How to Do a Character Count in Word: A Go-To Guide

Have you ever needed to keep track of your text length while working in Microsoft Word?

Whether you're crafting a social media post with a strict character count, writing a school essay with a word limit, or translating a document with space constraints, knowing how to check the character count in Word is essential.

Microsoft Word provides built-in tools to check your word and character count, but did you know that there are also advanced techniques and AI-powered tools that can make this process even easier? In this guide, you’ll learn multiple ways to count characters in Word, explore advanced counting methods, and discover how the Tomedes Word Count Tool can enhance your workflow.

How to count characters in Microsoft Word

Knowing the character count in Word is crucial for writers, students, and professionals who work with text limits. Whether you're crafting a tweet, an essay, or a marketing copy with restrictions, understanding how to check and manage your word and character count ensures precision in your writing. Below are different methods to efficiently count characters in Microsoft Word:

Using the Word Count Tool

The simplest way to check the character count in Word is through the Word Count tool:

1. Open your document in Microsoft Word.

2. Click on the Review tab in the ribbon.

3. Select Word Count from the toolbar.

4. A window will appear displaying the number of words, characters (with and without spaces), paragraphs, and lines in your document.

Checking Character Count from the status bar

For an even quicker method, you can customize the status bar to display your word and character count:

1. Right-click on the status bar at the bottom of Word.

2. Check the box for Word Count if it isn’t already enabled.

3. Your character and word count will be displayed in real-time.

Keyboard shortcut for word count

Need a faster way to check your word count? Try this keyboard shortcut:

• Ctrl + Shift + G (Windows) or Command + Shift + G (Mac)

This will open the Word Count window instantly, saving you time.

Character count in different versions of Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is available on various platforms, and while the core functionality remains the same, the way you access the character count can differ. Below, we break down how to check character count on Windows, Mac, Word Online, and mobile devices.

Character count on Windows and Mac

The steps above work for both Windows and Mac users. However, on Mac, the Word Count tool is sometimes hidden in the Tools menu.

1. Click Tools in the top menu.

2. Select Word Count from the dropdown.

Character count in Word Online

Microsoft Word Online, the cloud-based version of Word, also supports character count but with slight differences:

1. Open your document in Word Online.

2. Click on Review > Word Count.

3. Unlike the desktop version, Word Online does not offer a live character count in the status bar.

Character count on mobile (iOS & Android)

If you're working on a smartphone or tablet, here’s how to check the character count in Word:

1. Open your document in the Word mobile app.

2. Tap on the More Options (three dots) in the top right.

3. Select Review > Word Count.

Can I set a character limit in Word? Yes, through VBA macros. By using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), you can create scripts that alert you when a document exceeds a predefined character limit. This is particularly useful for writers working within strict publishing or social media constraints, as it ensures content remains within required length limits without constant manual checks.

How to count characters in a specific section of a document

If you only need the character count for part of your text:

1. Highlight the specific text.

2. Click Review > Word Count.

3. The pop-up window will now display the count for your selected text only.

This is especially useful for editing sections of a document or ensuring you stay within a strict limit for specific paragraphs.

The importance of Word and character count for translators

If you’re a translator, understanding the word and character count of a document is crucial. Many clients set character limits for translated text, particularly in industries like legal, medical, and marketing translation.

For example, UI/UX designers working on website translations need to ensure that the translated text fits within predefined spaces. Similarly, legal translators must maintain precision, as an excess of words could alter the meaning of a contract.

This is where the AI-powered Tomedes Word Count Tool is designed to analyze multilingual text with precision. Unlike Microsoft Word’s basic word count tool, it can:

• Identify all languages present in the text, whether monolingual or multilingual.

• Accurately calculate the word and character count for each language.

• Apply language-specific counting rules, such as treating each character as a word for Chinese and Japanese or using space- and character-based logic for Thai.

This is an essential tool for translators working with documents in multiple languages, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and efficiency in their workflow.

Read more: Solve Multilingual Word Counts with Tomedes' New AI Tool

Advanced tips for character counting in word

For those who need more control over their text length, Microsoft Word offers advanced character counting options. Here are some suggestions on how to optimize your character count tracking:

Setting a character limit in Microsoft Word

If you need to enforce a strict character count, you can set up alerts:

1. Open Word and press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor.

2. Create a simple macro that alerts you when your text exceeds a set limit.

3. Save and run the macro.

Automating live character count updates

Word does not provide a live character count as you type, but you can use the field codes method:

1. Place your cursor where you want the live count.

2. Press Ctrl + F9 to insert a field.

3. Type =NUMCHARS() and press F9.

Character count in non-English languages

When working with languages like Japanese, Arabic, or Korean, Word’s default counter may not be accurate. This is where the Tomedes Word Count Tool becomes valuable, as it provides language-specific character counting.

Third-party character count tools for advanced users

If you need real-time tracking, better customization, and support for multiple languages, external tools offer superior accuracy and efficiency compared to Microsoft Word’s built-in options.

Conclusion

Now that you know multiple ways to check your character count in Word, you can work more efficiently across different platforms. If you need multilingual support or advanced counting methods, try the Tomedes Word Count Tool for AI-powered precision and accuracy.

Partner with Tomedes, the trusted name in translation, to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and cultural relevance in every project. Our AI-powered tools and expert linguists guarantee seamless communication across languages. Get started today and elevate your global reach!