diff --git a/frontend/util/util.ts b/frontend/util/util.ts
index 359b1569..994f3ed8 100644
--- a/frontend/util/util.ts
+++ b/frontend/util/util.ts
@@ -255,12 +255,22 @@ function getPrefixedSettings(settings: SettingsType, prefix: string): SettingsTy
     return rtn;
 }
 
+function countGraphemes(str: string): number {
+    if (str == null) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+    // this exists (need to hack TS to get it to not show an error)
+    const seg = new (Intl as any).Segmenter(undefined, { granularity: "grapheme" });
+    return Array.from(seg.segment(str)).length;
+}
+
 export {
     atomWithDebounce,
     atomWithThrottle,
     base64ToArray,
     base64ToString,
     boundNumber,
+    countGraphemes,
     fireAndForget,
     getPrefixedSettings,
     getPromiseState,
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 397338a7..a40e5df0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
         "@storybook/react-vite": "^8.2.9",
         "@storybook/test": "^8.2.9",
         "@types/css-tree": "^2",
+        "@types/debug": "^4",
         "@types/electron": "^1.6.10",
         "@types/node": "^22.5.0",
         "@types/papaparse": "^5",
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@
         "color": "^4.2.3",
         "css-tree": "^2.3.1",
         "dayjs": "^1.11.13",
+        "debug": "^4.3.6",
         "electron-updater": "6.3.4",
         "fast-average-color": "^9.4.0",
         "htl": "^0.3.1",
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index fcca384b..cfde5938 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -3377,7 +3377,7 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"@types/debug@npm:^4.0.0, @types/debug@npm:^4.1.6":
+"@types/debug@npm:^4, @types/debug@npm:^4.0.0, @types/debug@npm:^4.1.6":
   version: 4.1.12
   resolution: "@types/debug@npm:4.1.12"
   dependencies:
@@ -5689,7 +5689,7 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"debug@npm:4, debug@npm:^4.0.0, debug@npm:^4.1.0, debug@npm:^4.1.1, debug@npm:^4.3.1, debug@npm:^4.3.2, debug@npm:^4.3.4, debug@npm:^4.3.5":
+"debug@npm:4, debug@npm:^4.0.0, debug@npm:^4.1.0, debug@npm:^4.1.1, debug@npm:^4.3.1, debug@npm:^4.3.2, debug@npm:^4.3.4, debug@npm:^4.3.5, debug@npm:^4.3.6":
   version: 4.3.6
   resolution: "debug@npm:4.3.6"
   dependencies:
@@ -11721,6 +11721,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@tanstack/react-table": "npm:^8.20.1"
     "@types/color": "npm:^3.0.6"
     "@types/css-tree": "npm:^2"
+    "@types/debug": "npm:^4"
     "@types/electron": "npm:^1.6.10"
     "@types/node": "npm:^22.5.0"
     "@types/papaparse": "npm:^5"
@@ -11743,6 +11744,7 @@ __metadata:
     color: "npm:^4.2.3"
     css-tree: "npm:^2.3.1"
     dayjs: "npm:^1.11.13"
+    debug: "npm:^4.3.6"
     electron: "npm:^32.0.1"
     electron-builder: "npm:^24.13.3"
     electron-updater: "npm:6.3.4"