Thank you august! (Post)

This is the code that I ended up with which works:

#define MAX_LENGTH 20

- (BOOL)textField:(UITextField *)textField shouldChangeCharactersInRange:(NSRange)range replacementString:(NSString *)string
{
    if (textField.text.length >= MAX_LENGTH && range.length == 0)
    {
        return NO; // return NO to not change text
    }
    else
    {return YES;}
}

To complete August answer, a possible implementation of the proposed function (see UITextField's delegate).

I did not test domness code but mine do not get stuck if the user reached the limit and it is compatible with a new string that comes replacing a smaller or equal one.

-(BOOL)textField:(UITextField *)textField shouldChangeCharactersInRange:(NSRange)range replacementString:(NSString *)string {
    //limit the size :
    int limit = 20;
    return !([textField.text length]>limit && [string length] > range.length);
}

You can't do this directly - UITextField has no maxLength attribute, but you can set the UITextField's delegate, then use:

- (BOOL)textField:(UITextField *)textField shouldChangeCharactersInRange:(NSRange)range replacementString:(NSString *)string

The best way would be to set up a notification on the text changing. In your -awakeFromNib of your view controller method you'll want:

[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self selector:@selector(limitTextField:) name:@"UITextFieldTextDidChangeNotification" object:myTextField];

Then in the same class add:

- (void)limitTextField:(NSNotification *)note {
    int limit = 20;
    if ([[myTextField stringValue] length] > limit) {
        [myTextField setStringValue:[[myTextField stringValue] substringToIndex:limit]];
    }
}

Then link up the outlet myTextField to your UITextField and it will not let you add any more characters after you hit the limit. Be sure to add this to your dealloc method:

[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] removeObserver:self name:@"UITextFieldTextDidChangeNotification" object:myTextField];

Use below extension to set the maximum character length of a UITextField and UITextView.

Swift 4.0

    private var kAssociationKeyMaxLength: Int = 0
    private var kAssociationKeyMaxLengthTextView: Int = 0
    extension UITextField {


        @IBInspectable var maxLength: Int {
            get {
                if let length = objc_getAssociatedObject(self, &kAssociationKeyMaxLength) as? Int {
                    return length
                } else {
                    return Int.max
                }
            }
            set {
                objc_setAssociatedObject(self, &kAssociationKeyMaxLength, newValue, .OBJC_ASSOCIATION_RETAIN)
                addTarget(self, action: #selector(checkMaxLength), for: .editingChanged)
            }
        }

        @objc func checkMaxLength(textField: UITextField) {
            guard let prospectiveText = self.text,
                prospectiveText.count > maxLength
                else {
                    return
            }

            let selection = selectedTextRange

            let indexEndOfText = prospectiveText.index(prospectiveText.startIndex, offsetBy: maxLength)
            let substring = prospectiveText[..<indexEndOfText]
            text = String(substring)

            selectedTextRange = selection
        }
    }

UITextView

extension UITextView:UITextViewDelegate {


        @IBInspectable var maxLength: Int {
            get {
                if let length = objc_getAssociatedObject(self, &kAssociationKeyMaxLengthTextView) as? Int {
                    return length
                } else {
                    return Int.max
                }
            }
            set {
                self.delegate = self

                objc_setAssociatedObject(self, &kAssociationKeyMaxLengthTextView, newValue, .OBJC_ASSOCIATION_RETAIN)
            }
        }

        public func textViewDidChange(_ textView: UITextView) {
            checkMaxLength(textField: self)
        }
        @objc func checkMaxLength(textField: UITextView) {
            guard let prospectiveText = self.text,
                prospectiveText.count > maxLength
                else {
                    return
            }

            let selection = selectedTextRange

            let indexEndOfText = prospectiveText.index(prospectiveText.startIndex, offsetBy: maxLength)
            let substring = prospectiveText[..<indexEndOfText]
            text = String(substring)

            selectedTextRange = selection
        }
    }

You can set limit below.

Swift 3 version //***** This will NOT work with Swift 2.x! *****//

First create a new Swift file : TextFieldMaxLength.swift, and then add the code below:

import UIKit

private var maxLengths = [UITextField: Int]()

extension UITextField {

   @IBInspectable var maxLength: Int {

      get {

          guard let length = maxLengths[self] 
             else {
                return Int.max
      }
      return length
   }
   set {
      maxLengths[self] = newValue
      addTarget(
         self,
         action: #selector(limitLength),
         for: UIControlEvents.editingChanged
      )
   }
}
func limitLength(textField: UITextField) {
    guard let prospectiveText = textField.text,
        prospectiveText.characters.count > maxLength
    else {
        return
    }

   let selection = selectedTextRange
   let maxCharIndex = prospectiveText.index(prospectiveText.startIndex, offsetBy: maxLength)
   text = prospectiveText.substring(to: maxCharIndex)
   selectedTextRange = selection
   }
}

and then you will see in Storyboard a new field (Max Length) when you select any TextField

if you still have more questions check out this link: http://www.globalnerdy.com/2016/05/18/ios-programming-trick-how-to-use-xcode-to-set-a-text-fields-maximum-length-visual-studio-style/

Swift 4

func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
    guard let text = textField.text else { return true }
    let newLength = text.count + string.count - range.length
    return newLength <= 10
}

