YouTube Character Counter
Type or paste and the count updates as you go. The big number tracks the 5,000-character description limit; the bars underneath show the same text against every other YouTube field, so you can check a bio, a comment and a description without switching tools.
Every YouTube limit
Characters are counted the way people see them: an emoji or an accented letter is one character, the same way YouTube counts.
YouTube character limits in 2026
Video titles cap at 100 characters but search results cut them at about 70. Descriptions allow 5,000 characters with the first 157 shown in search. Tags share a 500-character budget, channel descriptions are 1,000, and comments 10,000.
How YouTube counts characters
YouTube counts characters roughly the way you see them: an emoji is one, an accented letter is one, a line break is one. This tool counts graphemes (user-perceived characters), which matches YouTube for everyday text. Some platforms' internals count emoji flags or skin tones as two, so if you are exactly at the limit, trim a few characters to be safe.
Writing to the YouTube limit
- The description is for search and for viewers who want links. The first 157 characters show in results; chapters, links and credits go below.
- Use "Trim to limit" to cut at the boundary, then rewrite the ending rather than leaving a cut-off sentence.
- Hashtags and mentions count in full.
YouTube character limits (2026)
| Field | Limit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Video title | 100 | Under 70 so it is not cut off in search |
| Video description | 5,000 | First 157 characters show in search |
| Channel description | 1,000 | |
| Channel name | 100 | |
| Handle | 30 | |
| Comment | 10,000 | |
| Tags (total) | 500 | Total characters across all tags |
| Community post | 5,000 | |
| Playlist title | 150 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the YouTube description character limit?
5,000 characters. Under 70 so it is not cut off in search.
How long can a YouTube video description be?
5,000 characters.
How long can a YouTube channel description be?
1,000 characters.
Do emoji count as one character?
Yes, on YouTube an emoji counts as one character in the description.
Is this counter free?
Yes. It runs in your browser and nothing is stored.
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