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Does Google Docs Have A Word Count?
Whether it’s for work, university or school, it’s often important to know how many words we’ve written in a document. Does Google Docs have a built-in word counter? Let’s investigate…
Even when word count isn’t necessarily important, I often find myself having a little peek at how long my articles are. It helps me measure a number of variables and plan my days, weeks and sometimes even months. For example, if I write around 600 words on a particular topic, I know how many words my next few similar articles will be.
Google Docs has been my go-to word processor since it caught my attention several years ago, and I know full well I’m not the only one. Thanks to its collaborative capabilities, I know that (almost) everybody I work with uses it, except for the few .XLSX files I receive here and there, but Google Drive knows exactly what to do with these anyway.
No matter why we’re writing, whether it’s for work, school or leisure, it’s always nice to know how many words we’ve written. Luckily, with Google Docs, it’s very easy to keep track of how many words we’ve written.
Does Google Docs Have A Built-In Word Counter?
Whether you like to check on your word count every now and then or you want it displayed as you type, Google Docs offers an excellent word count tool that can do both and more.
If you need to keep track of your words in whatever project you’re working on, Google Docs’ word counter is a great tool to have. It eliminates the requirement for a third-party extension to be found and installed.
There are a few ways in which the Google Docs word counter can be accessed. Either by navigating the menus or by using a keyboard shortcut.
There are also a few options, based on your preferences, for how often you want to see your word count, as well as whether you want to see total words in a document or the number of words in a specific section.
From here, we’ll explain exactly how to use and how to make full use of the Google Docs word counting tool.
How To Check How Many Words Are In Entire Document
In Google Docs, you can quickly calculate the total number of words in your document with only a few clicks. Here’s how:
- On you’re usual browser, open your document in Google Docs.
- Select Word count from the Tools option on the top menu bar. Or, in Windows, press Ctrl + Shift + C, and in macOS, press Command + Shift + C.
- The word count for your work shows in a window. It displays the total amount of words, pages, and characters in your document.
- To exit this dialogue box, click ‘OK’.
Check How Many Words Are In A Selected Section
You can use the same procedure to discover the word count for a paragraph, a sentence, or any other chosen text in Google Docs.
- Using your mouse or keyboard selection keys, pick the text for which you wish to get the word count.
- Select Word count from the Tools option at the top.
- The popup that displays now states X of Y words, where X is the total number of words in your document and Y is the number of words in your selected text.
How To Keep The Word Count Display On Screen
A real-time word counter is available in Google Docs to add to your document editing screen. You won’t have to access the Tools menu every time you want to view the word count if you have this tracker activated.
In Google Docs, here’s how to turn on the on-screen word counter:
- Select Word count from the Tools option at the top.
- Check the option that says “Display word count when typing.”
- The word count in Google Docs is displayed in the lower-left corner.
When you close the document, the word counter display will be deactivated again and you will need to turn it back on each time you open the document if desired.
Other Useful Tools In Google Docs
Alongside the handy word counter, there are many more helpful tools in Google Docs that can increase your productivity while trying to get your work done. Here are a few more, just in case you weren’t aware:
Dictionary
Google Docs has its own built-in dictionary that can be viewed on the same screen while you’re typing so that you don’t have to leave the document to check how to spell those tough words.
Simply right-click on the term you want to define and select “Define” from the menu bar. The definition of the highlighted word will appear on the side of your screen.
Transferring Formatting
This tool allows you to use the same formatting throughout different areas of your text. While you copy text from another source into a Google Doc, for example, you may run into formatting difficulties when inserting the context into your page. You can copy formatting from one portion of your document and apply it to the copied content in this situation.
To accomplish this, select the text with the format you wish to duplicate and click on “Paint Format” in the toolbar at the top of your screen. Once it’s turned on, your cursor will turn into a paint roller, indicating that the format has been duplicated. Next, choose the portion you wish to edit.
Voice Typing
If, unlike me, you’re an articulate speaker, the Google Docs voice typing tool can help you get your work done much faster.
You may use your device’s microphone to dictate in Google Docs utilising the Voice typing function. If you don’t like typing or have trouble with it, this function is an excellent choice.
Click Tools from the toolbar at the top of the page to activate ‘Voice typing.’ To begin voice typing, choose Voice typing from the dropdown menu and then click the microphone icon that displays.