This article explains how to check the word count of a document in Microsoft Word 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, and Word for Microsoft 365.

What to Know

  • Status bar: Right-click status bar for Customize Status Bar menu > select Word Count to display in bar.Selected text: Highlight desired text > check word count on left side of Word status bar.Word Count window: Select Word Count on status bar, or select Review under Proofing and select Word Count.

View Word Count in the Status Bar

If you don’t see the word count in the status bar:

  • Right-click anywhere on the status bar to display the Customize Status Bar menu.
  • ​
  • View the Word Count to see how many words are in the document.
  • To display the word count in the status bar, select ​Word Count.

Word Count for Selected Text

To view the number of words in a specific sentence, paragraph, or section, select the text. The word count of the selected text displays on the left side of the Word status bar, along with the word count for the entire document. It will say something like 95 of 502 words.

Right-click anywhere on the status bar to display the Customize Status Bar menu.

View the Word Count to see how many words are in the document.

To display the word count in the status bar, select ​Word Count.

To find the word count for several sections at the same time, make the first selection, then hold the Ctrl key while you make the other selections.

The Word Count Window

If you need more than a simple word count, display the Word Count pop-up window, which shows the following information:

  • Number of pagesNumber of wordsNumber of characters (no spaces)Number of characters (with spaces)ParagraphsLines

To open the Word Count window, select the word count on the status bar. Or, go to the Review menu and, in the Proofing group, select Word Count.

To close the Word Count window, select Close or X.

You can opt to include or exclude text boxes, footnotes, and endnotes.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day