X (Twitter) Post Previewer

What is an X Post Previewer?

You know that moment when you type out a post on X (formerly Twitter), hit publish, and then immediately notice a typo or weird formatting? That is exactly the problem this tool solves. Our X Post Previewer lets you see a realistic version of your post before it goes live. You get to check everything, from your display name and handle to images and engagement metrics, all without logging into your account or risking an accidental publish.

Here is the thing most people run into: the X compose box looks nothing like the actual post in your timeline. Line breaks show up differently, images get cropped in ways you did not expect, and the overall vibe of your post might not land the way you imagined. This previewer shows you the real deal. Type on the left, and the right side updates instantly with an accurate post card that matches what your followers will actually see.

What You Can Do With This Tool

This goes way beyond a simple text box with a character counter. We built it to work like the real X composer, so you can test everything that matters before posting.

• Upload up to 4 images. The previewer handles multi-image uploads just like the real X app. It automatically arranges your photos in the right grid layout: one image takes the full width, two go side by side, three get an asymmetric split, and four land in a neat 2x2 grid. You can also remove individual images without clearing everything.
• Dark mode and mobile preview. Toggle between light and dark themes to see how your post reads in both. You can also switch to mobile layout, which wraps the preview in a phone-shaped frame. Since most X users browse on their phones, this is a great way to catch formatting issues.
• Custom engagement counts. You can set your own reply, repost, like, and view counts. This is really useful if you are building mockups for a pitch deck, creating a case study, or putting together a social media report. The numbers appear exactly where they would on a real post.
• Download as JPG. Once your post looks the way you want it, hit the Download button to save it as a high-quality image. Great for sharing previews in Slack, adding to presentations, or keeping a record of your best posts.
• Emoji picker and polls. Add emojis from the built-in picker without hunting for them on your keyboard, or toggle a poll to see how voting options look below your text. There is also a location tag if your post mentions a specific place.
• Character limit toggle. The standard 280-character counter is on by default. If you have X Premium with extended limits or you just want to draft freely, turn it off with the switch next to the counter.

How to Use the Previewer

It only takes a few seconds to get started. Here is a quick walkthrough:

1. Enter your display name and handle at the top of the compose panel. These show up in the preview card just like they would on your real profile.
2. Set your engagement numbers for replies, reposts, likes, and views. They default to 10, but you can change them to whatever makes sense for your use case.
3. Type your post in the text area and watch it appear in the preview panel on the right in real time.
4. Add images using the image icon in the toolbar. You can pick multiple files at once (up to 4), and each one gets its own remove button.
5. Switch between dark/light mode and mobile/desktop with the toggle buttons above the preview. This lets you see how your post looks across different contexts.
6. Download or copy when everything looks right. The Download button saves the preview as a JPG file, and the Copy button puts your text on the clipboard so you can paste it straight into X.

Character Limits on X: What Counts and What Does Not

X has a 280-character limit for standard posts. This has been the case since 2017 when the platform doubled the original 140-character cap. Premium subscribers do get higher limits, but most engagement on the platform still happens within the standard 280 characters because longer posts get collapsed behind a "Show more" link.

There are a few character counting quirks that trip people up. URLs always count as 23 characters no matter how long they actually are, because X wraps them in a t.co shortener. Mentions like @username count toward your total. Most emojis take up 2 characters because of how Unicode encoding works, so they add up faster than you would think. On the other hand, attached images and videos do not count at all, which is why pairing a short, punchy line with a good image works so well. If you ever need to work with encoded text, our Base64 encoder can help you handle special characters before sharing them.

The character counter in our previewer changes color as you get close to the limit. It turns amber when you have 20 characters left and red when you go over. And if you have X Premium or you are just brainstorming, you can turn the limit off entirely with the toggle switch next to the counter.

Writing Posts That Actually Get Engagement

There is a ton of "how to grow on X" advice floating around, but honestly, the posts that do well tend to follow a few simple patterns:

• Lead with something specific. Compare "I saved 3 hours a week by automating one task" to "Here are some productivity tips." The first one makes you want to keep reading. Numbers, personal stories, and unexpected takes stop people from scrolling past.
• Keep paragraphs short. Most X users are scrolling on their phone. A big chunk of text gets skipped immediately. Break your post into shorter lines and use the mobile view in our previewer to make sure it does not look like a wall of text on a small screen.
• Attach images whenever you can. Posts with images get noticeably more impressions than plain text posts. The X algorithm also tends to push media-rich content higher in the feed. With our multi-image upload, you can check exactly how your image grid will look before posting.
• End with a question or ask. Something like "What has worked for you?" or "Repost if you agree" gives people a reason to engage. Both replies and reposts signal the algorithm to show your post to more people.
• Go easy on hashtags. One or two relevant ones can help people find your content, but piling on five or six makes your post look spammy. A lot of successful accounts skip hashtags entirely and let the content speak for itself.

Who Should Use This Tool?

Honestly, anyone who posts on X can get value from previewing their posts. But there are a few groups who will find it especially helpful:

• Social media managers who need client approval before publishing. Just download the preview as a JPG and drop it into your approval workflow or share it over email.
• Content creators who are building a personal brand. When you are trying to grow an audience, the details matter. Previewing helps you get the tone, formatting, and visual impact right before you commit.
• Marketers and agencies putting together campaign mockups or performance case studies. Set custom engagement numbers to show projected results or highlight past wins in a presentation.
• Students and educators studying social media strategy. You can prototype and analyze posts without needing a real X account, which makes it perfect for classroom exercises and workshops.
• Anyone who has ever posted something with a typo and immediately wished they could take it back. We have all been there. A quick preview can save you from that feeling.