Truncate ASCII Data
Keep only the first (or last) N characters of the input. Runs entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
0 chars · 0 lines
Output
The result appears here as you type.
How to use Truncate ASCII Data
- 1. Paste the text to shorten. Enter the string that is too long, whether that is a headline, a filename or a raw data blob. The truncated version appears immediately and tracks every edit you make.
- 2. Set the Length to keep. The Length field is the number of characters that survive. Pick the target limit itself, such as 60 for a title tag, or something smaller if you plan to append an ellipsis yourself.
- 3. Choose Keep from Start or End. Keep from Start preserves the beginning, the usual choice for prose and titles. Keep from End preserves the tail instead, which suits log excerpts and file paths where the final segment matters most.
- 4. Copy the shortened result. Copy the trimmed string from the output pane and drop it into the field that enforced the limit. Rerun with a different Length if the destination turns out to count differently.
When to use Truncate ASCII Data
Truncate ASCII Data cuts a string down to an exact character count, keeping either the head or the tail. Hard limits are everywhere, from 63-character DNS labels to SMS segments to spreadsheet cell caps, and truncating precisely by hand invites off-by-one mistakes this tool simply does not make.
- Meeting an SEO title budget. Search results cut page titles at roughly 60 characters. Truncate your draft to the budget, see where it lands mid-word, and rewrite so the cut falls after a complete phrase.
- Shortening generated identifiers. A build script concatenates branch and commit into names that overflow a 63-character Kubernetes label. Keep the first N characters to fit the limit while preserving the meaningful prefix.
- Keeping the tail of a long path. For a breadcrumb or error display, the end of a deep file path matters more than the drive letter. Switch Keep from to End so the filename and parent folder survive the cut.
- Preparing values for a strict import. A CRM import rejects any field over 100 characters instead of trimming it. Truncate the offending values to exactly 100 first so the whole batch loads without row errors.
Examples
Keep first 3
Input
abcdef
Output
abc
About the Truncate ASCII Data tool
Truncate ASCII Data does its work locally, right in the browser. Keep only the first (or last) N characters of the input. There is no upload step, no queue and no account, and your data never travels over the network.
It belongs to the ASCII Tools collection on EditSafely, a set of 81 small, focused ASCII utilities that share the same instant, private workspace.
You can shape the output with 2 settings, including Length and Keep from, and the result refreshes the moment you change one. A worked example further down the page shows exactly what the tool produces for a real input.
Running locally also makes the tool fast and dependable: results appear as you type or drop a file, there is no server outage that can take it down mid-task, and confidential data can be processed without a second thought.
Frequently asked questions
Does Truncate ASCII Data cost anything?
Yes, it is completely free. All 2,658 tools on EditSafely work without an account, a subscription or usage limits.
Is it safe to paste sensitive or confidential data?
No data leaves your device. The whole tool is JavaScript that runs inside your browser tab, so there is no upload, no server-side processing and no log of what you did. If you disconnect from the internet after the page loads, it keeps working.
How much text can I process at once?
There is no fixed limit. Because the work happens on your own device rather than on a shared server, the practical ceiling is your machine's memory, which comfortably handles inputs far larger than typical online tools allow.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
Nothing to install and no account needed. Open the page in any up-to-date browser, including on a phone or tablet, and the tool is ready.
How do I use the result?
The output panel has a one-click copy button, and you can keep refining the input while you work; the result updates in place as you type.