How to Turn On Word Count in OneNote (and Check It in Seconds)

Quick answer: In the OneNote app for Windows or Mac, open the page, go to the Review tab, and click Word Count. OneNote shows the number of words on the page (or in the text you selected). OneNote does not have a live counter that updates while you type, and the web and phone versions have no built-in counter at all — for those, use the copy-and-paste method below.

Method 1: Word Count in the OneNote App (Windows and Mac)

This is the built-in way, and it takes about ten seconds:

  1. Open the notebook and the page you want to count.
  2. Click the Review tab at the top.
  3. Click Word Count.
  4. A small box pops up with the word count for the page.

That is all there is to it. The count covers the text on the page. Your page title is not part of the page text, so it is not included.

How to Count Only Part of a Page

Sometimes you do not need the whole page — for example, you only want the words in one essay paragraph or one assignment answer. Select the text first (click and drag over it), then go to Review → Word Count. OneNote counts just the selected text. This is handy when a teacher gives you a word limit for one answer but the page holds your whole set of notes.

Method 2: OneNote on the Web (No Built-In Counter)

If you use OneNote in a browser at onenote.com or office.com, there is no word count button anywhere — not hidden, not in a menu. The same is true for the OneNote phone apps. The easy workaround:

  1. Open the page and select all its text (Ctrl+A on Windows, Cmd+A on Mac).
  2. Copy it (Ctrl+C / Cmd+C).
  3. Paste it into our free Word Counter — your count appears instantly, along with characters, sentences and reading time.

Nothing is uploaded or saved; the counter works right in your browser, so your notes stay private.

Why Students Ask for OneNote Word Count So Often

OneNote is where class notes, homework drafts and essay plans live, but assignments come with word limits. Microsoft Word shows a live count at the bottom of the screen, so students expect the same in OneNote — and are surprised when it is not there. Until Microsoft adds a live counter, the Review tab dialog (app) or the paste method (web and phone) are the two reliable options.

Need the Count for a Word or Google Docs File Instead?

If your work is in Microsoft Word, see our guide on how to check word count in Microsoft Word. Writing in Google Docs? We have a guide for checking word count in Google Docs too, including deeper stats like reading time.

FAQs

Does OneNote show the word count automatically while I type?
No. Unlike Microsoft Word, OneNote has no live counter on screen. You open it each time from Review → Word Count in the app.

Can I count words in one section of a notebook?
The dialog counts the current page, or the text you have selected. To count several pages, check them one by one and add the numbers, or paste the text into a word counter.

Does the word count include handwriting?
Only text OneNote has recognized counts reliably. If you write with a pen or stylus, convert the ink to text first (Draw → Ink to Text), then run the count.