WhatsApp personal messages support up to 65,536 characters, giving you essentially unlimited text space for conversations. However, WhatsApp Business API messages are more restricted, with template messages capped at 1,024 characters for the body and marketing messages now truncated to just 5 lines with a “Read more” prompt. Understanding these different limits is crucial for both personal and business communication.

This guide covers all WhatsApp text limits for personal accounts, business accounts, and API messaging.

WhatsApp Character Limits Overview

Personal WhatsApp

WhatsApp Business

Personal Message Limits

The 65,536 Character Maximum

Practical context: This is essentially unlimited for normal use

What counts:

• All text including spaces
• Emojis (Unicode characters)
• Line breaks

What this enables:

• Long-form sharing
• Document-like messages
• Detailed instructions

Best Practices for Long Messages

Despite high limits:

• Break long content into multiple messages for readability
• Use voice messages for lengthy explanations
• Consider if a document attachment is more appropriate

Recipient experience: Very long messages can be overwhelming. Use judgment about message length.

Status Character Limits

Text Status (700 Characters)

Maximum: 700 characters Visibility: 24 hours

What to include:

• Updates and announcements
• Links (shortened)
• Emojis for visual interest

Status Best Practices

Keep shorter than max:

• Quick updates perform better
• 200-300 characters often sufficient
• Use multiple status updates for more content

Media status: Text overlay on images/videos has no strict character limit but should remain readable.

WhatsApp Business API Limits

Template Messages (1,024 Characters)

Body text: 1,024 characters Header text: 60 characters Footer text: 60 characters

Template types:

• Marketing
• Utility (transactional)
• Authentication

2024 Marketing Message Changes

Important update: Marketing messages now truncated to approximately 5 lines with “Read more” link.

What this means:

• Front-load important information
• Call-to-action must appear early
• Users must tap to see full message

Button Text Limits

Quick reply buttons: 20 characters Call-to-action buttons: 20-25 characters

Button types:

• Quick reply
• URL
• Phone call

Interactive Message Limits

List messages:

• Section titles: 24 characters
• Row titles: 24 characters
• Row descriptions: 72 characters

Button messages:

• Body: 1,024 characters
• Buttons: 3 maximum
• Button text: 20 characters each

Group and Broadcast Limits

Group Limits

Participants: Up to 1,024 members Group description: 500 characters Group name: 100 characters

Status limits:

• Text status: 700 characters
• Video status: 30 seconds

Admin messages: Same limits as regular messages

Broadcast Lists

Recipients: Up to 256 contacts per list Message limits: Same as individual messages Requirement: Recipients must have your number saved

File and Media Sharing

File Limits

Maximum file size: Up to 2GB Supported types: Documents, images, videos, audio

Document caption: 1,024 characters

Media Captions

Photo/video caption: 1,024 characters Voice message: Up to 2 hours

Business Messaging Strategy

Working Within Template Limits

1,024 character template structure:

[Header - 60 chars]

[Body - up to 1,024 chars]
- Opening hook (first 1-2 lines crucial)
- Main message
- Call-to-action
- Required opt-out language if applicable

[Footer - 60 chars]

[Buttons - 20 chars each]

Marketing Message Optimization

With 5-line truncation:

1. Lead with value proposition
2. Key details in visible portion
3. CTA visible before “Read more”
4. Supporting details after

Example structure:

🎉 FLASH SALE - 50% OFF
Your exclusive discount is waiting!
Use code SAVE50 at checkout.
Shop now: [link]

[Read more reveals: Terms, expiration, product details]

Utility vs. Marketing Templates

Utility templates (transactional):

• Order confirmations
• Shipping updates
• Appointment reminders
• Account notifications

Marketing templates:

• Promotions
• Product announcements
• Re-engagement messages
• Newsletter-style content

Key difference: Marketing templates face stricter rules and truncation.

WhatsApp Business App vs. API

WhatsApp Business App

For: Small businesses Message limits: Same as personal (65,536) Features: Business profile, catalog, quick replies

WhatsApp Business API

For: Medium/large businesses Message limits: Template restrictions apply Features: Automation, integration, scale

API considerations:

• Requires approval
• Template pre-approval needed
• Costs per message/conversation

Opt-Out and Compliance

Required Elements

Marketing messages should include:

• Clear opt-out option
• Business identification
• Compliance with local regulations

Character impact: Required compliance text uses character space.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my WhatsApp message limit so high?

WhatsApp uses internet data, not SMS, so traditional character limits don’t apply. The 65,536 limit is a technical implementation detail, not a practical constraint.

Do emojis count as characters on WhatsApp?

Yes, emojis count as characters, typically 2 or more depending on the emoji’s Unicode representation.

What’s the difference between business app and API limits?

The Business App has the same generous limits as personal WhatsApp. The API has stricter template limits (1,024 chars) and requires pre-approval for message templates.

How do I handle the marketing message truncation?

Front-load your most important content. Assume many users won’t tap “Read more,” so key value and CTA must appear in the first 5 lines.

Can I send long marketing messages via WhatsApp Business?

You can write them, but marketing messages are now truncated to ~5 lines with “Read more.” Utility/transactional messages don’t have this truncation.

What happens if I exceed a template character limit?

The message won’t be approved. WhatsApp rejects templates that exceed specified limits.

Key Takeaways

• Personal WhatsApp messages: 65,536 characters (effectively unlimited)
• Business API message: 1,600 characters
• Business template body: 1,024 characters
• Status (text): 700 characters
• Status (video): 30 seconds
• Group members: Up to 1,024
• Marketing messages: Truncated to ~5 lines with “Read more”
• Template buttons: 20-25 characters each
• Front-load important content for business messaging

Conclusion

WhatsApp’s character limits range from generous (65,536 for personal messages) to restrictive (1,024 for business templates with marketing truncation). For business messaging, the key challenge isn’t the character limit but the 5-line truncation that hides much of your content behind “Read more.” Design messages with crucial information upfront, and always test how templates appear to recipients. Try our free letter counter → to verify your WhatsApp business templates fit within platform limits.