Where the word count tool lives in Microsoft Word

The word count feature in Microsoft Word is on the Review tab. Open any document, click Review at the top of the window, and look for the Word Count button — it's usually near the left side of the ribbon. Click it and a box appears showing your total word count, character count, paragraph count, and line count.

If you're using Word on a Mac, the location is the same: Review tab, then Word Count. The box that opens looks identical to the Windows version.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut. On Windows, press Ctrl + Shift + G. On Mac, press Command + Shift + G. This opens the word count box when ready without hunting through the menu.

Key Takeaways

  • Word count appears on the Review tab in the ribbon, or use Ctrl+Shift+G (Windows) or Command+Shift+G (Mac) to open it when ready.
  • The word count box shows total words, characters, paragraphs, and lines — you can leave it open while you work and it updates in real time.
  • Word counts footnotes and endnotes by default, but you can exclude them by unchecking a box in the word count dialog.
  • The status bar at the bottom of the window shows a running word count if you enable it, so you don't have to open the full dialog each time.

Keeping the word count visible while you write

If you're working toward a target word count, you don't have to open the dialog box every few minutes. The word count box itself stays open on top of your document — you can move it around and leave it there while you type. The numbers update automatically as you add or delete text.

Alternatively, enable the word count display in the status bar at the very bottom of your screen. Right-click on the status bar and check the box next to Word Count. Now a live count appears in the bottom left corner of your window at all times. This is faster than opening the dialog if you only need to glance at the total.

What gets counted and what doesn't

By default, Word counts everything in your document: the main text, headers, footers, footnotes, endnotes, and text boxes. If you have footnotes or endnotes and want to exclude them from the count, open the word count dialog and uncheck Include textboxes, footnotes and endnotes. The count updates when ready.

Comments do not count toward your word count, even if they contain text. Tracked changes count as words if they are insertions, but deletions do not count. If you're sharing a document with others and want an accurate count of what will actually appear in the final version, accept or reject all changes first, then check the count.

Why word count matters for privacy-conscious writers

If you're choosing between Word and other editors because of privacy concerns, understanding how Word handles your document data is worth knowing. Word stores metadata about your document — including word count, edit time, and author information — inside the file itself. This metadata can reveal information about your writing habits or document history even if you delete the visible text.

Before sharing a document, open the word count dialog and note what it says. Then use Word's Inspect Document feature (File menu, then Info, then Check for Issues, then Inspect Document) to see what hidden metadata is attached. You can remove author names, timestamps, and tracked changes from there. If privacy is your main concern, this step matters more than the word count feature itself.

Different word counts in different formats

If you save your document as a PDF, Google Docs, or another format, the word count may shift slightly. Word's count is usually accurate for .docx files, but when you convert to PDF or paste into another editor, formatting changes can affect how words are counted. Hyphens, line breaks, and special characters are treated differently depending on the software.

If you're writing to meet a specific word count requirement — for a school assignment, a publication, or a grant — check the word count in the format you're actually submitting. A document that shows 5,000 words in Word might show 4,950 when converted to PDF because of how line breaks are handled. Most institutions accept Word's count as the official number, but it's worth confirming with whoever set the requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Word count hyphenated words as one word or two?

Word counts hyphenated words as one word. "Mother-in-law" counts as one word, not three. This is the standard across most word processors and matches how most style guides define a word.

Can I set a word count goal and have Word warn me when I reach it?

Word does not have a built-in goal feature that alerts you at a target number. You have to monitor the count yourself using the dialog box or status bar. If you need automatic alerts, consider using Google Docs instead — it has a goal-setting feature that notifies you when you hit your target.

Why does my word count change when I accept tracked changes?

Tracked changes that are marked for deletion still count as words until you accept them. Once you accept all changes, deleted text disappears and your word count drops. This is why it's important to finalize your edits before reporting a final word count to someone else.

Does Word count words in headers and footers?

Yes, Word includes headers, footers, footnotes, and endnotes in the total count by default. If your document has a lot of citation notes and you want only the body text counted, uncheck the footnotes and endnotes option in the word count dialog.