X (Twitter) Character Counter
Type or paste your post and watch the official weighted count update live, with links, emojis, and the 280 limit handled correctly.
280
characters left
0 / 280
characters used
0
words
How to check your X (Twitter) character count
Type or paste your draft post.
Watch the live count and remaining characters.
Trim until the bar is back under the limit.
Copy the final text and post or schedule it.
How X actually counts your characters
The count is weighted, which is why your mental math never quite matches the app.
Not every character costs one character
X uses a weighted system rather than a simple letter count. Every URL is charged as 23 characters no matter how long it really is, most emoji cost two, and characters from scripts like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean also count double. This counter runs the same official counting library X uses, so the number you see here is the number the app will enforce.
280 is the ceiling, not the target
Standard accounts get 280 characters, and Premium subscribers can go far longer. Even so, the posts that travel tend to sit well under the ceiling: one clear idea, no throat-clearing, room for the reader to finish the thought. If you keep bumping the limit, the idea may want to be several posts, and the X (Twitter) thread maker will split a long draft into a numbered sequence for you.
Count it, cut it, queue it
The bar above turns amber inside the last 20 characters and red once you are over, so trimming is a live edit rather than trial and error in the app. When the draft fits, copy it out and publish, or line it up in an X (Twitter) scheduler so it posts at the time it will actually get seen.
Questions, answered
How does X count characters in a post?
With weights, not raw length. URLs always count as 23 characters, most emoji count as two, and CJK characters count double. This tool uses the official twitter-text library, so its count matches what X enforces.
Why does my link only use 23 characters?
X wraps every URL in its t.co shortener, so a link costs a flat 23 characters whether the original address is 10 characters or 200. Paste the real link, the counter already prices it correctly.
How do emojis affect the character count?
Most emoji are charged as two characters under X's weighted rules. A post that looks short can still bump the limit if it leans heavily on emoji.
What is the character limit on X in 2026?
280 characters for standard accounts. Premium subscribers can publish posts up to 25,000 characters, though the feed still truncates long posts behind a Show more link.
What happens if my post is over the limit?
X disables the post button until the draft fits. The counter flags exactly how far over you are, so you can cut words or split the draft into a thread instead of guessing.
Does the counter work for bios and DMs too?
Yes, paste any text in. Just note the limits differ: bios allow 160 characters and DMs allow 10,000, while the bar here tracks the 280 post limit.
Is my draft stored anywhere?
No. Counting happens entirely in your browser as you type, nothing is uploaded or saved, and you can check as many drafts as you like without signing in.
