Streampost

YouTube Character Counter — check description length

Free YouTube character counter: check descriptions against 5,000 characters and see what stays visible above the "more" link.

0 characters0 words
  • Post5000 / 5000
  • Bio1000 / 1000

Truncated in the feed with a "more" link after 157 characters

How it works

  1. 1

    Type or paste your text

    Write directly in the field or paste from another program. Emojis, hashtags and line breaks all work as usual.

  2. 2

    Watch the count live

    Characters and words are tallied instantly — emojis correctly as one visible character. The bars show how much room is left on YouTube.

  3. 3

    Trim and publish

    A red bar means you are over the limit and YouTube would cut your text off. Trim until everything fits, then move the text into your post.

Popular use cases

  • Content creators

    No more truncated text

    Check before posting that your message lands in full — instead of finding out that YouTube cut off the key call-to-action.

  • Cross-posting

    One text, many platforms

    Adapt the same post to different limits. What fits on one platform is often already too long on the next.

  • Agencies

    Approvals without surprises

    Show clients up front how much text actually stays visible — and avoid revision loops after going live.

  • E-commerce

    Product copy that fits

    Write product descriptions that use the full limit without losing key details or your shop link.

  • Profile optimisation

    A bio that lands

    Bio fields are usually much tighter than posts. Refine every word until your positioning fits the space available.

  • Editorial planning

    Produce text ahead of time

    Write posts in advance and make sure they pass without rework when you publish later.

YouTube descriptions can be up to 5,000 characters. Only a little of that is visible at first: after around 157 characters it is cut off with a "more" link — and that part often appears in search results too.

This counter tallies live so your key keywords and call-to-action land in the visible area.

Frequently asked questions

How long can a YouTube description be?

Up to 5,000 characters. Only around 157 characters are visible at first, then a "more" link follows.

Why do the first characters matter so much?

They appear under the video without a click and often in search results — that is where the click is decided.

Do links and hashtags count?

Yes, they count fully towards the 5,000-character limit.

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