What the DOCX Word Count Analyzer does
This analyser counts the words in a Word document (.docx) part by part - main text, headings, tables, text boxes, captions, footnotes, endnotes, headers, footers and comments - and per heading section, so you can apply a submission rule such as "excluding footnotes, tables and references" and see whether you are within the limit.
Word's status bar gives one number and its dialog adds a single footnotes-and-text-boxes checkbox, which is rarely the rule a university, journal or funder actually sets. Here every part has its own switch, the effect is visible immediately, and the document is read in your browser without being uploaded.
How to use it
- Drop a .docx file, or load the example report.
- Tick the parts your rules include. Main body text is always counted; by default headings, tables, text boxes and captions are in, and footnotes, endnotes, headers, footers and comments are out.
- Enter the word limit and, if your institution allows it, a percentage margin (10% is common). The meter and message show whether you are under, within the margin or over.
- Use the per-section table to see where the words are and what to cut, then download the breakdown as CSV if you need to declare it.
Reading the results
A word is a run of characters between spaces that contains at least one letter or digit, which is essentially Word's rule. Two differences: a stand-alone dash or other punctuation is not counted here, and hidden text is counted because it is still in the file. In Chinese, Japanese and Korean text each character counts as a word, as in Word.
Tracked deletions are excluded and tracked insertions are included, so the count matches the document as it would read with all changes accepted. Field codes (the instructions behind a table of contents or a cross-reference) are not counted; their displayed results are.
Sections run from one heading to the next and include the heading's own words. Only paragraphs with Heading styles (or an outline level) start a section - bold text typed to look like a heading does not.
Worked example: a council report with notes, a table and a pull quote
The example report counts 143 words with the default settings: 106 words of main text, 9 in headings and the title, 10 in the table, 11 in the text-box quote and 7 in the table caption (106 + 9 + 10 + 11 + 7 = 143).
Its two footnotes hold 14 more words (8 + 6), the running header 4 and the reviewer's comment 11; none of these are in the default total. The Summary paragraph contains a tracked deletion, "Results were mixed.", which is not counted, and a tracked insertion of 7 words, "Attendance stayed above target in every month.", which is.
With a limit of 120 words and no margin, the report is 23 words over. Unticking tables, text boxes and captions - a common rule for dissertations - brings the total to 115 and within the limit.
Limitations: what the result does not prove
- The count comes from the document's XML, not from Word's layout, so it cannot tell which words are on which page. Page counts and line counts are not available.
- Content inside embedded objects (a pasted spreadsheet, a chart, an equation object) and text in images is not counted.
- Older .doc files are not supported; save them as .docx first. Password-protected documents are encrypted and cannot be read.
- Your institution's rules decide what counts. A reference list written as ordinary paragraphs is main text to any counter and no switch here removes it; delete it from a copy if your rules exclude it.
Privacy: where your data goes
Everything you paste, type or drop is processed in this browser tab. It is not uploaded, logged, stored or sent to analytics. Session recording and tag-manager scripts are switched off on this page.
Standards and sources
- ECMA-376 Office Open XML File Formats - checked 19 Sep 2026
- Microsoft - Show the word count
Frequently asked questions
How do I count words in a Word document excluding footnotes?
Footnotes are excluded by default: the total shows main text plus headings, tables, text boxes and captions, and the footnote words are listed separately. Tick Footnotes if your rules include them, and the total updates straight away.
Why is this count different from Word's status bar?
Word's status bar counts the main text and, depending on the dialog setting, text boxes, footnotes and endnotes together. This tool counts each part separately and lets you choose. Small differences also come from punctuation-only tokens such as a stand-alone dash, which Word counts and this tool does not.
Can I see the word count for each chapter or section?
Yes. Every paragraph with a Heading style starts a new section, and the table lists the words from that heading to the next, indented by heading level. Documents that use bold text instead of Heading styles show everything as one section.
Are tracked changes counted?
The count reflects the document with all changes accepted: inserted text is counted and deleted text is not. Comments are counted separately and only included in the total if you tick them.
Does it count words in tables and text boxes?
Yes, and they are reported separately so you can include or exclude them. Many dissertation rules exclude tables and figure captions; untick them and the total shows only what the rules count.
Is my thesis uploaded to count it?
No. The .docx file is unzipped and read in your browser; nothing is sent to a server. That matters for unpublished work, where uploading to a third-party service could create a copy you do not control.
Last reviewed by the A2Z.Tools team against the sources listed above.