I give a supplementary answer based on @Frouo. I think his answer is the most beautiful way. Becuase it's a common control we can reuse.

private var kAssociationKeyMaxLength: Int = 0

extension UITextField {

    @IBInspectable var maxLength: Int {
        get {
            if let length = objc_getAssociatedObject(self, &kAssociationKeyMaxLength) as? Int {
                return length
            } else {
                return Int.max
            }
        }
        set {
            objc_setAssociatedObject(self, &kAssociationKeyMaxLength, newValue, .OBJC_ASSOCIATION_RETAIN)
            self.addTarget(self, action: #selector(checkMaxLength), for: .editingChanged)
        }
    }

    func checkMaxLength(textField: UITextField) {

        guard !self.isInputMethod(), let prospectiveText = self.text,
            prospectiveText.count > maxLength
            else {
                return
        }

        let selection = selectedTextRange
        let maxCharIndex = prospectiveText.index(prospectiveText.startIndex, offsetBy: maxLength)
        text = prospectiveText.substring(to: maxCharIndex)
        selectedTextRange = selection
    }

    //The method is used to cancel the check when use Chinese Pinyin input method.
    //Becuase the alphabet also appears in the textfield when inputting, we should cancel the check.
    func isInputMethod() -> Bool {
        if let positionRange = self.markedTextRange {
            if let _ = self.position(from: positionRange.start, offset: 0) {
                return true
            }
        }
        return false
    }

}

What about this simple approach. Its working fine for me.

extension UITextField {

    func  charactersLimit(to:Int) {

        if (self.text!.count > to) {
            self.deleteBackward()
        }
    }
}

Then:

someTextField.charactersLimit(to:16)

now how many characters u want just give values

 - (BOOL)textField:(UITextField *)textField shouldChangeCharactersInRange:(NSRange)range   replacementString:(NSString *)string {
     NSUInteger newLength = [textField.text length] + [string length] - range.length;
     return (newLength > 25) ? NO : YES;
  }

You can also do this using NotificationCenter in Swift 4

NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(self.handleTextChange(recognizer:)), name: NSNotification.Name.UITextFieldTextDidChange, object: yourTextField)

    @objc func handleTextChange(recognizer: NSNotification) {
            //max length is 50 charater max
            let textField = recognizer.object as! UITextField

            if((textField.text?.count)! > 50) {
                let newString: String? = (textField.text as NSString?)?.substring(to: 50)
                textField.text = newString

            }         
        }

Swift 4.2 and UITextFieldDelegate method

This works for me and limits the textfield to have a max input of 8 characters. Hopefully NSRange will eventually be changed to Range but for now I am happy to use NSString as creating a Range from NSRange involves dealing with another optional.

func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
    let text = textField.text ?? ""
    let nsString = text as NSString
    let newText = nsString.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: string)
    return newText.count <= 8
}

Working in Swift 5.2:

 class AngListVC: UIViewController, UITextFieldDelegate {

    @IBOutlet weak var angTextField: UITextField!

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        angTextField.delegate = self
        angTextField.addTarget(self, action: #selector(textFieldDidChange(_:)), for: .editingChanged)
      
    }

   func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
           let userText =  angTextField.text ?? ""
           var newText = ""
           if range.length > 0 {
               let txt = NSString(string: userText)
               if txt.length > 0 {
                   newText = txt.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: "")
               }
           } else {
               newText = userText + ""
           }
           return newText.count <= 3
       }

@objc func textFieldDidChange(_ textField: UITextField) {
        print("textFieldDidChange")
   }

For Swift 5

Add this extension of UITextfield and then select a textfield and check attribute inspector

private var __maxLengths = [UITextField: Int]()

extension UITextField {
    @IBInspectable var maxLength: Int {
        get {
            guard let l = __maxLengths[self] else {
               return 150 // (default int limit)
            }
            return l
        }
        set {
            __maxLengths[self] = newValue
            addTarget(self, action: #selector(setMaxLength), for: .editingChanged)
        }
    }

    @objc func setMaxLength(textField: UITextField) {
        let t = textField.text
        textField.text = t?.prefix(maxLength).description
    }
}

Swift 4.2+

By implementing UITextFieldDelegate method

1. ViewController:

   class MyViewController: UIViewController {
   
       let MAX_LENGTH = 256
   
       @IBOutlet weak var myTextField: UITextField!
   
       override viewDidLoad() {
           self.myTextField.delegate = self
       }
   }
   

2. Delegate:

   extension MyViewController: UITextFieldDelegate {
   
       func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
           let userText =  textView.text ?? ""
           var newText = ""
           if range.length > 0 {
               let txt = NSString(string: userText)
               if txt.length > 0 {
                   newText = txt.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: text)
               }
           } else {
               newText = userText + text
           }
           return newText.count <= MAX_LENGTH
       }
   
   }
   

I found this quick and simple

- (IBAction)backgroundClick:(id)sender {
    if (mytext.length <= 7) {
        [mytext resignFirstResponder];
    } else {
        UIAlertView *alert = [[UIAlertView alloc] initWithTitle:@"Too Big" 
                                                        message:@"Please Shorten Name"
                                                       delegate:nil 
                                              cancelButtonTitle:@"Cancel"
                                              otherButtonTitles:nil];
        [alert show];
        [alert release];
    }
}