Countflows logoCountflows

Keyboard Shortcut for Word Count in Text, Docs & Vim

Learn the keyboard shortcuts for checking word count in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Vim, and other platforms—quick tips to stay focused while you write.

Keyboard Shortcut for Word Count in Text, Docs & Vim

Keyboard Shortcut for Word Count in Text, Docs & Vim

umair tufail June 10, 2026 6 min read Tools

Learn the keyboard shortcuts for checking word count in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Vim, and other platforms—quick tips to stay focused while you write.

Topics Covered:

word count shortcutCtrl+Shift+GGoogle Docs word countVim word countlive word count

Keyboard Shortcut for Word Count in Text, Docs & Vim

Most writers don't realize how much time slips away just checking text count the slow way. You're deep in a sentence, ideas are flowing, then you stop, grab the mouse, dig through menus, and just like that, the momentum is gone. A keyboard shortcut for word count fixes this instantly. One press and the number appears right in front of you, no clicking, no detour, no lost thought.word counter our premium feature.

What Is the Keyboard Shortcut for Word Count in MS Word?

The word count keyboard shortcut in Microsoft Word is Ctrl + Shift + G and it opens the Text Count dialog box right away. You see total words, page Track, character Track, paragraphs and lines all together. No need to open the Review Tab every single time. The status bar at the bottom shows a live Text count while you type. Just look down and you know exactly where you stand.

How to Use Ctrl+Shift+G in Word 2007 and Later

Right click the status bar at the bottom of your screen. Find Content count in the list and turn it on. Now your live text Calculate stays visible the whole time you write. Press Ctrl + Shift + G anytime you need the full Text Track dialog box.

Word Count from Status Bar vs. Dialog Box

Keyboard Shortcut Status Bar Word Count Dialog Box
No shortcut needed yes no
Ctrl + Shift + G no yes
Live word yes no
Total words yes yes
Page yes yes
Character no yes
Paragraph no yes
Line no yes
Selected text no yes
Footnotes toggle no yes
Always visible yes no
Feature Status Bar Word Count Dialog Box

How to Check Word Count in Google Docs Using a Shortcut

Ctrl+Shift+C Shortcut on Windows, Mac & Chromebook
If you want to know how to check word count on Google Docs keyboard shortcut just press Ctrl + Shift + C on Windows and Chromebook. The keyboard shortcut for word count Google Docs on Mac is Cmd + Shift + C instead. The Text Track dialog opens instantly and shows total words, page Track and character Calculate together.

How to Display Live Word Count While Typing in Google Docs

Go to Tools Menu and click Content Track. Check the box that says Display Text count while typing and hit OK. A small live Text Tracker appears at the bottom left of your page.

Click that counter anytime to switch between text Measure, page Calculate and character count. Want to turn it off? Just uncheck the same box in the Tools Menu.

Best Add-ons for Tracking Word Count in Google Docs

Open Extensions then click Add-ons and select Add-ons. Search for Word Counter Max in the add-ons store and install it directly. This add-on shows a live sidebar with Text Measure character Track, sentence count and readability score.

Try DocuPilot Stats for reading time estimates. It helps you to measure how long your content takes to read. Both add-ons work directly inside Google Docs and restore in real time as you write.

Word Count Shortcut for a Specific Section or Selection

word count shortcut

How to Count Words in a Selected Paragraph in MS Word

Select any paragraph you want to Measure in Microsoft Word. Press Ctrl + Shift + G and the Content Track dialog box opens right away. It shows the selected text Track separately from the full document Measure.

Need to check an abstract Text limit? Just highlight that section and hit Ctrl + Shift + G. The Review Tab also has a text Track button if you prefer clicking instead.

Counting Selected Text in Google Docs

Select the text that you want to notice the number of words in Google Docs. Click on “Ctrl + Shift + C” and the Track dialogue box will be opened right away. This dialog box shows both the Text counts simultaneously.

How to Get Word Count in Vim

Vim works differently from other editors but checking text Track is still very simple. Press g then Ctrl + G in command mode and file statistics appear at the bottom of your screen instantly.

Here is what g + Ctrl + G shows you:

  • Word Check of the entire file
  • Line Check from top to bottom
  • CharacterCheck of the full document
  • Cursor position in the file
  • Selected text Check when you use visual mode

Keyboard Shortcut for Word Count — Platform Comparison Table

Platform Shortcut What It Opens
Microsoft Word (Windows) Ctrl + Shift + G Word dialog box
Microsoft Word (Mac) Ctrl + Shift + G Word dialog box
Google Docs (Windows/Linux) Ctrl + Shift + C Word dialog
Google Docs (Mac) Ctrl + Shift + C Word dialog
Google Docs (Chromebook) Ctrl + Shift + C Word dialog
Vim (All Platforms) g + Ctrl + G File statistics display
Word Online No shortcut Use Review Tab instead

FAQs

Does Ctrl+Shift+G Work in All Word Versions?

Yes — Ctrl + Shift + G opens the Word Count dialog in most desktop versions of Microsoft Word, including Word 2007 through Microsoft 365.

Is There a Shortcut for Word Count in Word Online?

Word Online does not support Ctrl + Shift + G. Use the Review tab and the built-in word count feature instead.

How to Assign a Custom Word Count Shortcut in Word

Go to File → Options → Customize Ribbon, click 'Keyboard shortcuts: Customize', find the Word Count command under Tools, press your preferred keys, and click Assign.

What is the shortcut for word count?

In Microsoft Word press Ctrl + Shift + G; in Google Docs press Ctrl + Shift + C (Cmd + Shift + C on Mac).

What is Ctrl+F4 in Word?

Ctrl + F4 closes the current document window in Microsoft Word without saving — save before using it.

What is Ctrl+K in Word?

Ctrl + K opens the Insert Hyperlink dialog so you can add a link to the selected text.

What is Ctrl+F3 in Word?

Ctrl + F3 cuts selected text to the Spike; paste everything from the Spike later with Ctrl + Shift + F3.

Conclusion

Knowing the correct keyboard shortcut for word count completely alters the way you write. If you use Microsoft Word, press Ctrl + Shift + G, while using Google Docs, simply press Ctrl + Shift + C. In one second, the Content Check dialog box will appear on your computer screen.. These shortcuts work on Windows, Mac and Chromebook without any extra setup at all. Start using them today and you'll never waste time checking your Content Measure the slow way again

Written by

umair tufail

← Read More Articles