How to Easily Check Word Count on Google Docs – Step by Step Guide

As a writer, it is imperative that you keep track of the number of words you have written to ensure that your work is the appropriate length. In the past, the only method available for counting the number of words was to do so manually. However, thanks to advances in technology, word processors today come equipped with word counters already installed. One of the most widely used word processors, Google Docs, is equipped with an in-built word counter that makes keeping track of the word count much simpler.

What is Google Docs?

Free to use and accessible through the web, Google Docs is a word processor that is a component of the Google Workspace suite of productivity tools. Users have the ability to create, modify, and collaborate on documents online with the help of Google Docs. The built-in word counter that is included in Google Docs is one of its most notable features since it enables authors to monitor the total amount of words that are used in the papers that they create.

How to View Word Count in Google Docs

When using Google Docs, you may examine the word count in a number of different ways. Here are three different approaches:

Using the Built-in Word Counter

Utilising the built-in word counter in Google Docs is by far the simplest and most widely used method for viewing the word count of a document. To accomplish this, just follow these easy steps:

1. Open the document you want to check the word count for.
2. Click on “Tools” in the top menu bar.
3. Click on “Word Count” in the dropdown menu that appears.
4. A small window will appear displaying the number of words, characters, and pages in the document.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Google Docs accommodates users who want to work using keyboard shortcuts in a variety of ways. Here is how to view the word count using shortcuts on your keyboard:

1. Press “Ctrl + Shift + C” (Windows) or “Command + Shift + C” (Mac).
2. A small window will appear displaying the number of words, characters, and pages in the document.

Using the “Tools” Menu

Using the “Tools” menu is yet another option for viewing the word count of a document. How to do it:

1. Open the document you want to check the word count for.
2. Click on “Tools” in the top menu bar.
3. Click on “Word Count” in the dropdown menu that appears.
4. A small window will appear displaying the number of words, characters, and pages in the document.

How to Track Word Count in Real-Time

Those who are required to achieve particular word count standards can benefit from keeping an eye on the word count in real time. Users are able to monitor their word count in real time thanks to a function that is available in Google Docs. This is the procedure to follow:

Enabling Real-Time Word Count

1. Open the document you want to enable real-time word count for.
2. Click on “Tools” in the top menu bar.
3. Click on “Word Count” in the dropdown menu that appears.
4. Check the box next to “Display word count while typing.”

Changing the word count settings

Users can also adjust the word count settings to track specific sections of a document. How to do it:

1. Open the document you want to change the word count settings for.
2. Click on “Tools” in the top menu bar.
3. Click on “Word Count” in the dropdown menu that appears.
4. Under “Word Count Settings,” check the box next to “Count paragraphs as separate items.”
5. Click on “OK.”

How to Count Specific Sections in a Document

You might want to count particular document portions in various circumstances. Google Docs offers two options for doing this:

Highlighting Specific Sections

By highlighting the area you want to count, you can count individual sections of a document. This is how:

1. Select the section you want to count.
2. Look at the word count displayed at the bottom of the document window. This will show the word count for the selected section.

Using the “Navigation Pane”

Using the “Navigation Pane” is an additional method for counting particular portions. This is how:

1. Click on “View” in the top menu bar.
2. Click on “Show document outline” in the dropdown menu that appears.
3. The “Navigation Pane” will appear on the left-hand side of the screen.
4. Click on the dropdown arrow next to “Body” to expand the outline.
5. Click on the section you want to count.
6. Look at the word count displayed in the “Navigation Pane.” This will show the word count for the selected section.

Conclusion

In conclusion, keeping track of the number of words you’ve written is an essential component of writing, and the integrated word counter in Google Docs makes it simple to do so. Writers can keep track of the number of words they have written in their publications and ensure that they are the appropriate length by employing the strategies that are detailed in this article. A further feature that contributes to Google Docs’ utility as a tool for writers is the capacity to monitor the word count in real time and to count specific portions.

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