SMS messages use character encoding to determine how many characters fit in a single message. Standard text uses GSM-7 encoding, which allows up to 160 characters per SMS. When you include emojis or certain special symbols, the message switches to Unicode encoding, which reduces the limit to 70 characters per SMS. This means a single message with emojis may be split into multiple parts, which can affect how many texts are sent and billed. Keep reading to learn more.
In traditional SMS (Short Message Service) encoding, each character counts toward your message limit. The default character encoding system used is GSM-7. This encoding can handle 160 characters, and these characters include:
Each character from this set takes up just 1 byte of memory, which is why you're allowed to send up to 160 characters in a single message.
Emojis, however, use a different encoding system called UCS-2 (Universal Character Set 2). UCS-2 is capable of encoding a much wider range of characters, including the diverse set of emojis we use today. But here's the catch: UCS-2 characters are more memory-heavy. Each emoji or special character requires 2 bytes of memory instead of just 1.
Because emojis use more memory, adding even a single emoji reduces the total number of characters you can send in one SMS. In fact, with UCS-2 encoding, the limit drops from 160 characters to 70 characters per message. This is why if you add an emoji or any non-GSM-7 character (like accented letters, certain symbols, or non-Latin scripts), your message will be shortened in terms of character count.
In this case, the emoji reduced the total number of characters by 1. However, if you were to send a longer message with multiple emojis, you could easily hit the 70-character limit.
If your message exceeds the 160-character limit, the SMS will automatically be split into multiple segments. Each segment will include a header with metadata about the message to help your phone reassemble them correctly. Keep in mind that:
So, even a message with an emoji can quickly become segmented if it's too long.
By understanding how character encoding works in SMS, you can avoid potential issues and communicate more efficiently.
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