Character limits per message: Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, and SMS

Understanding the character limits for each messaging platform helps you communicate more effectively and avoid errors or unexpected costs. Here’s a detailed explanation for Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, and SMS.

Instagram

  • Direct Messages (DMs):
    Each Instagram DM has a limit of 1,000 characters per message, including spaces, emojis, and punctuation. If you try to send more than 1,000 characters, the app will require you to split your message into multiple parts8.

  • Why the Limit?
    Instagram’s DM limit encourages concise and focused communication, fitting the platform’s fast-paced environment.

Messenger (Facebook Messenger)

  • Private chats:
    Each message in a private chat can be up to 1,000 characters.

  • Practical impact:
    These high limits mean you can send long messages, but if you exceed them, Messenger will not send your message and will display an error.

Telegram

  • Chats and channels:
    Each message can be up to 4,096 characters, including all letters, numbers, spaces, and emojis.

  • Practical impact:
    If your message is longer, you must split it into multiple messages. The Telegram app displays the character count as you type, helping you stay within the limit.

SMS (text messages)

  • Standard SMS (GSM-7):
    The limit is defined by each mobile carrier, but the classic SMS limit is 160 characters per message, including spaces and punctuation.

  • Unicode SMS (Emojis, Non-Latin):
    If your message contains emojis or non-Latin characters, the limit drops to 70 characters.

  • Long messages:
    If you exceed the limit, your message is split into segments:

    • GSM-7: Each segment after the first holds 153 characters.

    • Unicode: Each segment after the first holds 67 characters.

  • Cost impact:
    Each segment is billed as a separate SMS, so longer messages can cost more.

Key takeaways

  • Instagram DMs: 1,000 characters per message.

  • Messenger: 2,000 characters per message.

  • Telegram: 4,096 characters per message.

  • SMS: 160 (GSM-7) or 70 (Unicode) characters per message; longer texts are split and billed as multiple messages.

Knowing these limits helps you plan your messages, avoid errors, and manage costs—especially when using SMS

Product Team