Word Counter

How to use it

1. Paste or type your text.
2. Counts update as you type.
3. Copy or download the statistics if needed.

The method

Words are groups separated by whitespace. Characters count Unicode code points; emoji sequences may include several code points. Reading time assumes 200 words per minute.

For example

The text “Hello world” contains 2 words and 11 characters including the space.

Sentence and reading-time counts are estimates. Languages without word-separating spaces need specialized segmentation.

Using Word Counter with the right inputs

Count words, characters, sentences and reading time. Start by matching your task to the quantities and options shown below. The definitions of the inputs matter as much as the final number or transformed output; retain the original values so that you can repeat or check the result.

Inputs and options explained

• Your text: paste the source text without omitting meaningful spaces, quotation marks or line breaks. Begin with a small representative sample so that you can check the transformation before processing a longer input.

Method and interpretation

Words are counted as groups separated by whitespace. Character counts use Unicode code points, so a visible symbol made from multiple code points can contribute more than one character. Estimated reading time uses 200 words per minute.

Worked example

Hello world has 2 words and 11 characters when the space is included. Two spaces between the words keep the word count at 2 while increasing the count of characters including spaces.

Assumptions and limitations

Word counts can differ from an editor or publishing platform because of hyphens, apostrophes, punctuation and segmentation rules. Languages written without spaces need a different segmentation approach. Reading time is an estimate and changes with subject complexity and the reader.

Before you use the output

• Choose the intended action: Count text. Re-run the operation after changing an input or mode so that you are checking the updated result.
• Read the result label and any accompanying explanation. Keep the input values or source file with the output so that a later comparison uses the same assumptions.
• If a result looks unexpected, check units, separators and selected options first. Try a smaller example you can verify rather than repeatedly changing several settings at once.

Questions or a result that needs checking?

If you find a discrepancy, report a problem with Word Counter. Include a non-sensitive example, the selected options, the result you expected and the result shown. This makes the issue easier to reproduce. See About & privacy for how the site handles tool inputs.