diff --git a/PyMemoryEditor/macos/process.py b/PyMemoryEditor/macos/process.py
index fdb816a..70518cf 100644
--- a/PyMemoryEditor/macos/process.py
+++ b/PyMemoryEditor/macos/process.py
@@ -312,9 +312,11 @@ def write_process_memory(
         :param pytype: type of value to be written (bool, int, float, str, bytes).
         :param bufflength: value size in bytes. Optional — defaults to ``None``,
             which uses the default width for numeric types (int→4, float→8,
-            bool→1) and writes the exact encoded length for ``str`` / ``bytes``.
-            Since it is optional, pass ``value`` by keyword when omitting it
-            (``write_process_memory(addr, str, value="hi")``).
+            bool→1) and writes the whole value for ``str`` / ``bytes``. For
+            ``str`` / ``bytes`` an explicit value is a *maximum* that truncates
+            the value (``str`` counts characters, ``bytes`` counts bytes) and
+            never pads. Since it is optional, pass ``value`` by keyword when
+            omitting it (``write_process_memory(addr, str, value="hi")``).
         :param value: value to be written.
         """
         self.__require_open()
diff --git a/PyMemoryEditor/process/abstract.py b/PyMemoryEditor/process/abstract.py
index d81623f..7d7792f 100644
--- a/PyMemoryEditor/process/abstract.py
+++ b/PyMemoryEditor/process/abstract.py
@@ -376,15 +376,15 @@ def write_process_memory(
 
             * For numeric types (int, float, bool) it is the exact write width;
               leave it as ``None`` to use the default — int→4, float→8, bool→1.
-            * For ``str`` / ``bytes`` it is a *minimum* field width, not a hard
-              cap. The whole value is always written: if its encoded form is
-              longer than ``bufflength`` every byte is still written (so
-              ``write(addr, str, 3, "olá")`` writes all 4 UTF-8 bytes instead
-              of raising — you may count characters, not bytes). If it is
-              shorter, the field is NUL-padded up to ``bufflength`` (handy to
-              clear a fixed-size buffer). ``None`` (the default) writes exactly
-              the encoded length. ``str`` is encoded as UTF-8; no NUL terminator
-              is appended.
+            * For ``str`` / ``bytes`` it is a *maximum* width that truncates the
+              value; it never pads. For a ``str`` the cap counts **characters**,
+              applied before UTF-8 encoding, so multibyte characters are never
+              split: ``write(addr, str, 2, "óólá")`` keeps ``"óó"`` and writes
+              its 4 bytes, while ``write(addr, str, 2, "ola")`` writes ``b"ol"``.
+              For ``bytes`` the cap counts **bytes**. A value shorter than the
+              cap is written as-is (no NUL padding). ``None`` (the default)
+              writes the whole value. ``str`` is encoded as UTF-8; no NUL
+              terminator is appended.
         :param value: value to be written. Required — since ``bufflength`` is
             now optional, pass it by keyword when omitting ``bufflength``::
 
@@ -574,11 +574,11 @@ def write_string(
         — useful when overwriting a longer string in place so :meth:`read_string`
         stops where you intend rather than reading the stale tail.
 
-        Multi-byte characters are handled correctly — the field grows to the
-        encoded byte length, so you never have to count bytes yourself.
-        Returns ``text``. For a fixed-width / NUL-padded field, call
-        :meth:`write_process_memory` with ``pytype=str`` and an explicit
-        ``bufflength`` instead.
+        Multi-byte characters are handled correctly — the whole string is
+        encoded and written, so you never have to count bytes yourself.
+        Returns ``text``. To cap the write to a maximum number of characters,
+        call :meth:`write_process_memory` with ``pytype=str`` and an explicit
+        ``bufflength`` instead (it truncates, it does not pad).
         """
         payload = text + "\x00" if null_terminator else text
         self.write_process_memory(address, str, None, payload)
diff --git a/PyMemoryEditor/util/convert.py b/PyMemoryEditor/util/convert.py
index 702a38e..0b1f2c0 100644
--- a/PyMemoryEditor/util/convert.py
+++ b/PyMemoryEditor/util/convert.py
@@ -115,17 +115,18 @@ def prepare_write(
       value via :func:`get_c_type_of` exactly as before.
 
