Does Google Docs show word count automatically?

Not by default. You either open Tools > Word count (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+C) or enable 'Display word count while typing' inside that dialog to pin a live count to the bottom-left of the document.

Can I see word count on the Google Docs mobile app?

Yes. Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right and choose 'Word count'. The figure is shown for the whole document; selecting text first shows the count for that selection.

How do I count words in only part of a document?

Highlight the text first, then open the word-count dialog. The pop-up shows two columns — selection and total — so you can spot how much weight one section carries.

Does Google Docs count characters too?

Yes. The same Tools > Word count dialog shows characters with and without spaces, page count, and word count in one view.

Guide

How to check word count in Google Docs

Three ways to see word count in Google Docs — desktop, mobile, and a live always-on counter. Plus how to count words inside a selection.

Desktop: keyboard shortcut

The fastest path. Open your document and press Ctrl + Shift + C on Windows or Cmd + Shift + C on Mac. The Word count dialog shows pages, words, characters, and characters without spaces.

Desktop: menu

If the shortcut conflicts with another tool, go to Tools → Word count. Same dialog, same numbers.

Live counter while typing

Open the Word count dialog, tick Display word count while typing, then click OK. A small live counter pins to the bottom-left of the document and updates as you edit. Click it to switch between word, character, and page counts.

Mobile (iOS and Android)

Open the doc in the Google Docs app, tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, and choose Word count. The figure covers the whole document; highlight a section first if you only want a partial count.

Counting a selection

Highlight any text, then open Word count by shortcut or menu. The dialog shows two columns: your selection on the left and the full document on the right — handy for checking that an abstract or summary fits its limit.

When you need more than count

Google Docs covers the basics. For reading time, keyword density, sentence and paragraph counts, or to count text you haven't yet pasted into a Doc, our online word counter runs entirely in your browser — no upload, no signup.

Frequently asked questions

Does Google Docs show word count automatically?: Not by default. You either open Tools > Word count (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+C) or enable 'Display word count while typing' inside that dialog to pin a live count to the bottom-left of the document.
Can I see word count on the Google Docs mobile app?: Yes. Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right and choose 'Word count'. The figure is shown for the whole document; selecting text first shows the count for that selection.
How do I count words in only part of a document?: Highlight the text first, then open the word-count dialog. The pop-up shows two columns — selection and total — so you can spot how much weight one section carries.
Does Google Docs count characters too?: Yes. The same Tools > Word count dialog shows characters with and without spaces, page count, and word count in one view.