Thirty characters is all you get for one Google Ads headline. That is barely enough for one idea, and Google will not save a headline that runs a single character over. Knowing the exact limits before you write saves you from rewriting an ad in the campaign builder.
This guide covers the limits for Responsive Search Ads (RSAs), the standard text ad format for Search campaigns, plus the formatting rules that cause disapprovals. Those rules matter as much as the limits, and they are the part most guides get wrong.
Responsive Search Ad limits
| Field | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Headlines | 30 characters each | 3 to 15 per ad; up to 3 can show at once |
| Descriptions | 90 characters each | 2 to 4 per ad; up to 2 can show at once |
| Display path fields | 15 characters each | Two optional fields after your domain |
| Business name | 25 characters | Used in asset-based ad formats |
You enter several headlines and descriptions, and Google tests combinations to learn which works best for each search. Because any headline can appear next to any other, each one has to make sense on its own. If one headline must always appear first, you can pin it to a position, but pinning reduces how much Google can test.
How characters are counted
Every letter, number, space and punctuation mark counts as one character. “Free Shipping” is 13 characters, because the space counts. Here are a few examples:
- Free Online Character Counter: 29 characters. It fits.
- Free Online Character Counter Tool: 34 characters. It is 4 over the limit and will not save.
- Count Words & Characters Fast: 29 characters. It fits, and the ampersand counts as one.
For descriptions, the 90-character limit allows about one full sentence plus a short call to action: “Count characters, words and sentences as you type. Free, private, no sign-up needed.” That is 84 characters, with room to spare.
If you write in a double-width language such as Chinese, Japanese or Korean, the limits work differently, so check Google’s help pages for your language before you write.
Punctuation and symbols: where ads get rejected
This is where character-limit guides most often mislead. Google’s editorial policy requires punctuation and symbols to be used correctly and for their intended purpose. In practice:
- Exclamation marks are not allowed in headlines. They are not allowed repeatedly in descriptions either, and a single exclamation mark in a description is the most you should use.
- Emoji are not allowed. They are classed as unsupported characters, and ads that include them can be disapproved.
- Asterisks, bullet points and ellipses count as non-standard symbols, with narrow exceptions such as star ratings (“5* hotel”) or marking legal conditions.
- Gimmicky formatting is out. That includes patterns like f1owers, F.L.O.W.E.R.S and ALL-CAPS shouting.
A good test is whether the line would look normal in a printed advertisement. If you want emphasis, use a stronger word, a number or a concrete benefit instead of punctuation.
Writing a headline that carries one idea
At 30 characters, a headline works best when it holds one clear idea: a benefit, a number or a hook. Cramming three selling points into one line produces filler. Instead, use your 15 slots for different angles, not 15 rewrites of the same phrase:
- What it is: “Free Online Character Counter”
- The benefit: “Count Words & Characters Fast”
- The reassurance: “Live Count, No Sign-Up Needed”
Descriptions: more room, same discipline
Descriptions give you space to expand on the headline’s promise and finish with a call to action. Since up to two descriptions show, write each one so it works alone. Put the most important information first in case the line is shortened.
Display path fields
The two optional 15-character path fields appear after your domain, as in yoursite.com/path-one/path-two. They don’t have to match a real URL, so use them to repeat your keyword in plain words. Hyphens count as characters, and “character-counter” alone is 17, so you will need to shorten it.
Other campaign types
Performance Max and other asset-based campaigns use similar limits, with longer headline options as well, and they run across Search, Display, YouTube and more, so copy has to work in different settings. Formats and limits change, so confirm the current numbers in Google Ads Help before you build a big campaign. Shopping ads take their text from your product feed and don’t use headline fields at all.
Check your count before you paste
Run each line through a character counter set to the field’s limit, 30 for headlines and 90 for descriptions. It catches overages faster than the campaign builder does, and it lets you draft a full set of headlines in one pass. Paste your draft into the counter and check each line against its limit.
The bottom line
Character limits decide whether an ad shows in full or does not save at all, and the editorial rules decide whether it runs. Write to the limit, lead with the benefit that matters most, keep punctuation plain, and count before you publish.
Last updated: October 31, 2026. Limits sourced from Google Ads Help and Google Ads policy pages.
Leave a Reply