     * **str / bytes** — the value is encoded to raw bytes (UTF-8 for ``str``)
-      and routed through the ``bytes`` path. Here ``bufflength`` is a
-      *minimum* field width, not a hard cap:
-
-      - the **whole** value is always written, even when its encoded form is
-        longer than ``bufflength`` — so ``write(addr, str, 3, "olá")`` writes
-        all 4 UTF-8 bytes instead of raising ``ValueError`` because the caller
-        counted characters, not bytes;
-      - when the encoded form is **shorter** than ``bufflength`` the buffer is
-        NUL-padded up to it, which lets you clear a fixed-size field
-        (``write(addr, str, 16, "AB")`` writes ``b"AB"`` + 14 zero bytes);
-      - ``bufflength=None`` writes exactly the encoded length.
+      and routed through the ``bytes`` path. Here ``bufflength`` is a *maximum*
+      width that truncates the value; it never pads:
+
+      - for a ``str`` value the cap counts **characters**, applied *before*
+        encoding — ``write(addr, str, 2, "óólá")`` keeps ``"óó"`` and writes
+        its 4 UTF-8 bytes, while ``write(addr, str, 2, "ola")`` keeps ``"ol"``
+        and writes 2 bytes;
+      - for a ``bytes`` value the cap counts **bytes** (there are no
+        characters) — ``write(addr, bytes, 2, b"abc")`` writes ``b"ab"``;
+      - a value shorter than the cap is written as-is, with no NUL padding —
+        ``write(addr, str, 10, "ola")`` writes just ``b"ola"`` (3 bytes);
+      - ``bufflength=None`` writes the whole value (no cap).
 
     The caller is expected to return its *original* ``value`` to the user, so
     this routing through ``bytes`` stays invisible at the public API.
@@ -138,15 +139,23 @@ def prepare_write(
     _validate_pytype(pytype)
 
     if pytype is str or pytype is bytes:
-        raw = value.encode("utf-8") if isinstance(value, str) else value
-        if not isinstance(raw, (bytes, bytearray)):
+        if isinstance(value, str):
+            # str: bufflength caps the number of *characters*, applied before
+            # encoding so multi-byte characters are never split mid-sequence.
+            if bufflength is not None:
+                value = value[:bufflength]
+            raw = value.encode("utf-8")
+        elif isinstance(value, (bytes, bytearray)):
+            # bytes: bufflength caps the number of *bytes*.
+            raw = bytes(value)
+            if bufflength is not None:
+                raw = raw[:bufflength]
+        else:
             raise TypeError(
                 "value must be str or bytes when pytype is str/bytes, got %s."
                 % type(value).__name__
             )
-        raw = bytes(raw)
-        width = len(raw) if bufflength is None else max(bufflength, len(raw))
-        return bytes, width, raw.ljust(width, b"\x00")
+        return bytes, len(raw), raw
 
     return pytype, resolve_bufflength(pytype, bufflength), value
 
diff --git a/docs/api/openprocess.md b/docs/api/openprocess.md
index 7256b27..05b27e3 100644
--- a/docs/api/openprocess.md
+++ b/docs/api/openprocess.md
@@ -111,11 +111,12 @@ with OpenProcess(
    :param Type pytype: one of the five supported types.
    :param int bufflength: value size in bytes. **Optional** (defaults to
       ``None``): numeric types fall back to their default width and ``str`` /
-      ``bytes`` write the exact encoded length. For ``str`` / ``bytes`` a value
-      *larger* than the data is a *minimum* width — the whole value is always
-      written, and the extra space zero-pads the field. Because it is optional,
-      pass ``value`` by keyword when omitting it (``write_process_memory(addr,
-      int, value=9999)``).
+      ``bytes`` write the whole value. For ``str`` / ``bytes`` an explicit value
+      is a *maximum* width that truncates the value and never pads — ``str``
+      counts characters (applied before UTF-8 encoding, so multibyte characters
+      are never split), ``bytes`` counts bytes. Because it is optional, pass
+      ``value`` by keyword when omitting it (``write_process_memory(addr, int,
+      value=9999)``).
    :param value: the value to write.
    :returns: the written value.
 ```
diff --git a/docs/guide/read-write.md b/docs/guide/read-write.md
index ca749c5..d9d58cb 100644
--- a/docs/guide/read-write.md
+++ b/docs/guide/read-write.md
@@ -96,11 +96,12 @@ with OpenProcess(process_name="notepad.exe") as process:
 ```{admonition} Writing text? Count characters, not bytes.
 :class: tip
 
