How To Find The Word Count In Microsoft Word

Here, we’ll take a look at how to find the word count in Microsoft word, which allows you to keep track of the number of words in your document. 

When you’re using Microsoft Office to type documents, it’s likely that you don’t need all of the features that Word has to offer. Page numbers, page count, and text boxes can help you organize your writing, but the word count tool is one of the essential tools for keeping track of the length of your Microsoft Word document before and during the proofing process. 

Finding the word count of your entire document is simple. Usually, the word count appears on the lower-left area of the document as you type. If the word count is not visible, click Review on the toolbar, then click word count. After you click word count, the word count dialog box will appear. This box will show you a breakdown of the words and characters used in your document.

Finding The Word Count And Character Count In Word

When you’re trying to hit a specific word count in a Word document, it’s essential that you’re able to keep an eye on your progress. 

Finding the word count in your Word document is usually pretty simple, as you can keep an eye on the status bar in the bottom left area of your Word document. Usually, this is a simple way to watch your word count climb as you complete your work. 

In some versions of Word, you may not be able to see the word count of your document in the bottom left area of the document. In this case, you can use your cursor to click on the review tab in the toolbar of your Word document. This will bring up a pop-up dialogue box that tells you the number of words and the number of characters in your document. 

Usually, Word works the same on a PC as it does on a Mac, but you may have to get used to some slight difference when you switch operating systems (such as looking for the word count and the number of pages in a different place than you’re used to). 

Selected Text

Sometimes, you don’t need to know the word count of an entire document. Instead, you may only need to see the word count of a particular section of selected text. For example, this may be true if you’re only working through a small part of a document at a time and need to hit a specific word count per section (such as a 500-word introduction to a paper). 

Google Docs

Sometimes, it can be easier to work on a document in Google Docs instead of Microsoft Word. There are many similarities between the two programs, but some of the dropdown menu options are different. 

To find the total word count for your work in a Google doc, navigate to the tools option of the menu bar and select word count from the dropdown menu. When you click on the word count option, you’ll get a pop-up box that shows the total number of words in your document. 

You’ll also notice that Google docs offer a helpful option to view the word count of your document as you continue to work. Just like the bottom-left section of a Word document, checking the option to view your word count continuously as you work allows you to keep an eye on how long you have to go before you hit your desired document length. 

Final Word On Where Word is Count In Word

There’s no need to spend tons of time trying to navigate the tools menu to show word count in Microsoft Word. In most cases, the word count is displayed readily (no need to watch fancy tutorials, use apps, or learn keyboard shortcuts to figure out how to see the number of words in your document). 

If you are using Microsoft Word for your writing project, you might be interested in learning how to install Grammarly on Word also. 

FAQ On Where Is Word Count In Word