How to Check a Word Count in Microsoft Word

Co-authored by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: July 2, 2024 Tested

VIDEO

Are you looking for an easy way to check the word count in your Microsoft Word document? Word has an easy-to-use, built-in tool that keeps track of your word count in each of its versions, including desktop, mobile or online. This wikiHow article will teach you how to view the word count for a section of text or your entire document in Microsoft Word.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Word for PC or Mac

Download Article

1
Launch Microsoft Word. This can be done by double clicking on the Word icon on your desktop, in your Taskbar (Windows) or Dock (Mac). If you don't see an icon, click on the 'Start" menu in the lower left of your PC's screen. Click on the 'All Programs" drop down and select Microsoft Word.^{[1]
X
Trustworthy Source

Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source}
- On Mac, click on the Launchpad (a gray rocketship) icon in your dock. Type 'Word' in the search bar at the top of the screen.
To open a document, go to the File menu, and then click on Open. A dialog box will appear with a list of available documents.^{[2]
X
Research source}

Advertisement
In the dialog box, navigate to the document you wish to open. Select the document, and once it's highlighted, click on Open in the lower right of the dialog box.
4
Select Tools. Once your document is open, select the Tools menu at the top center of the window.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- This step only applies to a MAC OS.
5
Scroll to Word Count. In the Tools menu dropdown, click on "Word Count."
- If you're not using a Mac, you won't see any Tools heading at the top. In this case, go to the Review tab at the top of your document. Once there, you'll see "Word Count" on the left-hand side of the section.
6
Review your word count. A box will open displaying the number of words, as well as the number of characters, paragraphs, lines and pages, contained in your document.
- In many documents, the word count is displayed live on the left side of the bottom bar of the document window. Click on this word count to get additional information, such as the number of pages and characters.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Finding the Word Count for a Specific Section of Text

Download Article

Click on the beginning of the sentence, paragraph or section of text for which you want a word count.
Drag your cursor to the end of the text section, which should now be highlighted in blue.
Select the Tools menu at the top center of the document window.
4
Click on Word Count. Select Word Count from the Tools menu dropdown. A box displaying the number of words, characters, lines, pages and paragraphs will appear on the screen.
- The word count for a selected portion of text will usually be displayed in the bottom bar of your document.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Word for Mobile

Download Article

On your smartphone or tablet, tap on the Word app to launch it.
The app will usually open the last document you were working on. If not, you will see a list of recently-opened files. Tap on the file you wish to work on.
3
Tap the Edit menu. Once your document is open, tap on the Edit menu (a capital "A" with a pencil icon) on top center of your screen. The Edit menu will open in the bottom half of your screen.
- In Word for iPad, simply tap on the "Review" menu at the top center of the tablet's screen.
Home is located on the left side of the Edit menu bar. This will open a pop-up menu.
The Review menu is near the bottom of the Edit menu pop-up.
6
Tap on "Word Count." Word Count is near the bottom of the Review menu. When you tap it, the number of words, characters and pages in your document will be displayed.
- In Word for iPad, word count is an icon, several lines with the numbers "123" displayed in the upper left, in the main menu bar under the Review menu.
- Highlight a section of text by tapping on it with your fingers, then tap on Word Count to display the number of words in the highlighted portion of your document.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Word Online

Download Article

Navigate to office.live.com and log in with your Microsoft ID and password or choose to use the free version.
2
Open a document. On the left side of your screen, select a recent document.
- If you don't see the document you want to edit, select Open from One Drive or Open from Dropbox in the lower left corner of the window.
Once you have an open document, check the bottom left, side of the document. The word count automatically appears in the lower scroll bar.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How do I select the area to word count in Word 2016?

Community Answer

Highlight the passage; it should show the word count.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 16 Helpful 11
Question

When I am in the header area, Word will not show me a word count. What can I do?

Community Answer

Select all of the words in the header and the word count for the words you highlighted will be displayed in the word count box on the status bar.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 10 Helpful 7
Question

I don't see Word Count in the lower left corner. Why not?

Community Answer

Right click on the status bar and click on "Word Count" so that it has a tick next to it.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 13 Helpful 5

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Read Video Transcript

Tips

To ensure the word count is always visible in your documents, select View from the Preferences menu in the upper left corner of your Mac or PC. The check the box to the left of "Live Word Count."

Thanks
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
On Word for PC/Mac, make sure the Microsoft Word window is fully maximized. Otherwise, the window can be moved within your viewable area, and the Word Count in the lower portion of the document could be hidden.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 2