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In Microsoft Word, the quickest way to see the full document’s word count is to check the status bar at the bottom of the window. If you need a count for only one passage, select that text first. The exact controls vary by platform.
See word count in Word for Windows
- Open the document and look at the status bar along the bottom of the Word window.
- If the count is missing, right-click the status bar and enable Word Count.
- To count a passage, select it. The status bar shows the selected text’s count alongside the document total.
Word updates the count as you type, according to Microsoft’s Word Count guidance.
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See word count in Word for Mac
- Check the status bar at the bottom of the document window.
- Click the displayed word count to open the Word Count box, which includes additional statistics such as characters, lines, and paragraphs.
- To count just part of the document, select the passage first. You can also use Tools > Word Count for selected text.
See word count in Word for the web
- Switch the document to Editing view; the status-bar count may not appear in other views.
- Look at the status bar at the bottom of the window.
- If you want to show or hide the count, select Review > Word Count, then check or clear Show Word Count.
Word for the web supports word count, as does desktop Word, according to Microsoft’s feature comparison.
Find word count in Word on a phone
Microsoft lists word-count support for Word on Android and iOS, and its iPhone feature list includes Word count. Open the document’s ribbon or menu and look for Word Count. The control’s exact location can vary; Microsoft’s reviewed guidance does not establish one tap sequence that works across phone layouts and app versions. If you cannot find the option, your app version or device layout may differ.
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See Microsoft’s Word mobile feature information for its platform support details. A Microsoft guide to navigating Word also describes status-bar statistics and notes that features can roll out gradually.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Count only part of a document
Select the words you want to measure before checking the count. In desktop Word, the status bar displays the selected passage’s count while retaining the full-document total. On Mac, you can also open the Word Count box after selecting the passage. The specific display on other platforms may differ.
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