count?
The “Characters” total includes spaces and line breaks, the way X, LinkedIn and Google count them. The “without spaces” total leaves them out, which some writing or translation briefs require.
Why is my SMS limited to 70 characters?
A standard SMS uses the GSM alphabet. A single character outside it, such as an emoji or curly quotes, switches the whole message to Unicode, and the limit drops to 70 characters.
How is reading time calculated?
At 230 words per minute for silent reading and 130 words per minute out loud, the usual pace of a talk or speech.
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