How to Find Word Count in InDesign Step by Step

Updated 9 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

InDesign can count words in a selected passage, a text frame, or the text in an entire document. The count appears in the Info panel, so you can check your copy without exporting it or counting manually; the steps below also explain how to handle stories that continue across multiple frames.

What You’ll Need

An InDesign document containing editable text. Text inside placed images, such as a scanned page or screenshot, is not counted as document text.
Access to the document in InDesign. The wording or location of some commands can vary slightly between versions, but the Info panel is the key tool.

Step-by-Step

Open the document. Launch InDesign and open the file you want to check. If you have not saved recent edits, save the document first so you are counting the current copy. You do not need to select a text frame before checking a whole document.
Open the Info panel. Choose Window > Info from the menu. The Info panel displays information about the current selection or, when no text is selected, the active document. If the panel is already open, bring it to the front.
Check the whole-document count. Click on a blank area of the page or pasteboard so that no text is selected, then look at the Info panel. Find the line labeled Words. This is the document-level count. If the panel shows details for an object or selection instead, click outside the text or frame and check again.
Count a text frame or story. Click the Selection tool (the black arrow), then click the frame containing the text. Look for the word count in the Info panel. InDesign treats text that flows through linked frames as one story, so selecting a frame in a threaded story may show the count for that story rather than only the visible words in that one frame. This is useful for counting an article that spans several pages.
Count only part of a story. Choose the Type tool (the T icon), then drag across the specific passage you need. The Info panel updates to reflect the selected text. For a precise selection, place the insertion point at the start, hold Shift, and click at the end, or drag carefully across the passage. Check that punctuation or adjacent words have not been accidentally included in the highlight.
Read the other text statistics if useful. Depending on what is selected and your InDesign version, the panel may also show characters, lines, or paragraphs. Use the Words value for a word-count requirement; do not substitute character count or a count of text frames.
Repeat for other sections as needed. Select another frame, story, or passage and read the updated Words value. If you need separate counts for several sections, record each count as you go. InDesign does not necessarily present a combined report broken down by page or section in the Info panel.

Common Mistakes

Counting a frame instead of the intended scope. A frame can be part of a larger threaded story. Selecting it may report the story’s text, including words that flow into other frames. To count only visible or selected copy, use the Type tool to highlight the exact passage.
Assuming placed text is editable. Text in a placed PDF or image may not be part of InDesign’s editable text story, and text in a raster image is not counted. If that material must be included, extract or transcribe it into editable text and check it separately.
Leaving text selected unintentionally. A highlighted passage gives a selection count, not necessarily a whole-document count. Click outside the text and verify that the Info panel is showing the document-level information before recording the total.
Ignoring overset text. A red plus sign on a text frame indicates that some story text does not fit in the visible frames. That text can still be part of the story and may be included in its count. Do not assume the visible page content is the entire story.
Comparing different counting rules. InDesign’s word total may differ slightly from a word processor or an editor’s required count, especially with hyphenated terms, symbols, URLs, or numbers. If the count is for a submission, follow the recipient’s stated rules.

Tips

Use the Info panel for quick checks while editing; it updates when you change the selected text or object.
For a document with multiple independent stories, check each story separately if you need to confirm where the total comes from. Make sure you do not add the same threaded story more than once.
Resolve overset text before finalizing a count if the requirement is based on copy that will appear in the finished layout. Use the Story Editor or extend the text frame to inspect text that is not currently visible.
Keep the document’s text editable when possible. If a page is only a placed graphic, InDesign cannot reliably count its words as live text.
When reporting a count, note whether you counted the complete story, selected passage, or document. This avoids confusion when someone else checks the file.

Troubleshooting

The Info panel is missing: Open it again with Window > Info. If it opens in a collapsed panel group, select its tab or expand the group. You can also reset the workspace if panels are difficult to locate, but first save your work.

No word count appears: Confirm that the selected object is an editable text frame or that you have selected text with the Type tool. If you selected a graphic, shape, or placed image, the panel will not have a text count. Click into the actual text or select its frame.

The count seems too high: Check whether the text frame belongs to a threaded story, whether hidden or overset text is included, and whether you accidentally selected more text than intended. Select the exact passage with the Type tool to isolate it.

The count seems too low: Check for additional stories on other pages, overset text, or copy in placed files that is not editable InDesign text. A document-level count may not include text embedded in images or other external content.

The number differs from another app: Select the same text in both applications and compare their counting conventions. Differences can come from hyphens, punctuation, symbols, or how numbers and web addresses are treated. There may not be a single universal rule for every word-count requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can InDesign count words in the entire document?
Yes. Open Window > Info, clear any text selection, and check the document-level Words value. Confirm that you are not looking at a selected passage or object instead.

Can I count only selected text?
Yes. Use the Type tool to highlight the passage. The Info panel displays the count for the selected text, allowing you to check a paragraph or other excerpt.

Does InDesign count text in linked frames?
Linked frames form a threaded story. Selecting a frame can show the count for the story that flows through it, not just the words visible in that frame. Select a specific passage if you need a narrower count.

Does the word count include overset text?
Overset text remains part of the story even though it is not visible in the frame. It may therefore be included in the story count. Check for the red plus sign and inspect the hidden text before using the count as a final published-copy total.

Can InDesign count words in a placed PDF or image?
Not as ordinary editable InDesign text. Copy or extract the words into a text frame, or count them with a suitable text-recognition or document tool, then account for that separate total.

Why is my InDesign count different from Word or Google Docs?
Apps can apply different rules to punctuation, hyphenated words, symbols, and number strings. Compare the same passage and use the counting standard specified for your project.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.