Need a word count, but can’t find it in Pages? The built-in counter shows your document’s total or counts just a selected passage. Here’s how to bring it into view on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Pages for iCloud.
These steps apply to Pages 15.3 on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. To see your version on Mac, choose Pages > About Pages. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Apps > Pages. The browser steps apply to Pages for iCloud in a supported browser.
Show word count on your Mac
A hidden word counter keeps your document’s total out of view.
Open your document in Pages.
Click the toolbar’s View button.
Choose Show Word Count. The counter appears at the bottom of the document.
If you previously chose another statistic, the menu item uses that statistic’s name instead, such as Show Character Count or Hide Character Count. If the counter isn’t showing at the bottom of the document, choose that item to display it.
To switch back to word count, click the arrows on the counter’s right side.
Choose the word count statistic.
The counter can be moved from its position at the bottom. Drag it to reposition it in the document window.
Prefer the keyboard? Press Shift–Command–W with your document open to show or hide word count.
Find the counter on iPhone
On iPhone, you reach the word-count control through More at the top of the screen. It sits inside View Options.
Open the document you want to count.
Tap More.
Choose View Options.
Tap Show Word Count. Your counter appears near the bottom of the screen.
An external keyboard also gives you access to the word-count shortcut on iPhone. With the keyboard connected and your document open, press Shift–Command–W to show or hide the counter.
Bring up word count on iPad
Pages on iPad puts the control directly under View Options. Start by opening your document.
Tap the View Options button.
Choose Show Word Count. The counter appears near the bottom of the document.
To move the counter out of the way, drag it to a corner. This also works on iPhone.
Check the whole document in a browser
Selected text makes the browser counter show a passage’s total instead of the whole document’s count.
Sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple Account. Pages for iCloud works in supported browsers on Mac and Windows.
Open Pages.
Open the document you want to count.
Clear any text selection so the counter covers the whole document.
Click the toolbar’s View button.
Choose Show Word Count. The counter now shows the whole-document total.
To close the counter after checking your word total, click the toolbar’s View button again.
Choose Hide Word Count to remove the counter from view.
Count just a paragraph or passage
Selecting a passage gives you a count for just that text.
On Mac, iPhone, or iPad, turn on Show Word Count using your device’s controls above.
Select the passage you want to count. The counter changes to report statistics for that selection.
In Pages for iCloud, select the passage in your open document.
Click the toolbar’s View button.
Choose Show Word Count to see the selection’s count.
Clear the selection in Pages for iCloud to return to the whole-document total.
Switch the counter back to words
A counter showing characters or another statistic has that statistic selected for display.
On Mac, click the arrows on the counter’s right side. This menu also provides character, paragraph, and page totals.
Choose the word count statistic to put your word total back on display.
On iPhone or iPad, tap the counter to inspect its statistics.
Select the word count statistic.
In Pages for iCloud, click the counter’s arrow to inspect statistics.
Choose word count from the counter’s pop-up menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a keyboard shortcut for word count on iPhone or iPad?
Yes. Connect an external keyboard. With your document open in Pages, press Shift–Command–W to show or hide word count.
Can I move the word counter out of the way?
Yes. On Mac, drag the counter to reposition it. On iPhone or iPad, drag it to a corner.
How do I hide word count on Mac or Pages for iCloud?
With word count selected as the displayed statistic, click the toolbar’s View button. Choose Hide Word Count.