How to Count Words and Characters Online
Text & Writing · Step-by-step guide · 3 steps · 2 min read
Word Counter tells you how long your text is. It counts words, letters, sentences and more. Use it for essays, posts and forms with a word limit.
Open the Word & Character Counter
In the pictures, orange letters like A show where to look. Each step tells you its letter.
Step 1: Paste or type your text
Click the big text box. Paste your writing or start typing. You do not need to press a button. The numbers change as you type. See A in the picture.
Step 2: Read the numbers
The boxes under the text show your counts. You see words, letters, sentences, paragraphs and lines. You also see how long it takes to read or say your text. See B in the picture.
Step 3: Set a goal if you have a limit
Open Word goal. Type a number in Goal. Then pick Words or Characters. A bar fills up as you write. See C in the picture.
Tips and questions
Does it save my text?
Yes, but only in your own browser. If you close the tab by mistake, your text is still there. Press Restore draft to get it back. Press Clear saved draft to delete it.
How does it work out reading time?
It divides your word count by an average reading speed. So it is only a rough guess. People read at different speeds.
Do spaces count as characters?
The tool shows both numbers. Some sites count spaces and some do not. Use the number your limit asks for.
Can I count words in a Word or PDF file?
Copy the text from the file and paste it in the box. For a PDF, you can get the text out first with the PDF to Word tool.
Privacy
Your text is counted in your browser. It is never sent to us. The saved draft stays on your device.
Try it now
The Word & Character Counter is free. You do not need an account.
Open the Word & Character Counter