Twitter / X Character Counter — Stay Inside 280

Type or paste a post and watch the character count as you go. X counts characters rather than words, and several things count differently from how they look, which is where most posts go over.

What actually counts toward 280

Every link costs 23 characters regardless of its real length, because X shortens all URLs through t.co. A 90-character link and a 15-character one both cost the same 23, which means shortening a URL yourself before posting saves you nothing at all.

Attached images, videos and GIFs cost nothing. Neither does a quoted post's own text. An @mention at the very start of a reply is not counted, though the same mention placed mid-sentence is.

Characters from most non-Latin scripts count double. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Thai are weighted at two, so a post in Japanese has an effective limit closer to 140.

  • Any URL — 23 characters, whatever its length
  • Images, video, GIFs, polls — free
  • CJK, Arabic, Hebrew, Thai characters — counted double
  • Emoji — usually 2, some family and flag emoji far more

Emoji are not one character

Most emoji count as two. Compound ones cost considerably more, because they are several code points joined together: a family emoji can run to eleven characters, and skin-tone modifiers add to whatever they modify.

This matters when a post is sitting on 276 and you add what looks like one small symbol. This counter measures the string as written, so paste your emoji in and watch what happens rather than assuming.

Threads and the longer limit

X Premium subscribers can post up to 25,000 characters, but only the first 280 appear before a Show more link, and the timeline still shows only that opening. The first 280 are doing the work whether or not you have the longer limit.

For a thread, the practical craft is making each post able to stand alone. A post that only makes sense after the one before it loses everyone who arrives at it from a repost.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many characters is a link?

Always 23, no matter how long the actual URL is. X routes every link through its t.co shortener, so shortening a link yourself before posting saves nothing.

Do images use up characters?

No. Photos, video, GIFs and polls are attachments and cost nothing against the 280.

Why does my post say it is over when it looks short?

Usually non-Latin script or emoji. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hebrew and Thai characters count double, and compound emoji such as family or flag symbols can cost far more than two.

Can I post more than 280 characters?

With X Premium, up to 25,000 — but only the first 280 show before a Show more link, and that is all the timeline displays. The opening still has to earn the click.

Do @mentions count?

A mention at the very start of a reply does not count toward the limit. The same mention placed inside a sentence does.

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