Gone are the days when writers have to count the number of words in their documents manually. In this digital era, we now have word processors that can do the counting for us. In fact, the de-facto word processor these days, Google Docs, has this feature built in which can be used in more ways than one. Keep on reading to explore the different ways on how to check word count on Google Docs.
Do you know that this feature is not limited to counting the number of words in your document? This feature can also be used to count characters, including or excluding spaces. You can also use a specific text string or exclude certain parts of your document from the count.
Now that you know the versatility of the word count feature in Google Docs, let us proceed to the step-by-step instructions on how to check word count on Google Docs in 5 different ways.
how to check word count on google docs
Follow these steps to check word count in Google Docs:
- Open Google Docs.
- Click "Tools".
- Hover over "Word count".
- Choose counting option.
- Check word count.
- See other stats.
- Use keyboard shortcut.
- Count offline.
These are the steps to check the word count on Google Docs.
Open Google Docs.
To check the word count on Google Docs, you first need to open your document in Google Docs. If you don't already have a Google Docs account, you can create one for free. Once you have an account, you can either create a new document or open an existing one.
To create a new document, click on the "New" button in the top-left corner of the Google Docs homepage. Then, select "Document" from the drop-down menu. This will create a new, blank document.
To open an existing document, click on the "Open" button in the top-left corner of the Google Docs homepage. Then, select "Document" from the drop-down menu. This will open a file browser window. Navigate to the location of your document and select it. The document will then open in Google Docs.
Once your document is open in Google Docs, you are ready to check the word count.
In the next section, we will discuss the different ways to check the word count in Google Docs.
Click "Tools".
Once your document is open in Google Docs, click on the "Tools" menu in the top menu bar. This will open a drop-down menu.
- Locate the "Tools" menu:
The "Tools" menu is located in the top menu bar, between the "File" and "Add-ons" menus.
- Click on the "Tools" menu:
Once you have located the "Tools" menu, click on it to open the drop-down menu.
- Find the "Word count" option:
In the drop-down menu, scroll down until you see the "Word count" option. It is usually located near the bottom of the menu.
- Click on the "Word count" option:
Once you have found the "Word count" option, click on it. This will open a small window that displays the word count of your document.
In the next section, we will discuss the different options available in the "Word count" window.
Hover over "Word count".
In the previous section, we discussed how to open the "Word count" window. Once the window is open, you can hover over the word "Word count" to see more options.
- "Words":
This is the default option and it shows the total number of words in your document, including spaces.
- "Characters":
This option shows the total number of characters in your document, including spaces and punctuation.
- "Characters (no spaces)":
This option shows the total number of characters in your document, excluding spaces.
- "Pages":
This option shows the total number of pages in your document, based on the current page size and margins.
You can also click on the "Options" button in the "Word count" window to see even more options. These options allow you to exclude certain parts of your document from the word count, such as headers, footers, and footnotes.
Choose counting option.
Once you have hovered over the word "Word count" and seen the different options available, you can choose the counting option that you want to use. The default option is "Words", which will count the total number of words in your document, including spaces. However, you can also choose to count characters, characters (no spaces), or pages.
To choose a counting option, simply click on the option that you want to use. The word count will then be updated to reflect the new option.
Here are some examples of when you might want to use a different counting option:
- Characters: You might want to use this option if you are trying to stay within a certain character limit, such as for a social media post or a text message.
- Characters (no spaces): You might want to use this option if you are trying to get an accurate count of the number of characters in your document, without including spaces.
- Pages: You might want to use this option if you are trying to get an idea of how long your document is, or if you are trying to print it out.
Once you have chosen a counting option, you can check the word count of your document at any time by hovering over the word "Word count" in the bottom-left corner of the Google Docs window.
Check word count.
Once you have chosen a counting option, you can check the word count of your document at any time.
- Look in the bottom-left corner of the Google Docs window:
The word count is displayed in the bottom-left corner of the Google Docs window, next to the page number.
- Hover over the word "Word count":
If you hover over the word "Word count", you will see a pop-up window that shows more detailed information about the word count, such as the number of characters, pages, and lines in your document.
- Use the keyboard shortcut:
You can also use the keyboard shortcut "Ctrl + Shift + C" (Windows) or "Cmd + Shift + C" (Mac) to check the word count of your document.
- Check the word count offline:
You can also check the word count of your document offline, even if you don't have an internet connection. To do this, open your document in Google Docs offline. Then, click on the "File" menu and select "Word count".
No matter which method you use, you can easily check the word count of your document in Google Docs.
See other stats.
In addition to the word count, the "Word count" window also displays other statistics about your document, such as the number of characters, pages, and lines. You can also see the average number of words per sentence and the average number of characters per word.
To see these other stats, simply hover over the word "Word count" in the bottom-left corner of the Google Docs window. A pop-up window will appear that shows the following information:
- Words: The total number of words in your document, including spaces.
- Characters: The total number of characters in your document, including spaces and punctuation.
- Characters (no spaces): The total number of characters in your document, excluding spaces.
- Pages: The total number of pages in your document, based on the current page size and margins.
- Lines: The total number of lines in your document.
- Average words per sentence: The average number of words in each sentence in your document.
- Average characters per word: The average number of characters in each word in your document.
These statistics can be helpful for getting a better understanding of the length and complexity of your document. For example, if you are trying to write a document that is a certain length, you can use the word count to track your progress. Or, if you are trying to write a document that is easy to read, you can use the average words per sentence and average characters per word statistics to make sure that your sentences are not too long or too complex.
