diff --git a/ui.h b/ui.h
index 40aea949..773341d2 100644
--- a/ui.h
+++ b/ui.h
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ _UI_EXTERN void uiEntrySetText(uiEntry *e, const char *text);
 _UI_EXTERN void uiEntryOnChanged(uiEntry *e, void (*f)(uiEntry *e, void *data), void *data);
 _UI_EXTERN int uiEntryReadOnly(uiEntry *e);
 _UI_EXTERN void uiEntrySetReadOnly(uiEntry *e, int readonly);
+_UI_EXTERN void uiEntrySetWidthChars(uiEntry *e, int nchars);
 _UI_EXTERN uiEntry *uiNewEntry(void);
 _UI_EXTERN uiEntry *uiNewPasswordEntry(void);
 _UI_EXTERN uiEntry *uiNewSearchEntry(void);
diff --git a/ui_windows.h b/ui_windows.h
index 69dda366..bd848c15 100644
--- a/ui_windows.h
+++ b/ui_windows.h
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ struct uiWindowsSizing {
 };
 _UI_EXTERN void uiWindowsGetSizing(HWND hwnd, uiWindowsSizing *sizing);
 _UI_EXTERN void uiWindowsSizingDlgUnitsToPixels(uiWindowsSizing *sizing, int *x, int *y);
+_UI_EXTERN void uiWindowsSizingCharsToPixels(uiWindowsSizing *sizing, int *x, int width_chars);
 _UI_EXTERN void uiWindowsSizingStandardPadding(uiWindowsSizing *sizing, int *x, int *y);
 
 // TODO document
diff --git a/unix/entry.c b/unix/entry.c
index 4a9a1d04..af779a3f 100644
--- a/unix/entry.c
+++ b/unix/entry.c
@@ -95,3 +95,8 @@ uiEntry *uiNewSearchEntry(void)
 {
 	return finishNewEntry(gtk_search_entry_new(), "search-changed");
 }
+
+void uiEntrySetWidthChars(uiEntry *e, int nchars)
+{
+	gtk_entry_set_width_chars(e->entry, nchars);
+}
diff --git a/windows/entry.cpp b/windows/entry.cpp
index a7a077f2..dd017c80 100644
--- a/windows/entry.cpp
+++ b/windows/entry.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ struct uiEntry {
 	void (*onChanged)(uiEntry *, void *);
 	void *onChangedData;
 	BOOL inhibitChanged;
+	int width_chars;
 };
 
 static BOOL onWM_COMMAND(uiControl *c, HWND hwnd, WORD code, LRESULT *lResult)
@@ -47,6 +48,9 @@ static void uiEntryMinimumSize(uiWindowsControl *c, int *width, int *height)
 	y = entryHeight;
 	uiWindowsGetSizing(e->hwnd, &sizing);
 	uiWindowsSizingDlgUnitsToPixels(&sizing, &x, &y);
+	if (e->width_chars > 0) {
+		uiWindowsSizingCharsToPixels(&sizing, &x, e->width_chars);
+	}
 	*width = x;
 	*height = y;
 }
@@ -107,6 +111,8 @@ static uiEntry *finishNewEntry(DWORD style)
 	uiWindowsRegisterWM_COMMANDHandler(e->hwnd, onWM_COMMAND, uiControl(e));
 	uiEntryOnChanged(e, defaultOnChanged, NULL);
 
+	e->width_chars = 0;
+
 	return e;
 }
 
@@ -132,3 +138,8 @@ uiEntry *uiNewSearchEntry(void)
 	// TODO will hr be S_OK if themes are disabled?
 	return e;
 }
+
+void uiEntrySetWidthChars(uiEntry *e, int nchars)
+{
+	e->width_chars = nchars;
+}
diff --git a/windows/sizing.cpp b/windows/sizing.cpp
index 33cc00b9..2db4171b 100644
--- a/windows/sizing.cpp
+++ b/windows/sizing.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ void uiWindowsSizingDlgUnitsToPixels(uiWindowsSizing *sizing, int *x, int *y)
 		*y = dlgUnitsToY(*y, sizing->BaseY);
 }
 
+void uiWindowsSizingCharsToPixels(uiWindowsSizing *sizing, int *x, int width_chars)
+{
+	if (x != NULL)
+		*x = sizing->BaseX * width_chars;
+}
+
 // from https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dn742486.aspx#sizingandspacing and https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb226818%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
 // this X value is really only for buttons but I don't see a better one :/
 #define winXPadding 4