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Facebook Ad Preview

Business SpecialtySearch and Social Previews

Meta suggests 125 characters before the feed cuts it.

Shown in bold under the image; 40 characters suggested.

Optional line under the headline; 30 characters suggested.

Length check —
Primary text as shown in feed
—
Headline as shown
—
Primary text characters
—
Primary text words
—

Type the primary text, headline and optional link description, and the preview shows how much a feed displays before it cuts the copy. Meta suggests 125 characters of primary text, 40 for the headline and 30 for the description, so a 41-character headline is flagged as one over and shown ending in an ellipsis.

About this tool

Copy that reads well in a brief often loses its offer once a news feed hides everything after the first line or two. This preview counts each text element of a single-image or video ad the way a visitor sees it, with emoji and accented letters counted as one character each, and compares it with the lengths Meta lists in its Ads Guide. The table shows every element, its count, the guideline, and the exact words left visible, and the primary text appears with the See more link where the cut falls. It does not render the image or your page name, and real cut points shift slightly by device, placement and font, so treat the guideline as a safe target rather than a hard wall.

How to use it

  1. Enter the primary text

    Paste the message that sits above the image or video; line breaks are folded into spaces for counting.

  2. Add the headline

    Type the bold line under the creative, usually the offer or product name.

  3. Optionally add a description

    Fill the link description if your placement shows one; leave it empty otherwise.

  4. Read the table

    Each row gives the character count, Meta's guideline, Fits or Cut, and the visible text.

Examples

A 41-character headline

Primary text
New trail shoes are here.
Headline
Spring sale on running shoes this weekend

Result Length check: 1 element is cut
Primary text as shown in feed: New trail shoes are here.
Headline as shown: Spring sale on running shoes this…
Primary text characters: 25
Primary text words: 5

  1. Each element is counted in visible characters (an emoji counts as one).
  2. Primary text is compared with 125, the headline with 40 and the description with 30 characters.
  3. Text past a limit is cut at the last space and followed by an ellipsis, as a feed does.

The headline runs one character past Meta's 40-character guideline, so it is flagged and shown with an ellipsis.

Short copy that fits

Primary text
Free shipping on every order.
Headline
Shop the collection

Result Length check: All text fits
Primary text as shown in feed: Free shipping on every order.
Headline as shown: Shop the collection
Primary text characters: 29
Primary text words: 5

  1. Each element is counted in visible characters (an emoji counts as one).
  2. Primary text is compared with 125, the headline with 40 and the description with 30 characters.
  3. Text past a limit is cut at the last space and followed by an ellipsis, as a feed does.

Both lines sit well inside the suggested lengths, so the feed shows them in full.

A long link description

Primary text
Our lightest running shoe yet.
Headline
Meet the Aero 2
Link description
Free returns within thirty days

Result Length check: 1 element is cut
Primary text as shown in feed: Our lightest running shoe yet.
Headline as shown: Meet the Aero 2
Primary text characters: 30
Primary text words: 5

  1. Each element is counted in visible characters (an emoji counts as one).
  2. Primary text is compared with 125, the headline with 40 and the description with 30 characters.
  3. Text past a limit is cut at the last space and followed by an ellipsis, as a feed does.

The 31-character description passes the 30-character guideline by one and gets trimmed at the last word.

How it is calculated

visible text = first L characters, cut back to the last space, plus an ellipsis when count is above L

count
number of user-perceived characters (graphemes) in the element after spaces are collapsed
L
Meta's suggested length: 125 for primary text, 40 for headline, 30 for link description

Each field is trimmed and repeated spaces are collapsed, then counted by grapheme so a flag emoji or an accented letter is one character. When the count is above the guideline the text is cut at that length, backed up to the previous space if one falls in the last 40 percent, and an ellipsis is added. Ads Manager still accepts longer text; the guideline only marks where most placements start to hide it.

When not to use it

  • For Stories or Reels placements, where text overlays the creative and the cut points differ.
  • To check ad policy compliance, such as restricted claims, which this preview does not review.

Common mistakes

  • Putting the offer or price after the 125th character, where most feed viewers never tap See more.
  • Writing the headline as a full sentence that ends up cut mid-word on mobile.
  • Assuming the description always appears, when many mobile placements hide it.

Frequently asked questions

How many characters can Facebook ad primary text have?

Ads Manager accepts far longer text, but Meta's Ads Guide suggests keeping primary text to about 125 characters. Past that point the feed usually hides the rest behind a See more link.

What is the headline limit on a Facebook ad?

The suggested headline length is 40 characters. Longer headlines are accepted but often truncated with an ellipsis, especially on narrow phone screens and in the right column.

Do emoji count as one character?

Here they do: each emoji, including flags and skin-tone variants built from several code points, counts as one visible character, which matches what a reader sees.

Why does my live ad cut at a different point?

The real cut depends on screen width, font, placement and line breaks, so it can land a few characters earlier or later. The guideline lengths are a conservative target that works across most feeds.

Is the link description always shown?

No. Many mobile feed placements hide it or replace it with the domain, so put anything essential in the primary text or headline instead.

Does it show the image or the call-to-action button?

No. It previews only the text elements and their visible portions. Check the creative and button in the Ads Manager preview before publishing.

Cite this tool

Using this tool in an assignment, article or report? Copy a citation, or a link for your website.

APA

Tools Directory Editorial Team. (2026, October 11). Facebook Ad Preview. Tools Directory. Retrieved October 26, 2026, from https://tools.milunir.com/business-specialty/search-and-social-previews/facebook-ad-preview/

MLA

Tools Directory Editorial Team. “Facebook Ad Preview.” Tools Directory, 11 Oct. 2026, https://tools.milunir.com/business-specialty/search-and-social-previews/facebook-ad-preview/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Tools Directory Editorial Team. “Facebook Ad Preview.” Tools Directory. Last modified October 11, 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://tools.milunir.com/business-specialty/search-and-social-previews/facebook-ad-preview/.

Link<a href="https://tools.milunir.com/business-specialty/search-and-social-previews/facebook-ad-preview/">Facebook Ad Preview – Tools Directory</a>