How to Check the Word Count of PDF Documents

The need to know the word count of a document is relatively common. It could be because you’re a student who needs to meet a word count for an assignment, a writer who gets paid by the word, or various other reasons.

For PDFs, you can get the word count using your PDF editing software, depending on which one you’re using. If it’s not built in, you’ll need to convert the PDF to a Word doc or use an online service.

Use Foxit PDF Editor

Foxit PDF Editor is one of the few PDF editing tools that can provide the word count of a PDF directly within the app and with little effort.

1. Launch Foxit PDF Editor and open the PDF you want to get the word count for.
2. Next, click the View tab and then select Word Count.

The Word Count window will appear, giving you certain statistics about the PDF. Not only will you see the word count, but you’ll also get the number of characters, pages, and more.

Using Adobe Acrobat Reader? Convert to Word

Adobe Acrobat Reader is one of the most popular and widely used PDF editing tools. Even still, it doesn’t provide a way to get the word count of a PDF within the app. Instead, you’ll need to convert the PDF file to a Word doc, which Adobe can help you with.

1. Open a browser of your choice and go to Adobe’s PDF to Word convertor on their official site.
2. Upload the PDF file that you want to convert.
3. Once uploaded, you’ll see a screen where you can confirm the document language and the document type you want to convert the PDF to. Click Convert to DOCX.

4. Once the conversion is finished, click Open in Word in the header menu. You can also download the document if you want by clicking Download.

5. With the document now open In Word, click the Review tab and select Word Count in the Proofing group.

The Word Count window will appear, showing the document’s word count and other statical information.

Use an Online Word Count Tool

If your PDF software allows you to copy the text in the PDF, you can use an online word count tool like WordCounter to quickly get the word count (and the character count, too). Copy the text, paste it into the editor, and voilà.

Don’t forget that this is an online service, though. Online tools are convenient and mostly free, but don’t forget to give privacy an additional thought before you plugin potentially sensitive information into the word counter tool. Ensure you’re using a reputable site that guarantees the confidentiality of your content.

Words to the Wise

There are a few different ways you can get the word count of a PDF document, each with its own set of advantages. Foxit PDF Editor stands out, though, by providing an in-app word count feature. Hopefully, one day Adobe will bring this feature to the table.