How X counts characters
X counts most characters as one, but two rules catch people out. First, every link counts as 23 characters no matter how long the URL is, so a short and a long link cost you the same. Second, not every glyph is one character: accented letters and some emoji sequences cost two or more. If a draft is within a few characters of the limit, trust a counter over a rough estimate.
Attachments are the exception. Images, GIFs and video do not consume characters, so a post can be visually heavy and still be short. Polls, quote posts and replies all follow the same rules as a standard post.
Why 280 exists, and what it changes
The limit started at 140 and doubled in 2017, which is why a lot of posting advice sounds like it was written for a different product. The practical effect is that the first line of a post does most of the work: most people see the opening before they decide whether to read the rest. A post that fits the limit but buries the point is still too long.
That is also why threads work. Splitting a long idea into six posts does not just get you around the limit, it gives six chances for someone to find the idea at the segment that matters to them. The downside is real: each segment has to stand on its own, and a thread that only makes sense read in order tends to lose people at the second post.
How to split a post into a thread
Write the whole idea first without worrying about length, then split. The splitter above prefers paragraph breaks, then sentence ends, then word boundaries, so the cut lands where a reader would already pause. Numbering helps a long thread stay in order but costs a few characters per segment, which is why it is off by default.
- Paste the draft into the box above.
- Check the post count. Two or three segments is a thread; eight is a blog post.
- Turn numbering on if the thread will be read out of order.
- Copy each segment into the composer in order, checking the preview on the first one.
Checking a post before it goes out
The cheapest check is the one you do before the post is published, not after. Paste the final text here, confirm the count, and read the first line on its own. If the opening line does not make someone want the second line, the length was never the problem.
For scheduled posts it matters more. A post that silently fails in the composer because it ran over the limit is not a scheduling bug, it is a length check that happened too late.
Related reading
- The Twitter profile that converts covers the first thing a visitor reads.
- How to find topics on Twitter covers what to write about once length is settled.
- Engagement rate calculator shows whether the posts you publish are actually landing.
FAQ
How many characters can you post on X?
A standard post allows 280 characters. X Premium subscribers can publish up to 25,000 characters in a single post, and a thread of standard posts has no fixed ceiling.
Do links count as characters on X?
Yes, but not the full length. Every link counts as 23 characters regardless of how long the URL is, so a short link and a long one cost the same.
Do emoji and special characters count as one?
Most are one character, but accented letters and emoji sequences can count as two or more. If a draft is close to 280, check the counter rather than trusting a rough count.
What happens if a post is over the limit?
X will not publish it. You get a warning and the post stays in the composer, which is why it is worth checking before you schedule anything.
How do I split a long post into a thread?
Paste the draft into the thread splitter above. It breaks the text at sentence ends where it can, keeps every segment under 280 characters, and lets you copy each segment in order.