Use keyboard shortcut.
If you want to quickly check the word count of your document without having to hover over the word "Word count" or open the "Word count" window, you can use the keyboard shortcut "Ctrl + Shift + C" (Windows) or "Cmd + Shift + C" (Mac).
- Press "Ctrl + Shift + C" (Windows) or "Cmd + Shift + C" (Mac):
This will open a small window that displays the word count of your document.
- The word count will be displayed in the window:
The window will also show the number of characters, pages, and lines in your document.
- Click on the "Close" button to close the window:
Once you are finished viewing the word count, you can click on the "Close" button to close the window.
- You can also use the keyboard shortcut to check the word count of selected text:
To do this, select the text that you want to count and then press "Ctrl + Shift + C" (Windows) or "Cmd + Shift + C" (Mac). The word count of the selected text will be displayed in the window.
The keyboard shortcut is a quick and easy way to check the word count of your document or selected text.
Count offline.
You can also check the word count of your document offline, even if you don't have an internet connection. To do this, you need to open your document in Google Docs offline.
To open your document in Google Docs offline, follow these steps:
- Open Google Docs:
If you don't already have Google Docs open, open it now.
- Click on the "File" menu:
The "File" menu is located in the top-left corner of the Google Docs window.
- Select "Make available offline":
This option is located near the bottom of the "File" menu.
- Click on the "OK" button:
A pop-up window will appear. Click on the "OK" button to confirm that you want to make your document available offline.
Once you have made your document available offline, you can check the word count by following these steps:
- Open your document in Google Docs offline:
To do this, open Google Docs and then click on the "File" menu. Select "Open" and then navigate to the location of your document. Double-click on the document to open it.
- Click on the "Tools" menu:
The "Tools" menu is located in the top menu bar.
- Hover over "Word count":
A pop-up window will appear that shows the word count of your document.
You can also use the keyboard shortcut "Ctrl + Shift + C" (Windows) or "Cmd + Shift + C" (Mac) to check the word count of your document offline.
FAQ
Do you have more questions about how to check word count on Google Docs? Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers:
Question 1: How do I check the word count of my document in Google Docs?
Answer 1: To check the word count of your document in Google Docs, open the "Tools" menu and hover over "Word count". A pop-up window will appear that shows the word count of your document.
Question 2: Can I check the word count of selected text?
Answer 2: Yes, you can check the word count of selected text. To do this, select the text that you want to count and then press "Ctrl + Shift + C" (Windows) or "Cmd + Shift + C" (Mac). The word count of the selected text will be displayed in a pop-up window.
Question 3: How do I check the word count of my document offline?
Answer 3: To check the word count of your document offline, you need to make your document available offline. To do this, open the "File" menu and select "Make available offline". Once your document is available offline, you can check the word count by opening the document in Google Docs offline and then hovering over "Word count" in the "Tools" menu.
Question 4: What other statistics can I see about my document?
Answer 4: In addition to the word count, you can also see the number of characters, pages, and lines in your document. You can also see the average number of words per sentence and the average number of characters per word.
Question 5: Can I use a keyboard shortcut to check the word count?
Answer 5: Yes, you can use the keyboard shortcut "Ctrl + Shift + C" (Windows) or "Cmd + Shift + C" (Mac) to check the word count of your document. This will open a pop-up window that shows the word count of your document.
Question 6: How do I exclude certain parts of my document from the word count?
Answer 6: To exclude certain parts of your document from the word count, you can use the "Options" button in the "Word count" window. This will allow you to exclude headers, footers, footnotes, and other elements from the word count.
Closing Paragraph for FAQ:
These are just a few of the most frequently asked questions about how to check word count on Google Docs. If you have any other questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.
Now that you know how to check the word count on Google Docs, here are a few tips for using this feature effectively:
Tips
Here are a few tips for using the word count feature in Google Docs effectively:
Tip 1: Set a word count goal:
If you are writing a document that needs to be a certain length, you can use the word count feature to set a goal for yourself. This will help you stay on track and avoid writing too much or too little.
Tip 2: Use the word count feature to track your progress:
The word count feature can be a helpful way to track your progress on a writing project. As you write, you can check the word count to see how much more you need to write to reach your goal.
Tip 3: Use the keyboard shortcut to quickly check the word count:
If you want to quickly check the word count of your document without having to open the "Word count" window, you can use the keyboard shortcut "Ctrl + Shift + C" (Windows) or "Cmd + Shift + C" (Mac).
Tip 4: Exclude certain parts of your document from the word count:
If you have certain parts of your document that you don't want to include in the word count, such as headers, footers, or footnotes, you can use the "Options" button in the "Word count" window to exclude them.
Closing Paragraph for Tips:
These are just a few tips for using the word count feature in Google Docs effectively. By following these tips, you can use this feature to improve your writing process and create better documents.
Now that you know how to use the word count feature in Google Docs, you can use it to improve your writing process and create better documents.
Conclusion
The word count feature in Google Docs is a valuable tool that can help you improve your writing process and create better documents. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily check the word count of your document, see other statistics about your document, and even exclude certain parts of your document from the word count.
Whether you are writing a short blog post or a long research paper, the word count feature can be a helpful way to stay on track and make sure that your document is the right length. So, next time you are working on a document in Google Docs, take advantage of the word count feature and see how it can help you improve your writing.
Happy writing!