How to Count Words in Google Docs, Word & More

I check word counts constantly — for essays, articles, social media posts, you name it. And after years of doing this, I've figured out the fastest ways to count words in every tool out there. Some methods are buried in menus you'd never find on your own.

Here's my complete guide to counting words in Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Pages, and when to just use TypeCount instead (which is often the fastest option, honestly).

Google Docs Word Count

Google Docs provides a built-in word counter that's easy to access and includes a live counting option. Here's how to use it:

Method 1: Menu Access

1. Open your document in Google Docs
2. Click Tools in the menu bar
3. Select Word count
4. View your statistics: Pages, Words, Characters, Characters excluding spaces

Method 2: Keyboard Shortcut

• Windows/ChromeOS: Ctrl + Shift + C
• Mac: Cmd + Shift + C

This shortcut instantly opens the word count dialog without navigating through menus.

Enable Live Word Count

Google Docs can display a persistent word counter at the bottom of your document:

1. Open the word count dialog (Tools > Word count)
2. Check the box "Display word count while typing"
3. Click OK

A small counter appears at the bottom left showing your current word count. Click it to see full statistics or toggle between words, pages, and characters.

Count Selected Text Only

To count words in a specific section rather than the entire document:

1. Select the text you want to count
2. Open word count (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + C)
3. View both the selection count and total document count

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word offers multiple ways to check word count, with statistics visible by default in the status bar.

Status Bar (Quickest Method)

Look at the bottom left of your Word window. The word count displays automatically in the status bar. Click on it to see detailed statistics including:

• Pages
• Words
• Characters (with and without spaces)
• Paragraphs
• Lines

Review Tab Method

1. Click the Review tab in the ribbon
2. Click Word Count in the Proofing group
3. View detailed statistics in the dialog

Keyboard Shortcut

Press Ctrl + Shift + G (Windows) to open the Word Count dialog directly.

Count Selected Text

Select any portion of text, and the status bar will show "X of Y words" where X is your selection and Y is the total document.

Enable Readability Statistics

Word can show readability scores alongside word count:

1. Go to File > Options > Proofing
2. Check "Show readability statistics"
3. Run spelling check to see Flesch-Kincaid scores

Apple Pages

Apple Pages for Mac, iPad, and iPhone includes a clean word count feature.

Show Word Count (Mac)

1. Open your document in Pages
2. Go to View menu
3. Select Show Word Count

A counter appears at the bottom of your document. Click it to toggle between:

• Word count
• Character count (with spaces)
• Character count (without spaces)
• Paragraph count
• Page count

Pages on iPad/iPhone

1. Open your document
2. Tap the three dots (...) menu
3. Select Word Count

Count Selected Text

Select text, then view the word count display—it will show the count for your selection.

LibreOffice Writer

LibreOffice Writer is a free, open-source alternative with full word counting capabilities.

Menu Access

1. Open your document in LibreOffice Writer
2. Go to Tools menu
3. Select Word Count

Status Bar

The word count displays in the status bar at the bottom of the window by default. Double-click it to open the full statistics dialog.

Statistics Shown

• Words
• Characters (including spaces)
• Characters (excluding spaces)
• Asian characters and non-whitespace characters

Count Selected Text

Select any text, then check Tools > Word Count to see both the selection count and full document count.

Online Word Counters

Online word counters offer advantages over built-in tools, especially when you need additional features or don't have access to word processing software.

When to Use Online Tools

• Quick paste-and-count: Faster than opening a document editor
• Platform-specific limits: Check if text fits Twitter, LinkedIn, or other platform limits
• SEO analysis: Keyword density, readability scores, meta description checks
• No software needed: Works on any device with a browser
• Multiple metrics: Words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading time all at once

TypeCount Features

Our free word counter offers more than basic counting:

• Real-time word, character, sentence, and paragraph counting
• Platform character limits (Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and more)
• Reading time and speaking time estimates
• Keyword density analyzer for SEO
• Meta description checker
• Privacy-focused: all processing happens in your browser

Tool Comparison

Here's how the word count features compare across different applications:

For a detailed comparison of word counter tools with pros and cons, see our Word Counter Tools Comparison guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check word count in Google Docs?

Go to Tools > Word count or press Ctrl+Shift+C (Windows/ChromeOS) or Cmd+Shift+C (Mac). Enable "Display word count while typing" for a live counter at the bottom of your document that updates as you type.

What is the keyboard shortcut for word count in Google Docs?

The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+C on Windows and ChromeOS, or Cmd+Shift+C on Mac. This opens a dialog showing pages, words, characters, and characters excluding spaces.

Can I see live word count while typing in Google Docs?

Yes, Google Docs offers a live word count feature. Go to Tools > Word count, then check "Display word count while typing." A counter appears at the bottom left that updates in real-time as you write.

How do I count words in Microsoft Word?

The easiest method is clicking the word count in the status bar at the bottom of the window. Alternatively, go to Review tab > Word Count, or press Ctrl+Shift+G. Select text first to count only that selection.

Which word counter tool is most accurate?

All major word processors provide accurate counts. Minor differences occur in handling edge cases like hyphenated words (is "well-known" one word or two?), contractions, and numbers. For consistency, use the same tool throughout your project. Online tools like TypeCount are equally accurate and offer additional features like platform limits and reading time estimates.