---
title: "width(_:)"
framework: swift
role: symbol
role_heading: Type Method
path: "swift/unicode/utf8/width(_:)"
---

# width(_:)

Returns the number of code units required to encode the given Unicode scalar.

## Declaration

```swift
static func width(_ x: Unicode.Scalar) -> Int
```

## Parameters

- `x`: A Unicode scalar value.

## Return Value

Return Value The width of x when encoded in UTF-8, from 1 to 4.

## Discussion

Discussion Because a Unicode scalar value can require up to 21 bits to store its value, some Unicode scalars are represented in UTF-8 by a sequence of up to 4 code units. The first code unit is designated a lead byte and the rest are continuation bytes. let anA: Unicode.Scalar = "A" print(anA.value) // Prints "65" print(UTF8.width(anA)) // Prints "1"

let anApple: Unicode.Scalar = "🍎" print(anApple.value) // Prints "127822" print(UTF8.width(anApple)) // Prints "4"