Maximum Message Length
Better Messages can cap how long a single message is allowed to be. When set, the composer shows a live character counter as users approach the limit and prevents sending messages that exceed it.
How it works
Set a maximum number of characters in Settings → Messaging → Maximum Message Length. As soon as a user crosses 80% of the configured limit, a small counter appears in the composer next to the Send button, showing how many characters are used out of the allowed total. When the message goes over the limit the counter turns red and the Send button is disabled — users can still see what they wrote and trim it before sending.
The limit is enforced on both the client (live counter, disabled button, error toast) and the server (REST endpoints reject over-limit messages with a clear error). It applies to new messages and to message edits alike.
Each emoji counts as a single character — including complex sequences like family emojis (👨👩👧), skin-tone variants (👍🏽) and country flags (🇺🇸). HTML tags and attached files are not counted; only the visible text contributes to the length.
Set the value to 0 (the default) to leave message length uncapped.
Key capabilities
- Configurable per-message character limit, global to the site
- Live counter that appears in the composer once the user crosses 80% of the limit
- Counter turns red and Send/Save buttons are disabled when the limit is exceeded
- Tooltip on the counter explains the limit and how close the message is
- Server-side enforcement via REST API — over-limit messages are rejected with a localized error
- Applies to both new messages and edited messages
- Each grapheme — including ZWJ emoji sequences, skin-tone variants and flags — counts as a single character
- Attached files and HTML markup are not counted; only the visible text is measured
How to enable
Navigate to WP Admin → Better Messages → Settings → Messaging.
- Maximum Message Length — Maximum number of characters allowed in a single message. Set to
0for no limit