-For `str` / `bytes` writes, `bufflength` is just a **minimum** width — your
-value is always written in full. So `write_process_memory(addr, str, 3, "olá")`
-writes all of `"olá"` even though the `á` takes 2 bytes (4 bytes total): you can
-think in characters and never worry about UTF-8 byte math. Pass a *larger*
-size to clear a fixed-size field (the extra space is zero-filled).
+For `str` writes, `bufflength` is a **maximum** number of *characters* — the
+value is truncated to that many characters and then encoded, so you never have
+to do UTF-8 byte math. `write_process_memory(addr, str, 2, "óólá")` writes just
+`"óó"` (4 bytes), and `write_process_memory(addr, str, 3, "olá")` keeps all of
+`"olá"` whole. A shorter value is written as-is (no padding); pass `None` to
+write the whole string. For `bytes`, the cap counts bytes instead.
 ```
 
 ### Method signature
@@ -113,9 +114,10 @@ size to clear a fixed-size field (the extra space is zero-filled).
    :param Type pytype: one of ``bool``, ``int``, ``float``, ``str``, ``bytes``.
    :param int bufflength: value size in bytes. **Optional** — defaults to
       ``None``, which uses the default width for numeric types and writes the
-      exact encoded length for ``str`` / ``bytes``. Since it is optional, pass
-      ``value`` by keyword when you omit it: ``write_process_memory(addr, int,
-      value=9999)``.
+      whole value for ``str`` / ``bytes``. For ``str`` / ``bytes`` an explicit
+      value is a *maximum* that truncates (``str`` counts characters, ``bytes``
+      counts bytes) and never pads. Since it is optional, pass ``value`` by
+      keyword when you omit it: ``write_process_memory(addr, int, value=9999)``.
    :param value: the value to write.
    :return: the written value.
 ```
diff --git a/tests/test_write_str_bytes_width.py b/tests/test_write_str_bytes_width.py
index 1df42ea..3905cf4 100644
--- a/tests/test_write_str_bytes_width.py
+++ b/tests/test_write_str_bytes_width.py
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@
 Tests for the ``str`` / ``bytes`` write-width semantics of
 ``write_process_memory`` (see ``util.convert.prepare_write``).
 
-``bufflength`` is a *minimum* field width for these types, not a hard cap:
-the whole value is always written (counting characters, not bytes, must not
-raise), shorter values NUL-pad up to ``bufflength``, and ``None`` writes
-exactly the encoded length.
+``bufflength`` is a *maximum* width for these types that truncates the value
+and never pads: for ``str`` the cap counts characters (applied before UTF-8
+encoding, so multibyte characters are never split), for ``bytes`` it counts
+bytes, shorter values are written as-is, and ``None`` writes the whole value.
 """
 
 import ctypes
@@ -36,19 +36,32 @@ def process():
 # --- prepare_write unit tests (platform-independent) -------------------- #
 
 
-def test_prepare_write_multibyte_grows_to_fit():
-    """"olá" is 3 characters but 4 UTF-8 bytes — width must grow, not raise."""
-    pytype, length, raw = prepare_write(str, 3, "olá")
+def test_prepare_write_caps_by_characters_not_bytes():
+    """The cap counts characters: "óólá" capped at 2 keeps "óó" (4 UTF-8 bytes)."""
+    pytype, length, raw = prepare_write(str, 2, "óólá")
     assert pytype is bytes
+    assert raw == "óó".encode("utf-8")
     assert length == 4
+
+
+def test_prepare_write_multibyte_within_cap_kept_whole():
+    """"olá" is 3 characters (4 bytes); cap of 3 keeps it whole, never splits."""
+    pytype, length, raw = prepare_write(str, 3, "olá")
+    assert pytype is bytes
     assert raw == "olá".encode("utf-8")
+    assert length == 4
 
