Word Counter
Type or paste your English text to see word and character counts instantly.
Set a word limit to see how many words you have left. Any text over the limit is highlighted.
All counting happens in your browser. Your text is not sent to a server.
- Words
- 0
- Characters
- 0
- Characters excluding whitespace
- 0
How to use the word counter
Type or paste your text into the editor. Word and character counts update as you type. To count a specific passage, select it in the editor.
Enter your word limit in the “Maximum” field to see how many words you have left or how far over the limit you are. Clear the field to remove the limit.
Use “Copy” to copy all your text, or “Clear” to empty the editor. If you clear your text by mistake, select “Undo” to bring it back. Undo is no longer available after you enter new text.
How words are counted
A group of Latin letters or numbers counts as one word. Spaces, line breaks, and punctuation separate words, but apostrophes and hyphens within a word keep it together.
Numbers with decimal points (3.14) or digit separators (1,234), URLs, email addresses, and abbreviations (U.S.) each count as one word. Text written entirely in Japanese is not included in the word count.
- Full-width Latin letters and numbers count the same as their regular-width equivalents. Accented Latin letters and alphanumeric terms such as B2B are also counted.
- Apostrophes (' and ’) and hyphens (-, ‐, and ‑) within words join them together. Dashes (– and —) and slashes separate words.
- Trailing punctuation and closing brackets that surround a URL are excluded. Matching pairs of brackets within a URL are kept.
| Text | Words |
|---|---|
Hello world | 2 |
I'm happy | 2 |
a well-known artist | 3 |
We sold 2026 products. | 4 |
hello—world | 2 |
Hello こんにちは | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
Is it free? Do I need an account?
The word counter is free to use, with no account required. Just type or paste your English text to get started.
Is my text saved or sent to a server?
This tool does not save your text or send it to a server. All counting happens in your browser. Copy any text you want to keep.
Why is my word count different from other tools?
Different tools use different rules to identify words, especially when handling hyphens, numbers, and URLs. See “How words are counted” for the rules used here. If your assignment or submission guidelines specify a counting method, follow those rules.
What happens if I go over the word limit?
Text within the limit is green. From the first word over the limit onward, text is red and underlined. The status below the editor shows how many words you have left or how far over the limit you are. You can still type and copy your text when you’re over the limit.