To count words online: 1) Open a free word counter like WordCountNow.com.au. 2) Copy your text from wherever you are writing. 3) Paste it into the text box. 4) Read your word count, character count, and other stats instantly. No sign-up required.
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Word processors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs have built-in word count tools. So why would you need an online word counter?
Navigate to WordCountNow.com.au or another trusted free word counter in your web browser. No account, sign-in, or payment is needed.
In your document (Word, Google Docs, Notion, email, etc.) press Ctrl+A to select all text, then Ctrl+C to copy it. If you only want part of the document counted, select just that section before copying.
Click inside the text area on the word counter page and press Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V on a Mac) to paste. The counter updates in real time as you paste.
Check the word count, character count (with and without spaces), sentence count, paragraph count, and estimated read time displayed by the tool.
For academic submissions, remove your reference list before pasting if your institution specifies it is excluded. For social media, keep only the post text, not any hashtag-heavy additions you will post separately.
Many writers prefer to type directly into the word counter's text box. The live count updates with every keystroke, so you can write to a target without constantly interrupting yourself to check.
Most Australian universities specify that the reference list, appendices, and figure captions are excluded from the word count. Read your assignment guide carefully. Paste only the included content into the counter. When in doubt, ask your lecturer or tutor.
Text extracted from PDFs can carry hidden characters, broken line breaks, and formatting artefacts that artificially inflate or deflate your word count. Always paste from your authoring application (Word, Google Docs, Pages) for best accuracy.
When you copy a Word document containing tables, the table text is usually included in the paste. If your assignment excludes tables from the word count, remove table content before pasting into the counter.
For high-stakes submissions, always verify using your word processor's built-in count (In Microsoft Word: Review > Word Count; in Google Docs: Tools > Word count). Online counters and Word usually agree within 1–2 words on standard prose.
Rather than checking at the end, many writers paste their draft-in-progress into the counter periodically to track progress. Some word counters let you type directly into the tool for a continuous live count.
Google Docs has a native word count under Tools > Word count (Ctrl+Shift+C). Alternatively, select all (Ctrl+A), copy, and paste into WordCountNow for additional metrics like read time and character count.
Word displays a live word count in the status bar at the bottom of the screen. Click it to see a full breakdown including characters, paragraphs, and lines. To count a selection, highlight the text first; the status bar updates to show the selection's count.
To count words on any web page: press Ctrl+A to select all content, Ctrl+C to copy, then paste into WordCountNow. Note that navigation menus, footers, and sidebars will be included; remove them after pasting for a cleaner article-only count.
Write your caption or post in WordCountNow's text box and watch both the word count and character count simultaneously. This is particularly useful for drafting Instagram captions where you want to stay under 125 visible characters while still getting the word count right for your message.
Go to a free online word counter such as WordCountNow.com.au. Paste or type your text into the text area. The tool instantly displays your word count, character count, sentence count, and paragraph count. No account or payment required.
Yes, for standard prose text. High-quality online word counters use the same whitespace-tokenisation logic as Microsoft Word. Minor differences can arise with URLs, email addresses, hyphenated words, or special characters. For critical submissions, cross-check both tools.
Online word counters count text you paste into them — they cannot read PDF files directly. Open the PDF, select all text (Ctrl+A), copy (Ctrl+C), then paste into the online word counter. Be aware that PDF text extraction can sometimes include formatting artefacts that affect the count.
Yes. Most online word counters, including WordCountNow.com.au, update in real time as you type. Writing directly in the tool gives you a live running count without having to stop and paste from another application.