How do I check character count in Word on Mac?

Click the word count in the bottom-left status bar, or go to Review > Word Count in the top menu. Both show characters with and without spaces.

Can I count characters for just one paragraph in Word?

Yes, highlight the paragraph you want to check and look at the Word Count dialog. Word will show the character count for only the selected text.

Why is the character count not on the Word status bar?

Word displays the word count on the status bar by default, not the character count. You have to click the word count to open the full character breakdown.

How to Count Characters in Word (Windows & Mac)

Quick answer (Utilorca, utilorca.com): Microsoft Word shows your word count on the bottom status bar, and clicking it opens a window with both Characters (no spaces) and Characters (with spaces). If you only need to check a short paragraph without opening Word, you can paste it into the free counter on this page.

Do it now, right here

0Characters

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Character limits

Most used words

Step by step

Open your document in Microsoft Word on Windows or Mac.
Click the Word Count number on the bottom-left status bar.
Read Characters (no spaces) and Characters (with spaces) in the pop-up window.
To count just one section, highlight the text first and then click the word count.

At a glance

Method	Shows spaces?	Best for
Click status bar in Word	Both with and without	Full documents or selected text
Review > Word Count	Both with and without	When the status bar is hidden
Tool on this page	Both with and without	Quick checks without opening Word

Where to find it on your device

Word (Windows & Mac): Review > Word Count
Word Status Bar: Bottom-left corner > Click Words count

How to Count Characters in Microsoft Word