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Twitter (X) character counter

X caps a standard post at 280 characters, and this counter checks your draft against exactly that limit as you type, so you find out you are three characters over before you hit post, not after. Note that this counts visible characters plainly — it does not apply X's special rule that shortens every link to a flat 23 characters regardless of its real length.

  • Nothing you type leaves this page
  • Works offline once loaded
  • Free forever, no signup
  • Words {{ n(stats.words) }}
  • Characters {{ n(stats.characters) }}
  • No spaces {{ n(stats.charactersNoSpaces) }}
  • Sentences {{ n(stats.sentences) }}
  • Paragraphs {{ n(stats.paragraphs) }}
  • Reading time {{ stats.readingLabel }}

How to use this tool

  1. Paste your draft post

    The 280-character limit is preset — watch the note above the stats for how much room is left.

  2. Trim until it turns green

    Red means you are over 280 and X will refuse to post it as-is.

  3. Remember links shorten automatically

    A pasted URL will actually cost only 23 characters on X, even if it counts higher here.

Questions people ask

How many characters can a post on X (Twitter) be?

280 characters for standard accounts — the limit that replaced the original 140-character cap back in 2017. X Premium subscribers get a much longer allowance for long-form posts, which this counter does not target.

Why does my post look shorter on X than what this counter shows?

X applies a special rule where any link, regardless of its actual length, is counted as exactly 23 characters once posted (via its t.co link-shortening) — this counter shows the literal character count of what you pasted, so a long URL will read higher here than it actually costs you on X.

Do emoji count as more than one character on X?

Often yes — X applies Unicode's "weighted length" rule, where many emoji and non-Latin characters count as 2 characters instead of 1, which differs from how Instagram counts the same emoji. This counter shows the plain visible-character count, so a heavily emoji-laden post may use slightly more of your 280 than shown here.

Is there a character minimum, or can I post one word?

No minimum — a single character or even an image-only post with no text at all is perfectly valid on X.

Is my draft post sent anywhere while I check it?

No — this counts characters entirely inside your browser, with no request to any server, so an unposted draft never leaves your device.

Related tools

Bookmark this page — the tool keeps working offline, and your settings stay in this browser. Built by Dynamb Technologies, who make software for a living.