How to Count Document Words Without Footnotes or Endnotes
Question details
Users need to find the word count of the main document text, excluding any text contained within footnotes and endnotes.
- Product
- Microsoft Word / WPS Writer
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Checking the precise word count of a manuscript or academic paper where assignment guidelines require footnotes and endnotes to be excluded from the total word count.
- Observed behavior
- The default word count display often includes footnotes and endnotes in the total, requiring a workaround to isolate the main body count.
Ensure your document is fully saved and that all your footnotes and endnotes are inserted using the built-in reference tools rather than typed manually at the bottom of the page.
Calculate Word Count by Subtracting Notes in Draft View
Use the Draft view to isolate all footnotes and endnotes, check their specific word count, and subtract it from the document's total.
This manual subtraction method is particularly useful in older versions of word processing software. By isolating the notes in Draft view, you can see exactly how many words they consume and calculate an accurate body text count.
Navigate to the 'View' tab on the top ribbon and click on 'Draft' in the Views group.
Go to the 'References' tab and click on 'Show Notes' in the Footnotes section.
In the notes pane that opens at the bottom of the screen, click inside it and press 'Ctrl + A' to select all the footnotes or endnotes.
Look at the status bar at the bottom left of the application window. It will display the selected word count (representing your notes) next to the total document word count.
Subtract the selected note word count from the total word count to find the approximate number of words in your main document body.
Easily Exclude Footnotes from Word Count in WPS Writer
WPS Writer provides a straightforward Word Count tool that allows you to easily include or exclude footnotes and endnotes with a single click, saving you from doing manual calculations.
- 1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document you wish to check.
- 2. Access the Review tab: Navigate to the 'Review' tab on the top ribbon menu.
- 3. Open Word Count statistics: Click on the 'Word Count' button to open the detailed statistics dialog box.
- 4. Uncheck the inclusion box: Locate and uncheck the box that says 'Include footnotes and endnotes'.
- 5. View your accurate count: Read the updated 'Words' value at the top of the dialog, which now represents only your main body text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I automatically exclude footnotes in the status bar word count?
Yes. Click on the word count number displayed in the bottom status bar to open the Word Count dialog box. Uncheck the 'Include textboxes, footnotes and endnotes' option, and close the box. The status bar will then update to show the word count excluding those elements.
Does the word count include headers and footers by default?
Standard word counts usually exclude headers and footers. However, if you need to know the word count of a specific header, you can double-click the header area to open it, highlight the text, and look at the status bar for the selected word count.
Why is my word count different when I save my document as a PDF?
PDF converters process text layouts differently. They may flatten text boxes or merge footnotes into the main text flow, which alters how PDF readers detect the text. Always rely on the word count from your native word processing software rather than a PDF reader.
