Drag & drop a PDF here
or choose a file to count its words
Free · up to 50 MB · 200 pages max · runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded
Count the words in any PDF right in your browser. Get total words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading and speaking time, plus a per-page word-distribution chart. Drop in a header or footer phrase under Exclude words and every total recomputes instantly, so repeated boilerplate stops inflating your count.
How to Count Words in a PDF
- Add a file: drag your PDF into the box or press Choose PDF.
- Read the totals: words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, paragraphs, page count, and average words per page.
- Exclude boilerplate: type words separated by commas — for example page, header, footer — and the count updates live.
- Explore the results: check the word-distribution chart to spot dense chapters and read the extracted text in the preview.
What Gets Counted
Words are letter or number runs separated by spaces, so hyphenated terms and apostrophes count as one word, just like a word processor. Reading time assumes 200 words per minute, speaking time 130. Sentences and paragraphs are estimates based on punctuation and line breaks.
Scanned PDFs Are Detected
If your PDF is a scan with no text layer — just images of pages — there's nothing to read and the tool tells you so instead of showing zeros. The file would need OCR first; your document never leaves your device.
Private by Design
Everything runs in your browser using PDF.js. No uploads, no accounts, no watermarks — safe for manuscripts, contracts, and student essays.
FAQ
Can I exclude certain words from the count?
Yes. Type them in the Exclude words box separated by commas — the total and the distribution chart update instantly. Great for removing page numbers and repeated headers.
Why does my scanned PDF show no words?
Scans contain images, not selectable text. The tool reads the text layer, so a scanned document needs OCR before it can be counted. You'll see a notice when this happens.
Is there a size limit?
Files up to 50 MB and 200 pages are supported. Because the counting happens on your device, the limit keeps results snappy in any browser.
Need to polish the document before you count it? Reduce the file size with the PDF compressor, break it apart with the PDF splitter, or combine several files with the PDF merger.
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