How to check the word count on Google Docs, and keep the word count on your screen

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• You can check the word count on Google Docs under the Tools section.
• On desktop, word count can be kept on the page at all times with the toggling of a checkbox.
• You can also check word count on Google Docs with the mobile app, but you can't keep it on your screen.

Google Docs has been around since 2008. It is a fairly fleshed out document editor and includes the ability to check a document's word count.

You may want to do this if, for example, you have a word limit on an essay or a job application and need to ensure that your document remains under a specific word count.

Here's how to check the word count on Google Docs, whether you're on desktop or mobile, and keep it on your screen as you type.

How to check the word count on Google Docs on desktop

1. Go to docs.google.com and ensure that you are logged in.

2. Open the document that you want to work on or create a new document.

3. Click on Tools, and then click on Word count in the drop-down menu that appears.

4. To exit the Word count pop-up box, click OK or Cancel.

Quick tip: You can keep the word count visible by checking the Display word count while typing box.

How to check the word count on Google Docs on mobile

1. On your phone's home screen, tap the Google Docs app icon to open it.

2. Tap on the document which you wish to edit or create a new document by pressing the + button at the bottom right of the screen.

3. With the document open, tap on the three horizontal dots on the top right of your screen.

4. Tap on Word count.

5. To exit, tap on the left-facing caret to the left of Word count.

Kyle Wilson is a contributor to the Tech vertical on Business Insider's Reviews team, based in British Columbia, Canada. His work has also appeared in publications like The Verge, Vice, Kotaku, and more. He periodically guest co-hosts the Saturday tech show "Tech Talk" on the iHeartRadio station C-FAX 1070. Feel free to reach out to him on Twitter, where he can be found most of the time, @KWilsonMG.