How many characters does an SMS hold?
160 characters: where this limit comes from and how to use it well.
160 characters. Accents and special characters may be converted to ensure proper delivery on every mobile.
A standard SMS holds 160 characters. The form counts your input in real time so you stay within this limit of a single free message.
The answer in detail
The 160 limit comes from the historical encoding of the SMS. As long as you stay below it, the message goes out in a single block, readable at a glance on the recipient's side.
Some characters weigh more. Emojis and a few symbols tip the message into an extended encoding that reduces the available capacity: a text full of emojis reaches the limit faster than a simple one.
The exercise, then, is to get to the point: clear information, minimal context, and possibly a way to be contacted back if you wish. The counter continuously shows you what you have left.
Concrete examples
›A short, crisp message
"Hi, still available for the bike listing? Reply here if so." fits easily within the limit.
›Watch out for emojis
Piling on emojis makes the remaining character count drop faster than expected.
Takeaway
160 characters for a simple SMS; emojis and symbols reduce the available space.
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