What is the WhatsApp Status character limit?

700 characters per text status. Statuses disappear automatically after 24 hours.

How long can a WhatsApp About section be?

139 characters — one of the tightest profile limits in messaging apps.

Does WhatsApp support formatting?

Yes — bold (*text*), italic (_text_), strikethrough (~text~), and monospace (```text```). Each formatting character counts toward the message length.

What is the limit for WhatsApp group names?

100 characters for the group name and 512 characters for the group description.

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WhatsApp Tool

WhatsApp Character Counter

WhatsApp messages can run up to 65,536 characters — effectively unlimited for any practical use. Status updates are tighter at 700 characters, and the 'About' on your profile is capped at just 139. The counter below tracks every visible character.

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0 / 65,536(65,536 left)

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WhatsApp Character Limits Cheatsheet

Field	Character limit	Notes
Message	65,536	—
Status update	700	—
About section	139	—
Group name	100	—
Group description	512	—
Display name	25	—

Why does WhatsApp have this character limit?

WhatsApp's 65,536-character (2^16) limit is a Unicode-compatible technical ceiling inherited from its early architecture. In practice almost no one writes messages anywhere near this length — and very long messages are typically delivered as multiple visible bubbles in the chat UI. The functional limit is much lower for status updates (700) and About sections (139), where brevity matters.

Tips for Writing Better WhatsApp Content

1Status updates have a hard 700-character cap

Unlike messages, status updates are tightly limited. Plan brand and personal status announcements around the 700-character ceiling.

2About section is just 139 characters

Your profile About is one of the tightest limits across messaging apps. Make every character earn its place.

3Long messages split visually

Messages over a few hundred characters often render as multiple chat bubbles in WhatsApp's UI. For long content, manually splitting may read more naturally.

4Use formatting strategically

WhatsApp supports *bold*, _italic_, ~strikethrough~, and ```monospace```. Each formatting character counts toward your limit.

5Business broadcasts have stricter limits

WhatsApp Business API templates have a 1,024-character body limit. Plan automated message templates around that — not the 65,536 personal limit.

Need More Than a Character Count?

Our main Character Counter shows word count, sentence count, reading time, and a full statistical breakdown of your text — alongside live character counts for every major platform.

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WhatsApp Character Counter FAQ

65,536 characters per message — effectively unlimited for personal use. WhatsApp Status updates are limited to 700 characters and About sections to 139.