Twitter (X) Character Limit: Every Field
The current limits, where your text actually gets cut off, and a free tool to check your draft.
The short answer
The classic Twitter post limit is 280 characters for free accounts. Subscribers to X Premium can write posts up to 25,000 characters, which display collapsed with a 'Show more' link. The 280-character limit doubled from the original 140 back in 2017 and has been the free-tier standard ever since.
Every character counts toward the limit, including spaces and punctuation, but with two useful exceptions: all links are shortened to 23 characters regardless of their real length, and usernames in replies no longer count at all. Most emoji count as two characters because of how Unicode is measured.
Twitter (X) character limits by field
| Field | Limit |
|---|---|
| Post (free account) | 280 characters |
| Post (X Premium) | 25,000 characters |
| Direct message | 10,000 characters |
| Bio | 160 characters |
| Display name | 50 characters |
| Username (handle) | 15 characters |
| Image alt text | 1,000 characters |
Limits are set by the platform and occasionally change; figures reflect the current publicly documented caps.
Drafting a post? Paste it into our free character counter to see the exact character count as you type - including emoji and spaces - with platform limit presets built in.
Open Character Counter →Frequently Asked Questions
Writing effectively within the limit
High-engagement posts tend to sit well under the cap — analyses repeatedly find the sweet spot between 70 and 130 characters, where the message is scannable in a single glance. If your idea genuinely needs more room, a thread of tight 280-character posts usually outperforms one long Premium post, because each post is a fresh entry point into the conversation.
Checking limits for another platform? See our guides for Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook.