Paste your meta description above — the Title and Description stat cards show your character count against the display limits in real time.
Meta Description Length in 2026
| Context | Length |
|---|---|
| Desktop display limit | ~155–160 characters (~920 px) |
| Mobile display limit | ~120 characters (~680 px) |
| Recommended target | 120–158 characters |
| Minimum useful length | ~70 characters |
Limits verified as of July 2026. Platforms change limits occasionally — if you spot one that moved, let us know.
Google Truncates by Pixels, Not Characters
Google cuts descriptions at a pixel width (about 920 px on desktop), so wide letters like “W” use more budget than “i”. Character counts are a reliable proxy: stay near 155 characters and you will almost never be truncated on desktop; keep the core message in the first 120 characters to survive mobile truncation too.
Writing Descriptions That Earn Clicks
- Include the target keyword. Google bolds query matches in the snippet, which draws the eye.
- Front-load the value. The benefit or answer belongs in the first 120 characters.
- Use active voice and a verb: “Check, count, learn, compare” outperform passive summaries.
- Write a unique description for every page. Duplicated descriptions get ignored or rewritten.
Is the meta description a ranking factor?
No — Google has confirmed it does not directly affect rankings. It affects click-through rate, and a higher CTR means more traffic from the same position.
Why does Google show different text than my meta description?
SEO studies consistently find Google rewrites descriptions for over 60% of queries, usually pulling page text that better matches the search. A well-written, accurate description that matches your page content is the best way to keep yours.