WhatsApp Character Counter
Count WhatsApp text status, profile name, about, group name, group description, broadcast lists, and Business catalog items in real time.
700 characters left
0 words
How It Works
Pick the WhatsApp context from the tabs above (Status, Profile Name, About, Group Name, Group Description, Broadcast, or Catalog Item). The counter uses grapheme-aware Unicode counting so emoji and combining characters count the way WhatsApp counts them on the server.
The progress bar shows green when you have room, amber as you cross 82 percent of the limit, and red within 5 percent or over. Drafts persist in your browser per tab, so you can switch between editing your About line and a group description without losing your work.
When to Use This WhatsApp Counter
- Text status updates: Plan a 24-hour status that fits the 700-char cap without truncation.
- Profile makeovers: Test a new profile name and About line before publishing.
- Group admin work: Write group descriptions that fit the 512-char cap and onboard new members.
- Business catalog: Plan item descriptions that use the full 1,024-char budget effectively.
- Broadcast lists: Label private broadcast lists clearly within the 25-char limit.
About WhatsApp Character Limits
WhatsApp does not publish a single hard limit for in-chat messages (that limit is effectively very high), so this counter focuses on the bounded surfaces - status, profile, group, and Business catalog - where character caps actually drive the UX.
The About / bio field has shipped at 139 characters for a long time, mirroring Twitter's original 140-character limit minus one. The group description was raised to 512 in a 2018 update; broadcast list names match the contact name cap at 25 characters.
Reference Table: WhatsApp Character Limits
| Field | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Status (text) | 700 characters | 24-hour ephemeral text status |
| Profile name | 25 characters | Visible in chats and group lists |
| About / bio | 139 characters | Default: 'Hey there! I am using WhatsApp' |
| Group name | 100 characters | ~28 visible in chat list |
| Group description | 512 characters | Shown to new members on join |
| Broadcast list name | 25 characters | Private to you |
| Business catalog | 1,024 characters | Per item description |
WhatsApp text status posts cap at 700 characters. Text statuses disappear after 24 hours and are shown one at a time, so a short, punchy single line outperforms a long update even though you have 700 characters of room.
Your WhatsApp profile name caps at 25 characters. Emoji are allowed and each emoji counts as a single character. Your name appears next to every message you send in groups and chats, so a clear distinctive name helps people identify you in busy group lists.
The WhatsApp About field caps at 139 characters. It is the small text shown under your name on the info screen and on the lock screen for some clients. The default is the iconic 'Hey there! I'm using WhatsApp' but personalizing it builds far more trust with contacts.
WhatsApp group names (the 'subject') cap at 100 characters but only the first ~28 are visible in the chat list. Put the distinctive part of the group name first so members can find the chat without expanding the truncated text.
WhatsApp group descriptions cap at 512 characters. They appear when new members join and on the group info screen. Use the budget for ground rules, the purpose of the group, and a few key links (links inside descriptions are clickable).
WhatsApp Business catalog item descriptions cap at 1,024 characters - the longest single text field in WhatsApp. Customers see the title and image first, so front-load the value proposition; the remaining space is for specs, sizing, and shipping info.