respect smaz encoding in message byte length calculation.

lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart

@@ -2994,13 +2994,7 @@ class MeshCoreConnector extends ChangeNotifier {
     _pendingChannelSentQueue.add(message.messageId);
     notifyListeners();
 
-    final trimmed = text.trim();
+    final outboundText = prepareChannelOutboundText(channel.index, text);
-    final isStructuredPayload =
-        trimmed.startsWith('g:') || trimmed.startsWith('m:');
-    final outboundText =
-        (isChannelSmazEnabled(channel.index) && !isStructuredPayload)
-        ? Smaz.encodeIfSmaller(text)
-        : text;
     await _waitForRadioQuiet(lastInboundRxTime: _lastChannelMsgRxTime);
     await sendFrame(
       buildSendChannelTextMsgFrame(channel.index, outboundText),
@@ -4452,6 +4446,16 @@ class MeshCoreConnector extends ChangeNotifier {
     return text;
   }
 
+  String prepareChannelOutboundText(int channelIndex, String text) {
+    final trimmed = text.trim();
+    final isStructuredPayload =
+        trimmed.startsWith('g:') || trimmed.startsWith('m:');
+    if (!isStructuredPayload && isChannelSmazEnabled(channelIndex)) {
+      return Smaz.encodeIfSmaller(text);
+    }
+    return text;
+  }
+
   String _channelDisplayName(int channelIndex) {
     for (final channel in _channels) {
       if (channel.index != channelIndex) continue;

lib/helpers/utf8_length_limiter.dart

@@ -4,8 +4,14 @@ import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
 
 class Utf8LengthLimitingTextInputFormatter extends TextInputFormatter {
   final int maxBytes;
+  final String Function(String)? encoder;
 
-  const Utf8LengthLimitingTextInputFormatter(this.maxBytes);
+  const Utf8LengthLimitingTextInputFormatter(this.maxBytes, {this.encoder});
+
+  int _effectiveByteLength(String text) {
+    final effective = encoder != null ? encoder!(text) : text;
+    return utf8.encode(effective).length;
+  }
 
   @override
   TextEditingValue formatEditUpdate(
@@ -13,8 +19,7 @@ class Utf8LengthLimitingTextInputFormatter extends TextInputFormatter {
     TextEditingValue newValue,
   ) {
     if (maxBytes <= 0) return oldValue;
-    final bytes = utf8.encode(newValue.text);
+    if (_effectiveByteLength(newValue.text) <= maxBytes) return newValue;
-    if (bytes.length <= maxBytes) return newValue;
 
     final truncated = _truncateToMaxBytes(newValue.text, maxBytes);
     return TextEditingValue(
@@ -25,6 +30,14 @@ class Utf8LengthLimitingTextInputFormatter extends TextInputFormatter {
   }
 
   String _truncateToMaxBytes(String text, int limit) {
+    if (encoder != null) {
+      final runes = text.runes.toList();
+      while (runes.isNotEmpty &&
+          _effectiveByteLength(String.fromCharCodes(runes)) > maxBytes) {
+        runes.removeLast();
+      }
+      return String.fromCharCodes(runes);
+    }
     final buffer = StringBuffer();
     var used = 0;
     for (final rune in text.runes) {

lib/screens/channel_chat_screen.dart

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import 'package:provider/provider.dart';
 import '../connector/meshcore_connector.dart';
 import '../utils/platform_info.dart';
 import '../helpers/chat_scroll_controller.dart';
+import '../helpers/smaz.dart';
 import '../connector/meshcore_protocol.dart';
 import '../helpers/gif_helper.dart';
 import '../helpers/reaction_helper.dart';
@@ -1099,6 +1100,10 @@ class _ChannelChatScreenState extends State<ChannelChatScreen> {
                       focusNode: _textFieldFocusNode,
                       hintText: context.l10n.chat_typeMessage,
                       onSubmitted: (_) => _sendMessage(),
+                      encoder:
+                          connector.isChannelSmazEnabled(widget.channel.index)
+                          ? Smaz.encodeIfSmaller
+                          : null,
                       decoration: InputDecoration(
                         hintText: context.l10n.chat_typeMessage,
                         border: OutlineInputBorder(
@@ -1194,7 +1199,11 @@ class _ChannelChatScreenState extends State<ChannelChatScreen> {
     }
 
