How to use Word Counter
- Type or paste your text into the editor. Counts update automatically after a brief pause.
- Read the word and character totals, or expand the details for sentences and paragraphs.
- Copy the count summary if you need it, or clear the editor to remove the text from this page.
What the counts mean
Words are identified using the browser’s Unicode-aware word segmentation. Numbers count as words; standalone punctuation and emoji do not. Apostrophes inside words are generally kept together, while hyphenated expressions may count as separate words. This is more useful for mixed-language text than simply splitting at every space.
Characters count visible grapheme clusters. A letter with a combining accent, or an emoji made from several Unicode code points, usually counts as one character. Spaces and line breaks count in the total; the “Without spaces” figure excludes whitespace, including tabs and line breaks.
A paragraph is a block of nonempty text separated by a blank line. A single line break inside a block does not start a new paragraph. Sentences use English-oriented browser segmentation, so abbreviations and incomplete sentences can differ from a document editor’s results.
A useful estimate for drafts
Use the word total to check an essay limit, size a newsletter or compare two versions of a draft. The character figures help with short descriptions and interface copy, but check the destination’s counting rules: some platforms count code points or UTF-16 units rather than visible characters.
Reading time assumes 200 words per minute and rounds up to a whole minute. It is a planning estimate for ordinary English prose, not a measure of comprehension or spoken delivery. Technical writing, unfamiliar vocabulary and careful review take longer.
Common questions
Why does another word counter show a different number?
Programs choose different rules for punctuation, hyphens, apostrophes and language boundaries. For a submission with a strict limit, use the receiving editor’s official count. Browsers may also update their Unicode segmentation rules.
Does the tool store what I paste?
No. Text remains in this page’s memory while the tab is open. It is not sent to a server or saved in local storage. Clear the editor to remove it from the tool. Copying a summary copies counts only, not your text.
Can I count a whole book?
The editor accepts up to 200,000 UTF-16 input units to keep processing responsive on everyday devices. Visible character counts can be lower because a single emoji may occupy several input units. For longer documents, count separate sections.