How long should a meta title and description be in 2026?

Google does not set a length limit for a meta title or a meta description. It truncates them to fit the width of the device, so the practical target is a title of roughly 50 to 60 characters and a description of roughly 150 to 160, checked by pixel width rather than by counting letters. Those figures are rules of thumb, not Google rules.

What does Google actually say about length?

Two statements matter. On titles, Google says there is no limit on how long a title element can be, but the title link is truncated in results as needed, typically to fit the device width. On descriptions, Google says the same: no limit on how long a meta description can be, but the snippet is truncated as needed, typically to fit the device width.

Any exact number you see, including mine, comes from measuring what Google renders today. That is why it can be different next year.

Why count pixels instead of characters?

Because width is what gets cut. A capital W takes far more room than a lowercase i, so two titles with the same character count can be cut in different places. A character counter tells you when to start worrying. A pixel measurement tells you whether you are actually over.

The checker on this site measures text on a canvas in your browser, using the font sizes commonly used to reproduce Google's results:

• Desktop title: Arial at 20px, cut at around 580px. That usually lands between 50 and 60 characters.
• Desktop description: Arial at 14px, over two lines, cut at around 990px. That is usually 150 to 160 characters.
• Mobile title: Arial at 16px over two lines, around 920px.
• Mobile description: around 1300px, though published figures vary a lot between tools.

Those budgets come from public SEO tool guides, not from Google, and the mobile numbers are the least certain. Treat the preview as close, not exact.

Will Google use the title and description I write?

Often, not always. Google says it uses the meta description if it thinks it gives a more accurate summary than the on-page content, and that snippets are primarily created from the page content itself. For titles, Google's documentation lists cases where it changes them: missing or half-empty titles, titles that are out of date, titles that do not describe the page, the same title repeated across many pages, and titles in the wrong language or script.

The useful reading of that: write titles that describe the page accurately and are different on every page, and write descriptions as a specific reason to click, not boilerplate that fits any page. Those are the ones that survive.

How do I write a title that survives truncation?

• Put what someone is searching for at the front, and your brand at the end, where losing it costs you least.
• One promise per title. Three pipes make no promise.
• Keep the strongest half of the description in its first line, because the second line is the one that gets cut.
• Write for a person choosing between ten results, not for a crawler.
• Check the live page after publishing. A CMS can add a site name you did not ask for and push you over.

How do I check mine?

Paste your title and description into the meta length checker. It shows the pixel width against each budget, a live search preview for desktop and mobile, and where the cut would land. It is free, needs no signup and nothing you type leaves your browser.

Spend the time on the pages that bring you work. A careful title on your best service page is worth more than a perfect one on a page nobody searches for.

Frequently asked questions

Is 60 characters a hard limit for a title? No. It is a rule of thumb for what fits about 580 pixels on desktop. A title of narrow letters can run longer and one of wide letters can be cut sooner.

What happens if my meta description is too long? Google truncates it to fit, so the ending is lost. Put the important part first.

Why does Google show a different description from mine? It picks the text it thinks best answers the search. A specific, accurate description is used more often than a vague one.