Character Counter
Type or paste your text and watch the exact character count update as you go the number platforms actually enforce, not just a rough word estimate.
A word count tells you almost nothing about whether your text fits a platform’s character cap a text message, a LinkedIn headline, a meta description Google cuts off mid-sentence because those limits are counted letter by letter, not word by word. This tool shows the exact character count as you type, live, so you know you’re under the limit before you hit submit.
Quick Answer
Type or paste your text and the character count updates instantly at the top every letter, space, and punctuation mark included, no button to click.
How to Count Characters
Add Your Text
Type it directly or paste it from your clipboard.
Watch the Count Update
The character count refreshes with every keystroke, right at the top of the box.
Copy or Trim to Fit
Adjust your text until it’s within the limit you’re working against, then copy or download it.
Key Features
Live Character Count
Updates with every keystroke, counting every letter, space, and symbol exactly.
Letter Density Breakdown
See which letters appear most often in your text and what percentage of the total each one makes up.
Fullscreen Writing Mode
Expand the box to the full screen for long-form writing without distraction.
Auto-Saved Draft
Your text stays in the browser between visits, so an accidental tab close doesn’t cost you the work.
Copy or Download Instantly
Grab the exact text you counted, either to your clipboard or as a .txt file.
Private by Design
Everything is counted and processed in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
What is a Character Counter?
A character counter counts every individual character in a piece of text letters, numbers, punctuation, and spaces one by one, rather than grouping them into words. This precision matters anywhere a platform enforces a hard character ceiling instead of a word limit several real examples are listed below. A word count can’t predict any of these outcomes reliably two sentences with the same number of words can land very differently once every letter is actually counted.
When Would You Use This?
You’re writing a text message and want to know if it’ll split into a second message past the 160-character limit.
You’re writing an SEO meta description or title tag and need to stay under the character count search engines actually display.
You’re filling out a university or scholarship application with a personal statement capped at an exact character count, not a word range.
You’re setting a LinkedIn headline, a product title, or a video title that platforms cut off past a fixed number of characters.
You’re curious which letters appear most often in a piece of writing useful for word games, puzzles, or just noticing patterns in your own writing style.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the character count include spaces?
Yes, every space and punctuation mark is counted along with the letters and numbers.
Why would I need a character count instead of a word count?
Most strict limits texts, meta descriptions, form fields, platform headlines are enforced in characters, not words, because that’s what the underlying system actually measures. A word count can’t tell you whether you’re over a character-based limit.
What is the Letter Density panel showing?
It shows which letters appear most frequently in your text and what share of the total letter count each one represents, ranked from most to least common.
Does this tool count characters inside a PDF?
No, this tool works on text you type or paste directly. For counting characters inside an existing PDF file, use our separate PDF Character Counter.
Does this tool upload my text anywhere?
No, everything is counted and processed locally in your browser.
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