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LEN & LENB Functions

Excel 2007+, Excel 2010+, Excel 2013+, Excel 2016+, Excel 2019+, Excel 365

Summary

The Excel LEN function counts characters in a text string, treating each Unicode character as one unit. LENB counts bytes for double-byte character sets (DBCS), but is deprecated in modern Excel versions.

Syntax

LEN(text)
LENB(text)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
text	`Text`	Yes	The text whose length you want to find. Spaces count as characters.

Using the LEN, LENB Function

LEN is perfect for validating input lengths, creating dynamic formulas based on text size, and text manipulation tasks. LENB exists for backward compatibility with double-byte character sets but should be avoided in new workbooks.

Common LEN, LENB Examples

Basic LEN Examples

=LEN("Phoenix, AZ")
=LEN("One")
=LEN("   ")

Returns 11, 3, and 3 (spaces count).

Dynamic Range with LEN

=LEN(A1)>10

Checks if cell A1 has more than 10 characters.

LENB Legacy Example

=LENB("テキスト")

Counts bytes for DBCS text (deprecated).

Frequently Asked Questions

LEN counts Unicode characters (1 per character). LENB counts bytes for DBCS (may count 1 or 2 per character). LENB is deprecated.

Yes, spaces count as characters in LEN.

LEN properly handles surrogate pairs as single characters in Compatibility Version 2.

Common Errors and Solutions

#VALUE!

Cause: Non-text argument provided

Solution: Ensure text parameter contains valid text or wrap with TEXT()

Wrong count for emojis

Cause: Using older Excel without Compatibility Version 2

Solution: Upgrade or use Compatibility Version 2

Notes

LENB is deprecated - use LEN instead
In Compatibility Version 2, LEN correctly handles surrogate pairs
Variation selectors (emojis) count as separate characters
LEN returns 0 for empty cells
Numbers are converted to text before counting

Compatibility

Available in: Excel 2007, Excel 2010, Excel 2013, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, Excel 2021, Excel 365

Not available in: Excel 2003 and earlier

Content last reviewed: December 9, 2025
Update frequency: As needed
Excel versions tested: Excel 2007+, Excel 2010+, Excel 2013+, Excel 2016+, Excel 2019+, Excel 365