Compteur de mots dans Google Docs : raccourci et menu

Word count in Google Docs lives under Tools → Word count. If you have never looked for it, you are not alone. The menu path is easy to miss, and Google does not put a running total on screen until you turn it on. Once you learn the shortcut or enable the live counter, you will use it on every draft with a length limit.

Where is word count in Google Docs? Click Tools in the top menu bar, then Word count. A small dialog opens showing words, characters (with and without spaces), and an estimated page count. That is the built-in Google Docs word counter. No add-on required.

Word count Google Docs shortcut: Press Ctrl+Shift+C on Windows or Cmd+Shift+C on Mac. This opens the same dialog as the menu. If you check word counts often, the shortcut is faster than hunting through Tools every time.

Display word count while typing: Open Tools → Word count and check "Display word count while typing." A compact total appears in the bottom-left corner of the document and updates as you edit. This is the closest thing Google Docs offers to a live word counter. Turn it off the same way by unchecking the box.

Count words in Google Docs for a selection only: Highlight the text first, then open Tools → Word count (or use the shortcut). The dialog counts your selection, not the whole file. Useful for essay sections, abstract limits, or quoted passages you need to exclude from a total.

How to check word count on Google Docs Mac: Mac uses the same Cmd+Shift+C shortcut. You can also use Tools → Word count from the menu. Both paths show words, characters, and pages. There is no separate Mac-only counter.

Google Docs word count on mobile: On iPhone or Android, open your document, tap the three dots (More), then Word count. You get a one-time total. The live "while typing" option is not available on mobile as of 2026.

Word counter for Google Docs vs built-in count: Google's counter stops at basic totals. It does not show reading time, keyword density, or readability scores. For those, copy your text into our free word counter online on the homepage. Counts should match for plain body text.

Common Google Docs word count questions: Hyphenated words like "well-known" count as one word, same as Microsoft Word. Footnotes and headers are included in the full-document count. To exclude them, select only the body text you want measured before opening word count.

Also drafting in Microsoft Word? See our Word count in Microsoft Word guide for the status bar, Review tab, and Ctrl+Shift+G shortcut on Windows.