Quick Answer
A single SMS is 160 characters using standard GSM-7 encoding. If you include emojis or special characters (Unicode), the limit drops to 70 characters per segment.
SMS Character Limits Explained
| Encoding | Single SMS | Per Segment (Concatenated) | Notes |
|---|
| GSM-7 (Standard) | 160 characters | 153 characters | Standard Latin characters, numbers, common symbols |
| Unicode (UCS-2) | 70 characters | 67 characters | Emojis, non-Latin scripts, special characters |
Concatenated (Multi-Part) Messages
When you exceed the single-SMS limit, your message gets split into segments. Each segment reserves a few characters for reassembly headers, which is why concatenated segments hold fewer characters than a standalone SMS. Most carriers support up to 10 segments (1,530 GSM characters or 670 Unicode characters).
Check Your SMS Length
Paste your SMS text into our free word counter tool to see the exact character count. Stay under 160 to keep it in a single segment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many characters in a text message?
A single SMS supports 160 characters using standard GSM-7 encoding, or 70 characters if the message contains emojis or special Unicode characters.
Do emojis change the SMS character limit?
Yes. Any emoji in your message forces Unicode encoding, which drops the limit from 160 to 70 characters per segment. This can significantly increase the number of segments (and cost) for longer messages.
What is an SMS segment?
When a message exceeds the single-SMS limit, it gets split into segments. Each segment is billed separately. Concatenated segments hold 153 characters (GSM-7) or 67 characters (Unicode) due to reassembly headers.
How many SMS segments can a message have?
Most carriers support up to 10 concatenated segments, allowing up to 1,530 GSM characters or 670 Unicode characters in a single message thread.
What triggers Unicode encoding in SMS?
Emojis, non-Latin scripts (Chinese, Arabic, etc.), curly quotes, em dashes, and certain special characters all trigger Unicode encoding.
