The standard SMS size limit is 160 characters for basic text (GSM-7 encoding), but messages exceeding this are split into multi-part messages, appearing as one long text to the user, with each part containing about 153 characters to allow for invisible header data. If emojis or non-standard characters are used, the limit per segment drops significantly to around 70 characters (using UCS-2 encoding). Twilio +3
The standard SMS character limit encoded in the GSM language is 160 characters, including spaces. GSM is the standard language for SMS that allows you to use Latin letters A to Z, numbers 0 to 9, and some special characters (e.g., exclamation marks).
Step-by-Step Fix
A single SMS message can contain up to 160 characters. A standard SMS only uses characters from the standard GSM basic character set (e.g., standard English letters, numbers, and common symbols).
SMS message length and character encoding
The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) 03.38 recommendation limited a single SMS message to 140 bytes in length. This equals 1,120 bits or 160 7-bit characters.
On older versions of Android, it is only necessary to install 17 expansion packs in order to send up to 1800 SMS messages per hour. All SMS expansion packs are available for direct download in APK format, and are not available on Google Play.
Sending a mass text message is as simple as logging in to a platform like EZ Texting, choosing a group of contacts you'd like to send to, composing your message and scheduling it to be sent.
Convert SMS to MMS for longer texts
If you need to send a long message, MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) is an excellent alternative. MMS allows you to send up to 1,600 characters without breaking the message into multiple SMS segments.
Ways to increase your MMS file size limit on Android
Delete texts and attachments in Messages
You can make more space available when you delete texts and attachments — like photos, videos, and files — that you don't need anymore.
Both Android and iPhone devices trigger the “Storage Almost Full” alert when your remaining space drops too low for new apps, system updates, or media. The biggest culprits are usually: High-resolution photos and videos (especially 4K or HDR). Large apps and games.
Does a SIM card hold pictures? Photos aren't stored on your SIM card, which makes it important to back up your photos if you ever decide to switch your SIM card out. If you have an iPhone, consider saving them to iCloud, or if you have an Android, save them to your SD card.
SMS (Short Message Service) is a specific type of text message using cellular networks for basic, text-only messages (up to 160 chars), while "text message" is a broader term that includes SMS, MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service for photos/videos), and modern app-based chats (like iMessage, WhatsApp) that use Wi-Fi/data, making SMS the older, more universal but limited standard and "text" the general category for all digital messages. Think of it this way: all SMS are texts, but not all texts are SMS.
FAQ. Can I send an SMS longer than 160 characters? Yes, you can send longer texts using concatenation, which splits your message into segments of 153 characters for GSM-7 or 67 characters for Unicode. Each segment is billed as a separate SMS, and most carriers support up to eight segments per message.
SMS Limitations
Regardless of the possibility that you have Wi-Fi at home, school, or work, yet no cell phone, you cannot send SMS messages. Text SMS message can consist of both alphabet characters and numeric characters. Each character in the message has a different size depending on the language.
Basically there are two ways to do that: 1. Under Messaging Apps Settings Once you're in messaging apps settings, tap on menu button and you will "Font Size" tap on it. And you will get list of all the text size, tap the one you want to set.
Typically, if you go over the standard 160 character limit, the texts separate into multiple messages. Those messages aren't always delivered in the order written. The result is a jumbled, confusing mess. If the message is hard to read, it's less likely to increase engagement.
Yes, typically, SMS messaging is free. Most unlimited phone plans include unlimited texting at no charge, but some prepaid phone plans and other cheap phone plans may have limits on how many you can send. Be sure to check the fine print of any plan you're considering.
So, for anyone wondering, “How long can a text be?” — the answer depends on which kinds of characters you include. With GSM-7, the limit is 160 characters, but with Unicode encoding, the limit is closer to 70.
How to send text to multiple contacts without group message through Android