Quick answer: Unity TextMeshPro showing clipped text instead of an ellipsis at runtime? The overflow mode reverts to Overflow if auto-size is enabled - disable auto-size or use ForceMeshUpdate.

Inventory label overflows past its container. The TMP component is set to Ellipsis but the runtime text just clips at the rect edge.

Disable auto-size

On the TMP component, uncheck Auto Size. Auto-size and Ellipsis are mutually exclusive at runtime - auto-size silently wins because it has to compute font size first.

Force a mesh update

After setting text programmatically, call text.ForceMeshUpdate(). TMP defers layout to the next frame; a same-frame size check sees the previous mesh.

Constrain the rect

Set Wrapping to Enabled and ensure the parent rect has a hard width. Without a width constraint, TMP grows to fit and never triggers the overflow path.

“TMP layout is deferred. Read after you've forced the update, not before.”

For dynamic labels, prefer LayoutGroup-driven rects. Ellipsis works most reliably when the parent dictates the width.