Google Docs is a free online word processing application for creating and editing documents, collaborating with others, and accessing your files from anywhere. One feature Google Docs offers is the ability to see the word count of your documents or selected text. This article will show you how to check the word count in Google Docs on desktop and mobile.
Word count is essential to ensure you meet the maximum word count for an assignment, report, or essay. Additionally, you may want to check the readability and clarity of your writing by analyzing the average words per sentence, characters per word, or syllables per word. Knowing your word count can help you achieve your writing goals and improve your writing skills.
To see the word count in Google Docs, you can use the built-in tool, a keyboard shortcut, add-ons, or extensions. We'll explain each of these methods in detail, but before that, let's compare the word count in Google Docs and Microsoft Word.
Differences between word count in Microsoft Word and Google Docs
Regardless of whether you're using Google Docs or Microsoft Word, one common task users may need to perform is checking the word count of their documents or selected text. However, there are some key operational differences between the two word processing applications.
- One difference is that Google Docs doesn't include headers, footers, and footnotes in its word count, while Microsoft Word does. This means that if you have text in these areas, Google Docs won't count it, but Microsoft Word will.
- Another difference is that Google Docs allows you to view the word count as you type, while Microsoft Word does not. This feature can be useful if you want to track your word count as you type.
If you want to learn more, check out our in-depth article on: Google Docs vs Microsoft Word OnlineLet's start with the steps you need to start tracking word count in Google Docs.
How to see word count in Google Docs on desktop
Tracking the word count of a document on your desktop is very simple. Moreover, there are multiple ways to do it. Let's check them all out.
1. Use the menu bar
This is one of the most common ways to enable word count in Google Docs. Follow these steps.
Step 1: Open Google Docs On your favorite browser and go to the document Your.
Note: If you have Google Docs installed as a web app or you're using ChromeOS, launch it, navigate to the document file, and open it.
Step 2: Once opened The document, Click Menu "tools" in the toolbar.
Step 3: From the drop-down menu, choose Number of words.
You will see a pop-up window showing details such as the current number of pages, words, characters, and "Characters excluding pages."
Step 4: [Optional] If you want to see the word count as you type, check the box that says “Display word count as you type.”
Step 5: Click OK.
That's it. Now you know the character count of the document you're working on.
2. Use shortcut keys
As the name suggests, this method is no different from the methods above, except that you skip the part about clicking on the toolbar and selecting options. Here's how:
Step 1: Go to Google Docs From your favorite browser, go to the document Related.
Step 2: Once you reach the document, tap Keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + C on the system Windows Or Command + Shift + C on Windows Poppy.
There you go. You've enabled word counting for your desktop document. If the word count isn't enough, you can use add-ons or extensions to improve the functionality.
3. Use add-ons
There are several add-ons available on the Google Workspace Marketplace; our recommended one is Word Counter Max. This add-on allows you to track the number of words in a document, the number of words you write per day, or set a target word count for your writing.
Furthermore, you can also customize it and specify which types of words will be excluded from the count. We already have a guide on that. Using add-ons in Google Docs; you can refer to it and use this add-on.
Furthermore, check out some of the Awesome writer-friendly add-ons for Google Docs If you are a writer.
4. Use Chrome extensions
As with add-ons, there are several add-ons available for tracking words in a document, namely Reverse Word Count, Word Counter Plus, Counting Characters, etc.
One extension we recommend is Reverse Word Count. As the name suggests, this extension sets a target word count before you start working on a document and displays the number of words remaining until you finish it, the opposite of what the built-in option does.
Additionally, the word counter is conveniently positioned in place of Google's built-in word counter for ease of access and operation. This extension is useful if you're a writer or working with a limited number of words.
How to Find Word Count in Google Docs on Android or iOS
Word count is also available on a mobile device, such as a desktop. The steps are the same for both Android and iOS. For clarity, we're working with Android. Follow along.
Step 1: Launch an app Google Docs and go to the document Where you want to see the word counter.
Step 2: Once the document is open, tap Floating pen icon (edit).
Step 3: in وضع التحرير, Click on three-dot icon in the upper right corner.
Step 4: From the drop-down menu, choose Number of words.
The pop-up window in the upper right corner displays details such as: the words و Characters و "Characters excluding spaces."
There you go. You now know the character count for your Google Docs document. If you're not looking to count the entire document, but rather just a portion of it, read on.
How to find the word count for a specific text in Google Docs
Counting a fraction of a word in Google Docs is simple and (almost) on the same line as checking the total number. Let's get started with the steps.
on the desktop
Step 1: Open Google Docs and go to the document Which you want to check the word count in.
Step 2: Locate Text by clicking pointer And pull it.
You should see the word count for the selected section of the document in the lower-left corner. If the word count isn't visible, follow the steps above and enable the word count option.
On the Google Docs mobile app
Step 1: Launch an app Google Docs On your smartphone and go to the document Which you want to check the word count in.
Step 2: Click on floating pen icon And enter وضع التحرير.
Step 3: in وضع التحريرHighlight the text you want to check the word count for and click Three dots icon.
Step 4: Now, choose Number of words from the dropdown menu.
You will see a pop-up window in the upper right corner showing details like: Words, letters, and “characters excluding spaces.”
That's all. You now know the word count for the selected section of your Google Docs document. If you have further questions, skip to the next section.
FAQ
Q1. Is the word count feature available in Google Sheets or Slides?
The answer: Google Sheets and Google Slides don't offer a word count feature. However, there are some workarounds. One of the easiest ways is to download a Chrome extension like Word Count to see the word count. Another way is to download the presentation as a plain text file, copy and paste the text, and check the word count.
Q2. Does the word count feature work offline?
The answer: Yes, the word count feature works offline in Google Docs. You can follow the steps or methods mentioned in this article to enable the feature and track your word count.
Watch your words
Knowing how to check the word count in Google Docs is helpful. We hope this guide has helped you check the word count in your documents. You can also read How to edit and fill out PDF files in Google Docs.
