How to use the X Character Counter
- Paste your post. Type or paste the post. The count updates as you type, using the same weighting X uses.
- Set your limit. Leave it at 280 for a standard account. Tick X Premium if you can write longer posts.
- Read the breakdown. See how many links (23 each), emoji (2 each) and double-weight characters such as Chinese, Japanese or Korean are in the post.
- Trim to fit. If the post is over, the part past the limit is highlighted so you know exactly what to cut.
How the count works
The same rules as X
The weighting follows the open twitter-text rules X describes in "Counting characters": code points in the Latin and general punctuation ranges count 1, everything else counts 2, every emoji sequence counts 2 in total, and every link counts 23. The same function runs the Thread Composer on this site.
Link detection covers addresses starting with http, https or www and bare domains on common endings such as .com or .io. A rare ending may not be detected as a link, in which case it counts at its full length.
Sources
Limits and weights: docs.x.com "Counting characters" (280, URLs 23, emoji 2, CJK 2) and help.x.com "About X Premium" (longer posts up to 25,000), both checked October 2026. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Frequently asked questions
What is the character limit on X?
A standard post is 280 characters, per X's developer documentation "Counting characters". X Premium subscribers can write longer posts of up to 25,000 characters, per the X Help Center page "About X Premium". Everyone can read longer posts.
How does X count links?
Every link is shortened with t.co and counts as 23 characters, however long or short the address is. So a short link can cost more than its length, and a long one less. This counter applies the 23 to each link it detects.
Why does an emoji count as 2 on X?
X weights characters. Latin letters, punctuation and common symbols count 1; emoji count 2 whatever their complexity, so a family or flag emoji is still 2; Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters count 2. That is why a post in Japanese fits about 140 characters.
Do @mentions and hashtags count?
Yes. In the text of a post, an @mention or a #hashtag counts like any other characters. This counter counts everything you type, so if you paste a reply, check how X treats the mentions it adds for you.
Can I schedule a long Premium post?
X's own help pages say longer posts cannot yet be scheduled in its post composer. Check the scheduling tool you use for its own limits before writing past 280.