About this limit
Standard X accounts can post up to 280 characters. X Premium subscribers can post longer text, but only the first 280 characters show in the timeline before “Show more”.
X does not count every character the same way, which is why simple character counters often get it wrong.
Official source: X counting characters
Limit last checked October 10, 2026.
How limitpad counts
limitpad follows X’s published rules: most Latin letters, numbers and punctuation count as 1, while Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters and every emoji count as 2. Every link counts as 23 characters, however long it is, because X shortens it.
Tips
- Long links cost nothing extra: any URL counts as 23.
- Each emoji costs 2, so emoji-heavy posts fill up faster.
- Threads let you go beyond 280. Split long ideas into numbered posts.
Frequently asked questions
- Do links count toward the 280 characters?
- Yes, but every link counts as exactly 23 characters, whatever its length.
- Why does X count my emoji as two?
- X weighs emoji, and Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters, as two characters each.