How you check word count on a Mac depends on the app you’re writing in. Microsoft Word and Google Docs show counts instantly, Apple’s Pages has a word count toggle, and apps like TextEdit and Notes don’t show one at all, although there are easy workarounds. This guide covers each app, how to count a selection, and quick options for text anywhere on your Mac.
Quick Answer
- Word for Mac: look at the status bar at the bottom of the window, or choose Tools > Word Count.
- Pages: choose View > Show Word Count.
- Google Docs: press Command + Shift + C.
Microsoft Word for Mac
- Check the word count in the status bar at the bottom left (“1,284 words”).
- Click it, or choose Tools > Word Count (or Review > Word Count), for pages, characters with and without spaces, paragraphs and lines.
- Select text first to count just that part; the status bar shows “250 of 1,284 words.”
If the count is missing, Control-click the status bar and check Word Count. Check Include textboxes, footnotes and endnotes in the dialog for a full count.
Pages
- Choose View > Show Word Count (or click View in the toolbar > Show Word Count).
- The count appears at the bottom of the page.
- Click the arrows on the counter to switch between words, characters (with or without spaces), paragraphs and pages.
Select text to see the count for the selection.
Google Docs
- Press Command + Shift + C, or choose Tools > Word count.
- Check Display word count while typing for a live counter in the lower-left corner.
TextEdit, Notes and Other Apps
TextEdit, Notes and many other apps don’t have a word count. Options:
- Paste into Pages or a Google Doc and check the count there.
- Shortcuts app: create a shortcut with the Count action set to Words, and enable it as a Quick Action in the Services menu so you can right-click selected text and run it.
- Terminal: copy text, then run pbpaste | wc -w to count the words on your clipboard.
- Use a trusted word counter app from the Mac App Store.
Word Count on iPhone and iPad
- Pages: tap ⋯ > Document Options (or the View menu) and turn on Word Count.
- Word: tap the Review tab > Word Count.
- Google Docs: tap ⋮ > Word count.
Why Counts Differ Between Apps
Apps treat hyphenated words, numbers, URLs, footnotes and text boxes differently, so the same text can show slightly different counts. If you have a strict limit, use the app your teacher, editor or submission system uses.
On Windows, see where the word count is in Word.
Related: Get a character count in Word.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the word count include footnotes?
Word lets you include or exclude them; Pages and Google Docs handle them differently. Check the app’s options.
How do I count characters instead of words?
All three apps above show character counts in their word count panels.
Can I see word count for a PDF on a Mac?
Preview doesn’t count words. Copy the text into Pages or Word, or use the Terminal method.
Summary
- Word: status bar or Tools > Word Count.
- Pages: View > Show Word Count.
- Google Docs: Command + Shift + C.
- Other apps: paste into Pages, use Shortcuts, or pbpaste | wc -w.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.