Text Truncator Online
Truncate text by character count, word count, or byte size.
What Is a Text Truncator?
A Text Truncator is a free online tool that shortens text to a specified limit and appends a custom ellipsis. It supports three truncation modes: by characters (Unicode code points), by words (whitespace-separated tokens), and by bytes (UTF-8 encoded byte length). The byte mode is especially useful when working with databases or APIs that enforce byte-length limits — a single Chinese, Japanese, or Korean character takes 3 bytes in UTF-8, so a 255-byte limit is not the same as 255 characters.
How to Use Text Truncator
- Select the truncation mode: Chars, Words, or Bytes.
- Set the Limit — the maximum number of characters, words, or bytes to keep.
- Optionally customize the Ellipsis string (default:
...). - Paste your text into the input panel, or click Load Sample.
- The truncated output appears instantly. Click Copy to copy it.
Features
- Truncate by character count, word count, or UTF-8 byte size
- Custom ellipsis string (default
..., can be empty or any text) - Live stats: chars, words, and bytes for both input and output
- Truncated indicator when the output is shorter than the input
- Copy result to clipboard in one click
- Runs entirely in your browser — zero data uploaded
FAQ
What is a Text Truncator?
A Text Truncator is a free online tool that shortens text to a specified limit — by character count, word count, or byte size — and appends a custom ellipsis to indicate the text was cut.
What is the difference between truncating by characters, words, and bytes?
Character truncation counts Unicode code points. Word truncation counts whitespace-separated tokens. Byte truncation counts UTF-8 encoded bytes, which matters for multibyte characters like Chinese, Japanese, or emoji.
Why does byte truncation matter?
Many databases and APIs enforce byte-length limits rather than character limits. For example, a MySQL VARCHAR(255) stores 255 bytes, not 255 characters. A single Chinese character takes 3 bytes in UTF-8.
Is my text sent to a server?
No. All processing happens entirely in your browser. Your text never leaves your device.