diff --git a/app/javascript/packs/userProfileSettings.js b/app/javascript/packs/userProfileSettings.js
index 7847e0805..a0ba5164b 100644
--- a/app/javascript/packs/userProfileSettings.js
+++ b/app/javascript/packs/userProfileSettings.js
@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@ const profileFields = document.querySelectorAll('[id^="profile["]');
 export function fieldCharacterLimits() {
   profileFields.forEach((node) => {
     const field = document.getElementById(node.id);
-    const fieldValueLength = field.value.length;
+    const fieldValueLength = [...field.value].length; // 😀 counts as 1
     const fieldCharacterSpan = document.getElementById(
       field.dataset.characterSpanId,
     );
+    // TODO: [yheuhtozr] make the entire fraction into one i18n string
     fieldCharacterSpan.innerHTML = fieldValueLength;
   });
 
@@ -16,8 +17,9 @@ export function fieldCharacterLimits() {
       return;
     }
 
-    document.getElementById(event.target.dataset.characterSpanId).innerHTML =
-      event.target.value.length;
+    document.getElementById(event.target.dataset.characterSpanId).innerHTML = [
+      ...event.target.value,
+    ].length;
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/app/views/users/_profile.html.erb b/app/views/users/_profile.html.erb
index 874a0ae24..1bec0a1e0 100644
--- a/app/views/users/_profile.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/users/_profile.html.erb
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
                       aria: { describedby: "url-description" },
                       data: { character_span_id: "url-characters" } %>
       <p id="url-description" class="crayons-field__description align-right">
-        <span class="screen-reader-only">Available characters used: </span>
+        <span class="screen-reader-only"><%= t("views.settings.characters") %></span>
         <span id="url-characters"></span>/100
       </p>
     </div>
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
                        aria: { describedby: "location-description" },
                        data: { character_span_id: "location-characters" } %>
       <p id="location-description" class="crayons-field__description align-right">
-        <span class="screen-reader-only">Available characters used: </span>
+        <span class="screen-reader-only"><%= t("views.settings.characters") %></span>
         <span id="location-characters"></span>/100
       </p>
     </div>
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@
                       aria: { describedby: "summary-description" },
                       data: { character_span_id: "summary-characters" } %>
       <p id="summary-description" class="crayons-field__description align-right">
-        <span class="screen-reader-only">Available characters used: </span>
+        <span class="screen-reader-only"><%= t("views.settings.characters") %></span>
         <span id="summary-characters"></span>/200
       </p>
     </div>
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@
                               data: { character_span_id: "#{field.attribute_name}-characters" },
                               class: "crayons-textfield") %>
             <p id="<%= field.attribute_name %>-description" class="crayons-field__description align-right">
-              <span class="screen-reader-only">Available characters used: </span>
+              <span class="screen-reader-only"><%= t("views.settings.characters") %></span>
               <span id="<%= field.attribute_name %>-characters"></span>/<%= character_count_denominator(field["input_type"]) %>
             </p>
           <% end %>
diff --git a/config/locales/views/settings/en.yml b/config/locales/views/settings/en.yml
index 97ea73c0b..e78c0eca3 100644
--- a/config/locales/views/settings/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/views/settings/en.yml
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ en:
         make: Make primary
         primary: primary
         remove: Remove card
+      characters: "Available characters used: "
       complete:
         heading: Confirm your email to complete your profile.
         desc: While you're at it, go ahead and fill everything out.
diff --git a/config/locales/views/settings/fr.yml b/config/locales/views/settings/fr.yml
index 0272134a7..09c42a1c8 100644
--- a/config/locales/views/settings/fr.yml
+++ b/config/locales/views/settings/fr.yml
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ fr:
         make: Make primary
         primary: primary
         remove: Remove card
+      characters: "Available characters used: "
       complete:
         heading: Confirm your email to complete your profile.
         desc: While you're at it, go ahead and fill everything out.