Google Docs has built-in word counting, but it is buried in a menu and the keyboard shortcut is different on every platform. I spent an embarrassing amount of time early in my writing career checking word count by selecting all text and pasting it into a separate tool because I did not know about the built-in options. Here are all the methods, including when you might want to use an external word counter instead.
The Keyboard Shortcut
On Windows and Chrome OS, press Ctrl+Shift+C. On Mac, press Cmd+Shift+C. This opens a dialog showing word count, character count (with and without spaces), and page count for the entire document. If you have text selected, it shows the count for the selection alongside the full document count.
This is the fastest method and the one I use most often. The dialog appears instantly and disappears when you press Escape or click outside it. No menu navigation required. If you write in Google Docs regularly, memorising this shortcut saves a few seconds every time you need to check your count, which adds up over a full writing session.
The Menu Method
Go to Tools in the menu bar, then click Word count. This opens the same dialog as the keyboard shortcut. The menu path is useful if you forget the shortcut or if you are on a device where keyboard shortcuts behave differently, like some Chromebooks with non-standard keyboard layouts.
The menu also provides access to other tools in the same location, so if you are already in the Tools menu for spell check or preferences, the word count option is right there.
Real-Time Word Count Display
Google Docs can show a persistent word count at the bottom of the document. Open the word count dialog using either method above, then check the box that says "Display word count while typing". A small counter appears in the bottom left corner of the editor showing the current word count. Click it to see the full breakdown including characters and pages.
I keep this enabled on every document where I am writing toward a target word count. It removes the need to repeatedly open the dialog. The counter updates in real time as you type, which is useful for staying aware of your progress without interrupting your writing flow.
One thing to note: the real-time display only shows word count by default. You need to click on it to see character count. If you are writing for a platform with character limits rather than word limits, the real-time display is less useful and you may want a dedicated character counter open alongside your document.
Counting a Selection
To count words in a specific section, highlight the text you want to count, then use either the keyboard shortcut or menu method. The dialog shows two numbers: the count for your selection and the count for the full document. This is useful for checking whether a specific section meets a length requirement without counting the entire document.
For example, if you are writing a blog post with a 300-word introduction requirement, highlight just the introduction and check the count. The selection count updates each time you open the dialog with new text selected, so you can quickly check multiple sections in sequence.
What Google Docs Counts (and What It Does Not)
Google Docs counts hyphenated words as one word. "Well-known" counts as one word, not two. This matches the convention used by most publishers and academic institutions, but it differs from some other word counters that treat hyphens as word separators.
Numbers count as words. "2025" is one word. "January 15 2025" is three words. URLs count as one word regardless of length because they contain no spaces. Headers, footers, and footnotes are included in the total count. Text inside tables is included. Text inside images or drawings is not counted.
Google Docs does not count words in comments or suggested edits. If you are collaborating on a document with track changes, the word count reflects the current state of the document, not the suggested changes. This is usually what you want, but be aware of it if someone has suggested large additions or deletions that have not been accepted yet.
When Google Docs Count Differs from Other Tools
If you copy text from Google Docs and paste it into the word counter on this site, you might get a slightly different number. The differences come from how each tool handles edge cases: hyphenated words, em dashes with no spaces, URLs, numbers with units, and special characters. These differences are usually small, within one or two percent of the total count.
The discrepancy matters when you are writing to an exact word limit, like a 500-word essay submission. Different counting tools give different results, and the tool your evaluator uses is the one that matters. If you are submitting academic work, check which word counter your institution uses and match your count to that tool. For most other purposes, the difference between tools is not significant enough to worry about.
One situation where an external word counter genuinely helps is when you need metrics that Google Docs does not provide. The word count dialog shows words, characters, and pages. It does not show sentence count, paragraph count, average sentence length, or reading time. If these metrics matter for your writing, paste the text into a tool that provides them. The word counter on this site shows all of these alongside the standard word and character counts.
Mobile Word Count
On the Google Docs mobile app for Android and iOS, tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner, then tap Word count. The same information appears: words, characters with spaces, and characters without spaces. There is no keyboard shortcut on mobile, and the real-time display feature is not available in the mobile app.
Mobile word counting is slower and less convenient than desktop. If you write extensively on mobile, consider keeping a browser tab open with the word counter for quick checks without navigating through menus each time.