How to Check Word Count in Microsoft Word (4 Easy Ways)

Why Word Count Matters in Word

If you write essays, reports, or client work in Microsoft Word, you will run into a word limit sooner or later. A teacher asks for 1,000 words. A client pays per 500 words. A job application says "300 words or less." Word has a built-in counter, so you do not need an add-on or a separate app. Below are four easy ways to check it, from fastest to most detailed.

Method 1: The Status Bar (Fastest)

The fastest way is the status bar at the bottom of the Word window. It shows a live word count that updates as you type, for example "1,243 words."

Steps:

1. Look at the bottom-left of the Word window for the word count.
2. If you cannot see it, right-click anywhere on the status bar and tick Word Count in the menu that appears.
3. That is it. The count stays visible while you work, so you can watch it grow.

This is the best option for everyday writing, because you never have to open a menu or a dialog.

Method 2: The Word Count Dialog (Most Detailed)

When you need more than a single number, open the Word Count dialog. It breaks the count down into pages, words, characters with spaces, characters without spaces, paragraphs, and lines.

Steps:

1. Go to the Review tab.
2. Click Word Count in the Proofing group.
3. Read the full breakdown in the dialog, then click Close.

Tip: The dialog has a checkbox called "Include textboxes, footnotes and endnotes." By default, Word leaves those out of the count. Tick the box if your limit is supposed to include them, for example when footnotes are part of an academic paper.

Method 3: Count Selected Text Only

Sometimes you need the count for one section, not the whole document. For example, you may need to know if a single chapter is under its limit.

Steps:

1. Select the text you want to count by dragging over it.
2. Look at the status bar. It will now show something like "214 of 1,243 words." The first number is your selection, the second is the whole document.
3. Or open the Review tab, Word Count dialog, and it will show the count for the selection only.

This works for any selection, from a single sentence to several pages.

Method 4: Word for the Web and the Mobile App

If you are working in a browser or on your phone, you still get a count, but the full dialog is only in desktop Word.

In Word for the web, the status bar at the bottom shows the live word count, just like the desktop app. Clicking it does not open the full breakdown, so for pages, paragraphs, and lines you need desktop Word. In the Word mobile app, the count appears in the status bar or under the Review tools, depending on your device. The number is the same, only the layout changes.

Tip: If you are switching between devices, trust the desktop count for anything official, like an assignment limit, because it is the only one that shows whether footnotes and text boxes are included.

What Word Counts as a Word

As a rule, anything separated by a space counts, including numbers. A hyphenated word counts as one word. Text in headers and footers is included in the main count, but footnotes, endnotes, and text boxes are left out unless you tick the checkbox in the Word Count dialog. If your count looks lower than expected, that checkbox is the first thing to check.

Faster Alternative: Count It Online

If your text is not in Word yet, or you want extra stats like reading time and keyword density, our free online Word Counter counts words and characters as you type. Pair it with the Character Counter when a limit is set in characters instead of words, for example for a social media bio or a meta description. Both tools are free, need no signup, and work right in your browser.