     final maxBytes = maxChannelMessageBytes(connector.selfName);
-    if (utf8.encode(messageText).length > maxBytes) {
+    final outboundText = connector.prepareChannelOutboundText(
+      widget.channel.index,
+      messageText,
+    );
+    if (utf8.encode(outboundText).length > maxBytes) {
       showDismissibleSnackBar(
         context,
         content: Text(context.l10n.chat_messageTooLong(maxBytes)),

lib/screens/chat_screen.dart

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import 'package:latlong2/latlong.dart';
 import '../connector/meshcore_connector.dart';
 import '../connector/meshcore_protocol.dart';
 import '../helpers/reaction_helper.dart';
+import '../helpers/smaz.dart';
 import '../widgets/message_status_icon.dart';
 import '../helpers/chat_scroll_controller.dart';
 import '../helpers/gif_helper.dart';
@@ -573,6 +574,12 @@ class _ChatScreenState extends State<ChatScreen> {
                     focusNode: _textFieldFocusNode,
                     hintText: context.l10n.chat_typeMessage,
                     onSubmitted: (_) => _sendMessage(connector),
+                    encoder:
+                        connector.isContactSmazEnabled(
+                          widget.contact.publicKeyHex,
+                        )
+                        ? Smaz.encodeIfSmaller
+                        : null,
                     decoration: InputDecoration(
                       hintText: context.l10n.chat_typeMessage,
                       border: OutlineInputBorder(
@@ -674,7 +681,11 @@ class _ChatScreenState extends State<ChatScreen> {
       }
     }
     final maxBytes = maxContactMessageBytes();
-    if (utf8.encode(outgoingText).length > maxBytes) {
+    final outboundText = connector.prepareContactOutboundText(
+      _resolveContact(connector),
+      outgoingText,
+    );
+    if (utf8.encode(outboundText).length > maxBytes) {
       showDismissibleSnackBar(
         context,
         content: Text(context.l10n.chat_messageTooLong(maxBytes)),

lib/widgets/byte_count_input.dart

@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ class ByteCountedTextField extends StatelessWidget {
   /// Whether to hide the counter when the field is empty (default `true`).
   final bool hideCounterWhenEmpty;
 
+  /// Optional encoder function to transform text before byte counting/limiting.
+  /// If provided, byte limits and counters will use the encoded text length.
+  final String Function(String)? encoder;
+
   const ByteCountedTextField({
     super.key,
     required this.maxBytes,
@@ -64,6 +68,7 @@ class ByteCountedTextField extends StatelessWidget {
     this.warningThreshold = 0.7,
     this.errorThreshold = 0.9,
     this.hideCounterWhenEmpty = true,
+    this.encoder,
   });
 
   @override
@@ -71,7 +76,10 @@ class ByteCountedTextField extends StatelessWidget {
     return ValueListenableBuilder<TextEditingValue>(
       valueListenable: controller,
       builder: (context, value, _) {
-        final usedBytes = utf8.encode(value.text).length;
+        final effectiveText = encoder != null
+            ? encoder!(value.text)
+            : value.text;
+        final usedBytes = utf8.encode(effectiveText).length;
         final ratio = maxBytes > 0 ? usedBytes / maxBytes : 0.0;
         final showCounter = !(hideCounterWhenEmpty && value.text.isEmpty);
 
@@ -90,7 +98,10 @@ class ByteCountedTextField extends StatelessWidget {
               focusNode: focusNode,
               inputFormatters: [
                 ...extraFormatters,
-                Utf8LengthLimitingTextInputFormatter(maxBytes),
+                Utf8LengthLimitingTextInputFormatter(
+                  maxBytes,
+                  encoder: encoder,
+                ),
               ],
               textCapitalization: textCapitalization,
               decoration: