How to Split String into List of Characters in Python

To split a string into a list of characters in Python, use the list() function with the string as its argument. This converts each character in the string into an individual element in the list.

Syntax

The syntax to split a string into a list of characters is simple:

• list(string): Converts the string into a list where each character is an element.

python

list_of_chars = list("hello")

Example

This example shows how to split the string "hello" into a list of characters.

python

word = "hello"
chars = list(word)
print(chars)

Output

['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o']

Common Pitfalls

A common mistake is trying to use split() without arguments, which splits by spaces, not characters. Also, using a loop to append characters manually is less efficient.

python

word = "hello"
# Wrong: split() splits by spaces, not characters
chars_wrong = word.split()
print(chars_wrong)  # Output: ['hello']

# Right: use list() to get characters
chars_right = list(word)
print(chars_right)  # Output: ['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o']

Output

['hello']
['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o']

Quick Reference

Use list(string) to get a list of characters from any string quickly and easily.

Method	Description	Example
list(string)	Converts string to list of characters	list("abc") → ['a', 'b', 'c']
string.split()	Splits string by spaces (not characters)	"a b c".split() → ['a', 'b', 'c']

Key Takeaways

Use list(string) to split a string into characters easily.

Do not use split() without arguments to get characters; it splits by spaces.

list() returns each character as a separate list element.

This method works for any string, including empty strings.

Avoid manual loops for splitting characters unless needed for special cases.