Message Character Count

Quick Reference: Character Rules & Limits

SMS messages have a standard limit of 160 characters per segment, with multiple texts comprising a single message. However, adding emojis, attachments, or opt-out notices alters how your text is encoded and counted.

Messaging Element	Character / Segment Impact	Single Text Segment Limit
Standard Text (SMS)	Standard Latin letters, numbers, and basic punctuation.	160 characters
Multi-Segment Text	Multi-segment messages use 7 characters per segment for routing data.	153 characters / segment
Unicode (Emojis / Special Characters)	Accented letters, emojis, non-Latin alphabets, or smart quotes.	70 characters
First-Time Opt-Out Notice	Automatically appends `Text STOP to opt out` to first-time contacts.	Adds 22 characters to text segment
Location Request Link	Generates a dynamic location-sharing link.	Adds 25 characters to text segment
File / Image Attachment (MMS)	Converts standard SMS to an MMS message.	Adds 1 full text segment

1. SMS Segments and Truncating Explained

While single SMS texts are limited to 160 characters, Text Request allows you to send longer messages through a process called truncating.

How Segments Work: When your message exceeds 160 characters, Text Request splits it into multiple smaller blocks called segments. Receiving mobile carriers automatically combine these segments so they appear as one continuous message on your contact's phone.
The 153-Character Multi-Segment Rule: The first segment of a text contains up to 160 characters. When a message spans two or more segments, wireless carriers reserve 7 characters per segment for reassembly header data. This lowers the character limit to 153 characters per segment for all multi-segment messages.
Maximum Length: The absolute maximum length for a single Text Request message is 10 segments (1,600 characters). Text Request will alert you if you are approaching or exceed the limit with a message next to the character counter.

Example

Single Segment: Up to 160 characters. (Cost: 1 text)
Two Segments: Up to 306 characters (153 + 153) (Cost: 2 texts)
Three Segments: Up to 459 characters (153 + 153 + 153) (Cost: 3 texts)

2. Special Characters and Unicode Encoding

Using special characters fundamentally changes how carriers process your text.

What Counts as a Special Character? Emojis (😊, 🔔), accented letters (á, é, ñ, ü), non-Latin characters (Cyrillic, Greek, Chinese), currency symbols outside basic GSM (€, ₹), and smart quotes (“ ”).
Encoding Drop (160 to 70 Characters): Including even a single special character or emoji forces the message from GSM-7 encoding into Unicode encoding. This immediately reduces your maximum single-segment limit from 160 to 70 characters.
Emoji Character Cost: Each emoji counts as 2 characters.

Warning: Copying and pasting text directly from web pages, AI tools, or word processors often inserts hidden special characters (like smart quotes or em-dashes). Always monitor the character counter under your message box before clicking Send.

3. Character-Adding Features

Certain messaging tools dynamically add characters or segments to your body copy:

First-Time Opt-Out Notices

To comply with TCPA and carrier guidelines, the first message sent to any contact automatically appends an opt-out notice: Text STOP to opt out.

This notice adds 22 characters to your draft.
To keep a first-time message within a single 160-character segment, keep your body copy at or under 138 characters.

Note: For Peer to Peer (P2P) campaigns, the opt-out notice is STOP2END (10 characters), meaning your draft must remain under 150 characters to stay within a single segment.

Location Requests

Clicking the Location Pin icon inserts a dynamic tracking link into your draft.

This link always adds 25 characters to your total character count.

Image and File Attachments (MMS)

Clicking the Paperclip icon to attach an image (JPG, PNG, GIF) or document (PDF) converts your message to MMS.

Adding an attachment automatically adds 1 full text segment to your total usage, regardless of text length.

Pay close attention to the live counter directly below the compose tray. It displays both your current character count and the total number of text segments your message will use per recipient.