Hit publish on a post that is two characters too long and X simply blocks it. This counter enforces X’s real, field-specific limits as you type — including the parts most counters miss, like t.co URL weighting and double-counted CJK characters — so you know your text will post before you submit it.
How it works
X does not count raw characters; it counts weighted length. The counter mirrors that algorithm in three ways:
- Every URL is replaced with a fixed weight of 23, because X wraps links in its t.co shortener regardless of the link’s true length.
- Chinese, Japanese, and Korean characters count as 2; most other characters count as 1.
- The remaining text is counted by Unicode code point so emoji and accented letters are handled correctly.
Each field carries its own limit — 280 for a standard post, 25,000 for a Premium long post, 160 for the bio, 50 for the display name, 15 for the handle, and 10,000 for a direct message. Pick the field and the counter loads the right ceiling, turning amber near the limit and red once you exceed it.
Tips and notes
- Links never cost their full length — a 90-character URL still counts as 23, so you have more room than the raw character count suggests.
- Writing in a CJK language roughly halves your effective character budget because each character weighs 2.
- The handle field only accepts letters, numbers, and underscores; spaces and punctuation are not allowed even within the 15-character limit.
- For threads, keep each post comfortably under 280 so quote-replies and added context do not push readers past the cut-off.