 
-def test_prepare_write_pads_up_to_bufflength():
+def test_prepare_write_truncates_to_char_cap():
+    assert prepare_write(str, 3, "ola") == (bytes, 3, b"ola")
+    assert prepare_write(str, 2, "ola") == (bytes, 2, b"ol")
+
+
+def test_prepare_write_shorter_than_cap_is_not_padded():
     pytype, length, raw = prepare_write(str, 16, "AB")
     assert pytype is bytes
-    assert length == 16
-    assert raw == b"AB" + b"\x00" * 14
+    assert length == 2
+    assert raw == b"AB"
 
 
 def test_prepare_write_none_uses_encoded_length():
@@ -58,9 +71,9 @@ def test_prepare_write_none_uses_encoded_length():
     assert raw == "héllo".encode("utf-8")
 
 
-def test_prepare_write_bytes_grows_and_pads():
-    assert prepare_write(bytes, 2, b"\x01\x02\x03\x04") == (bytes, 4, b"\x01\x02\x03\x04")
-    assert prepare_write(bytes, 4, b"\x01\x02") == (bytes, 4, b"\x01\x02\x00\x00")
+def test_prepare_write_bytes_caps_by_bytes():
+    assert prepare_write(bytes, 2, b"\x01\x02\x03\x04") == (bytes, 2, b"\x01\x02")
+    assert prepare_write(bytes, 4, b"\x01\x02") == (bytes, 2, b"\x01\x02")
     assert prepare_write(bytes, None, b"\x01\x02") == (bytes, 2, b"\x01\x02")
 
 
@@ -88,11 +101,19 @@ def test_prepare_write_rejects_missing_value():
 def test_write_multibyte_string_does_not_raise(process):
     """The headline case: counting characters must not raise on multibyte."""
     buffer = ctypes.create_string_buffer(8)
-    # 3 characters, 4 bytes — would have raised ValueError before.
+    # 3 characters, 4 bytes — the cap counts characters, so it stays whole.
     assert process.write_process_memory(ctypes.addressof(buffer), str, 3, "olá") == "olá"
     assert process.read_string(ctypes.addressof(buffer), 8) == "olá"
 
 
+def test_write_caps_string_to_char_count(process):
+    """A string longer than the cap is truncated by character count."""
+    buffer = ctypes.create_string_buffer(8)
+    assert process.write_process_memory(ctypes.addressof(buffer), str, 2, "óólá") == "óólá"
+    # Only the first 2 characters ("óó", 4 bytes) reach memory.
+    assert process.read_string(ctypes.addressof(buffer), 4) == "óó"
+
+
 def test_write_returns_original_value_not_bytes(process):
     """str writes must return the original str, not the routed-through bytes."""
     buffer = ctypes.create_string_buffer(16)
@@ -101,17 +122,19 @@ def test_write_returns_original_value_not_bytes(process):
     assert isinstance(result, str)
 
 
-def test_write_pads_fixed_field(process):
-    """Writing a short string into a wider field clears the trailing bytes."""
+def test_write_shorter_than_cap_does_not_pad(process):
+    """A string shorter than the cap writes only its own bytes — no padding."""
     buffer = (ctypes.c_uint8 * 8)(*([0xFF] * 8))
     process.write_process_memory(ctypes.addressof(buffer), str, 8, "AB")
-    assert process.read_bytes(ctypes.addressof(buffer), 8) == b"AB" + b"\x00" * 6
+    # Only the 2 written bytes change; the rest keep their previous value.
+    assert process.read_bytes(ctypes.addressof(buffer), 8) == b"AB" + b"\xff" * 6
 
 
-def test_write_bytes_round_trip_grows(process):
+def test_write_bytes_capped_to_bufflength(process):
     buffer = (ctypes.c_uint8 * 4)()
     process.write_process_memory(ctypes.addressof(buffer), bytes, 2, b"\xde\xad\xbe\xef")
-    assert process.read_bytes(ctypes.addressof(buffer), 4) == b"\xde\xad\xbe\xef"
+    # Only the first 2 bytes are written; the rest stay zero.
+    assert process.read_bytes(ctypes.addressof(buffer), 4) == b"\xde\xad\x00\x00"
 
 
 # --- bufflength is now optional: value may be passed by keyword ---------- #